Containment

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has extended its abstract submittal deadline until Wednesday, 26 May 2010 at 12:00 pm (Mountain) for Environmental Connection 2011 (EC11). The event is the annual conference and expo of IECA. Combining quality education with a world-class expo, EC11 is the premier gathering place for the erosion and sediment control community, drawing attendees from over 20 countries and 150 exhibitors to Orlando, Florida, 20-23 February 2011. Any abstracts submitted after the deadline will moved to EC12 consideration. Learn more here.;

American Environmental Group Ltd. (AEGL), an expert installer of geosynthetic materials, has been re-certified with the Approved Installation Contractor (AIC) status from the International Association of Geosynthetic Installers (IAGI). AEGL is one of eight US-based Approved Installation Contractors and has held AIC status since 2007. Read more about the AIC program's importance.

Geosynthetica's Elizabeth Peggs is in Brazil, attending the 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil. Time-permitting, she's sending us updates from the event. On Sunday night--Day 1 of 9ICG--she posted her first notes. She writes, "[Day 1] was a huge success...A handful of great pre-conference short courses were offered during the day, including 'Geosynthetics in Mining and Dams.'" Read more.

Installation expert Comanco has launched a corporate blog at which numerous project images and updates are regularly posted. Learn more here.;

Artek Surfin Chemicals Ltd. and Aterian Investment Partners are pleased to announce that they have jointly purchased the PVC additives business of Chemtura Corporation, newly named Galata Chemicals. Galata Chemicals is a leading global producer of additives for numerous PVC and other polymer applications. The expansive product portfolio includes heat stabilizers, plasticizers and impact modifiers. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) plan to lift the recreational advisory for and reopen the Emory River on Saturday, 29 May 2010, at 7:00 a.m. The main river channel will be accessible to the public, but caution is advised. A no-wake zone has been established from Emory River mile 1.5 to mile 3 because large equipment remains in the area as TVA and EPA continue recovery of the Kingston ash spill.

Construction of a cap for the Global Landfill in Old Bridge is under way to provide final containment of a Superfund site that has been an environmental concern in the area for many years. The cap will include a flexible, geosynthetic barrier (to allow for further site settlement) and leachate-collection and stormwater-control systems. The DEP and EPA have required long-term monitoring of the aquifers and wetlands. The DEP and EPA have also required some 5,000 cubic yards of wetland sediments contaminated with volatile organic chemicals to be placed under the landfill cap.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loan guarantees through 30 June 2010. REAP (Section 9007 of the 2008 Farm Bill) provides incentives for the development/construction of rural renewable energy projects, such as anaerobic digester projects. USDA is expected to issue soon a notice to solicit applications to support feasibility studies for these types of projects also. REAP renewable energy grants can provide up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, up to $500,000.

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), India's largest private sector company, and SIBUR, Russia's leading petrochemical company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a joint venture in India. This new joint venture will produce butyl rubber at Reliance's integrated petrochemical site in Jamnagar, India.

Biaksplen, the largest Russian manufacturer of biaxially oriented polypropylene film, is planning to increase its production and to come into the markets of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and other countries of Central Asia as the Company's managers have told at a press conference. Construction of a new BOPP film production line of 35 thou tpy in capacity is planned for 2010 at Tomskneftekhim, SIBUR's site in Western Siberia.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an initiative to help communities more effectively participate in government decisions related to land cleanup, emergency preparedness and response, and the management of hazardous substances and waste. The Community Engagement Initiative (CEI) plan lays out specific steps EPA is taking to provide communities with better information and opportunities to understand and influence decisions on environmental cleanups. The purpose of the plan is to present guiding principles, goals and actions to enhance EPA's relationships with communities from across the country while protecting human health and the environment.

Within the next 12 months, Turks and Caicos Island in the West Indies will replace its small, unlined dumps with a large, new, modern landfill with a geosynthetic lining system. The landfill will include a self-sealing geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) under a 60-mil layer of a polyethylene geomembrane. Refuse will be spread and compacted daily over a small 100-by-50-foot working face and covered with a layer of soil, completely closing off any open waste areas each day. Learn more here.;

Hundreds of plants dot the floating geotextile on Pond One at the Marton waste water plant in the Rangitikei district of New Zealand. The artificial floating wetland system has significantly reduced odors from the facility. The treatment pond mats are filled with shredded plastic drink bottles for low buoyancy. Learn more here.;

The former GAF shingle factory steadily expanded on Erie, Pennsylvania's bayfront. As it grew, workers dumped construction debris, asbestos, tar, shingle trimmings and other industrial waste into the water and erected new buildings on the fill. Now, to remediate and redevelop the 12.5-acre site, significant containment will be needed. Two-thirds of the site will most likely require the installation of a two-foot-thick cover layer. Learn more here.;

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has honored Samuel R. Allen, vice president of TRI/Environmental Inc. in Austin, Texas, with the ASTM Award of Merit and honorary title of fellow. The Award of Merit is the highest ASTM honor for distinguished service and outstanding participation in committee activities. Read more about this well-deserved award.

Tri-Tech Holding Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIT), a premier Chinese company that engineers, manages and monitors municipal sewer systems, natural waterways and other water resources, announced today that it has established new offices in the United States and India and a new research and development base in Tianjin, China. In the U.S., Tri-Tech has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary Tri-Tech Infrastructure, LLC (Tri-Tech U.S.). The company will focus on developing advanced pollution control equipment, design and engineering and technical service capabilities to support its businesses in China and India. Read more.

The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) has announced that Dennis J. Hall, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, FAIA, SCIP, will assume presidency of the organization on July 1. Hall is managing principal of Hall Architects, Inc. and chairman of HALL Building Information Group, LLC. Hall joined CSI in 1984. During the past 25 years, he has served in numerous CSI leadership positions at the local, regional and national levels. Currently, he is chair of the Project Resource Manual Update Task Team, the CSI forum moderator for Building Information Modeling (BIM) in Construction Documents, and a member of the UniFormat Task Team.

Lubbock Online has published a short article about Landmark Brownfield, a division of Leggett and Platt. The company is converting agricultural waste into hydro-mulch formulas as part of Landmark and Leggett's larger erosion control and soil stabilization business. The company contends that while most hydro-mulches contain wood or paper, the use of cotton ag waste is beneficial for grass seed germination, soil erosion control and soil health. Learn more here.;

The Tennessee Valley Authority will securely and permanently store onsite all ash removed in the next phase of recovery work to begin soon at Kingston Fossil Plant in Harriman, Tenn. The decision was announced today in an Action Memorandum issued by TVA and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking proposals for educational sessions at Brownfield 2011--the 14th National Brownfields Conference, scheduled for 3-5 April 2011 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The deadline for submitting proposals is 2 July 2010. The National Brownfields Conference is the largest, most comprehensive conference in the nation focused on cleaning up and redeveloping abandoned, underutilized, and potentially contaminated properties.

In Alabama, farm interests are considering it a major victory that the Family Farm Preservation Act passed and has been signed into law by Governor Bob Riley. The Family Farm Preservation Act prevents law-abiding farms from being declared a public nuisance. The bill was amended to exclude new or expanding CAFOs that raise pork and to restate the judge’s authority to require the plaintiff to pay the farmer’s legal fees, if the lawsuit is frivolous. Learn more here.;

A global push is on to certify aquaculture operations. The group that appears to be leading the drive is the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). By June 2011, an independent body co-founded by the WWF - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council - will be fully set up to do certifications, the organization reports. It's thought that by 2040-50, the aquaculture industry will have to increase production 50 per cent from current levels to meet demand. Learn more here.;

TIE Technologies, Inc., an information technology, security and telecommunications company, today announced the submission of its OilDam® Emergency Containment Proposal to the EPA's Homeland Security Research Center and the U.S. Coast Guard for immediate consideration. The system includes expertise from Gunderboom, Inc., TenCate Geosynthetics, and GeoComp.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is calling for submittals for Environmental Connection 2011 (EC11), annual conference and expo of IECA. Combining quality education with a world-class expo, EC11 is the premier gathering place for the erosion and sediment control community, drawing attendees from over 20 countries and 150 exhibitors to Orlando, Florida, 20-23 February 2011. The deadline to submit an abstract for the conference's consideration is 20 May 2010.

HP today presented new research from HP Labs, the company's central research arm, showing how the manure output of cows and the heat output of data centers can be combined to create an economically and environmentally sustainable operation. In a research paper presented at the ASME International Conference on Energy Sustainability in Phoenix, Ariz., the HP researchers explain how a farm of 10,000 dairy cows could fulfill the power requirements of a 1-megawatt (MW) data center--the equivalent of a medium-sized data center--with power left over to support other needs on the farm.