Containment

Applied Market Information's (AMI) newest event, Polymers in Photovoltaics 2010, is just two weeks away. The event will be held at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany from 20-22 April. Polymers in Photovoltaics 2010 will provide a unique opportunity to meet with the wide range of professionals who work in the global photovoltaics industry--an industry that increasing intersects with aspects construction and civil engineering through roof membranes, exposed geotechnical membranes, and other materials. Learn more and register. Download the brochure (PDF). Learn more here.;

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has named David B. LaFrance as its new executive director. He will join the staff in May. LaFrance, 46, has served as director of finance for Denver Water for the past 12 years and is a respected industry leader in the areas of utility economics and water rates. LaFrance was selected by the AWWA Board of Directors after unanimous recommendations from a Transition Committee and the Executive Committee, both comprised of AWWA volunteer leaders. He succeeds Gary Zimmerman, who resigned in March 2009.

In 2009 SIBUR basic ecological indexes displayed a decrease in impact of the Company's production facilities on the environment. Pollutant emissions to the atmosphere decreased by 7%. Generation of consumer and production waste decreased by 6%. The amount of waste water decreased in the last year by 12%. SIBUR considers processing of the associated petroleum gas (APG) generated during oil production a major part of its ecological mission. In 2009 APG processing increased by 10% as compared to 2008 reaching 16.8 billion m3.

The home page of ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics now includes registration information for the next meeting, 8-11 June 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. The current schedule includes the second meeting on geocells, reinforced geomembrane seams, asperity height, GCL design guidance, and much much more. Read the full schedule and keep up on D35 news at the committee website. Learn more here.;

Attend this webinar--ELG's and the Construction Industry: What does this new rule mean to my project?-- to gain a comprehensive understanding of how this new rule will affect your construction sites, and begin planning to implement the practices that will most directly benefit your bottom line. New rules can often be cumbersome, but ignoring them will not yield more money to your bottom line. Become smarter, gain knowledge, and make a plan for implementation of appropriate practices before your competition does!

The 2010 LatAm Mining Congress will take place 27-30 April 2010 in Coral Gables, Florida. The event unites senior executives from Latin America's small, mid-cap and super-major mining houses with leading analysts, consultants, economists, financiers, investors and country regulators. Terrapinn, the conference organizer, has released its latest e-newsletter with conference updates on speakers, sessions and events. Read more.

AMI is pleased to invite you to consider speaking or attending the 4th international conference on Waterproof Membranes to be held from 30 November to 2 December 2010 at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany. There is a welcome reception and registration on the first evening followed by a two-day technical program. AMI's Sally Humphreys invites presentations through 28 May 2010.

In the Philippines, the first methane gas extraction plant has been put into operation for agricultural waste management. Others are following. LEISTER, an international manufacturer of welding equipment, has been there at the forefront of this important environmental movement. Here, the company reports on the use of its equipment to ensure the sealing of an HDPE lining system on a methane-harvesting system at a power station.

Modern landfills are far superior to the dumps that marked the landscape just three or four decades ago. Geosynthetic lining and drainage systems and stringent regulations have transformed the waste management industry into the strongest area of the United States infrastructure. In Scotland County, North Carolina a new landfill proposal would correct an old unlined facility. It would change the current leakage rate from 5.7 million gallons per year to an estimated 114 gallons per year. That's a pretty telling statistic. Learn more here.;

The 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) is just two months away! This quadrenniel event from the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) is a must-attend for its short courses, keynotes and networking. The conference organizers have announced an upgrade to the event website and encourage attendees to secure their conference dinner tickets now. 9ICG will provide an opportunity to learn about and discuss highly technical and scientific geosynthetics issues and their solutions. A primary objective of the conference is to present the most recent developments, improvements and new technologies from the international geosynthetics community. Learn more about the conference and register today. Learn more here.;

During the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on Thursday 8 April 2010 in Almelo, the Netherlands, the Supervisory Board of Royal Ten Cate will propose Mr R. van Gelder to the Meeting of Shareholders for appointment as a member of the Supervisory Board. Mr Van Gelder (civil engineer, aged 64, of Dutch nationality) is a former CEO of Royal Boskalis Westminster (1993-2006) and currently CEO of Heijmans N.V. (until May 2010). He is a supervisory board member of SBM Offshore N.V. and Holcim Western Europe Ltd. and a member of the board of the Vereniging Effecten Uitgevende Ondernemingen (Association of Securities-Issuing Companies).

To support a new sustainability vision in public works management, the American Public Works Association (APWA) has recently created the new APWA Center for Sustainability. The Center was designed to enable APWA to become the driving force for sustainability in public works, and to support the development of the next generation of public works leaders with strong sustainability credentials and commitment. In the 21st century, the public works professional must think beyond the current generation, work closely with a more engaged and better informed public, and take an integrated systems approach to addressing livability and community issues.

The Industrial Fabrics Association International's (IFAI) annual International Achievement Awards (IAA) competition is accepting submissions through 15 July 2010. Among the many entry categories you'll find "Geosynthetics." This year the competition is holding a drawing to award a free full registration to the 2010 IFAI Expo Americas (27-29 October 2010, Orlando, Florida), where IAA winners will be announced. Geosynthetica encourages you to look into this event and share your projects and experience with the larger technical textiles field. Visit the competition website to learn more about the awards and the benefits of the new electronic submission form. Learn more here.;

CETCO will sponsor the next GCL University on 30 April 2010 at the company headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois (near Chicago). Highlights include a keynote address from Dr. Robert Koerner of the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), Dr. Patrick Fox on "Shear Strength and Slope Stability," and Waste Management's Bill Schubert on the "Anniversary of the first GCL use." Additional sessions in the day-long course will address hydraulic properties, chemical compatibility, test methods and GCL installation. Visit the registration page and reserve your space today. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are evaluating the feasibility of developing brownfields and Superfund sites for renewable energy production. This could include exposed geomembrane caps with thin-film photovoltaic cells or rigid cells bonded to geomembrane or synthetic grass systems. Learn more here.;

A Dubai Surfing Association is forming and representatives are travelling to Australia to investigate geotextile-based artificial reefs. These reefs, made of geotextile bags filled with local sand, are used for both the creation of surfing zones and dive zones, as the bags promote coral growth and provide shelter for marine life. Learn more here.;

The demand for performing geoelectric integrity surveys as the final stage of liner construction quality assurance (CQA) has significantly increased. This has been spurred not only by regulator understanding and wide-spread use in the waste management sector but also by other closely monitored, environmentally concerned industries such as mining, wastewater and fuel/oil storage. This in-demand skill is taught at only one place in the United States, and the next opportunity takes place during CQA Week (April 12-16) at TRI's Austin, Texas campus. Read more about it here.

East Coast Erosion Blankets LLC, Bernville, Pa., is proud to announce the hiring of John Ravert, a technical expert in the erosion and sediment control field. John brings a wealth of experience to his new role as Director of Technical Services. He is a CPESC and NICET-certified Erosion and Sediment Control engineering technician and can be reached at +1 610 488 8496, email jravert@eastcoasterosion.com.

The March 2010 Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) newsletter is available. The current issue includes a roundup of the Institute's many activities and research projects (such as Grace Hsuan's ongoing stress-cracking studies on geomembranes and geopipes), generic specification updates, a report on GRI-24, short course and special meetings notes, a list of the 75 GAI-LAP accredited laboratories, and much, much more. Download a PDF copy today. Learn more here.;

The 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) will be held 23-27 May 2010 in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil. It will provide an opportunity to learn about and discuss highly technical and scientific geosynthetics issues and their solutions. The conference organizers have announced that exhibit hall space for this quadrenniel event has sold out. See the map of who will be in attendance here.

In Colorado, a rule change in 2010 has mandated that oil and gas pit liners must be disposed of in proper (ie, modern, lined) facilities. But a law suit and industry complaints are seeking to halt full implementation of the rule. Until the new rules were in place, disposing of these liners in a landfill was optional and an option not often exercised. Gas operators, with landowners' permission, would often bury the liners on private property. Megan Graham, director of the San Juan Citizens Alliance, discusses this in an op-ed piece in the Durango Herald. Learn more here.;

The 3rd Geosynthetics Middle East (9-10 November 2010) will be held at Le Meridien Hotel in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Reda Ashkar, BMC Gulf, will serve as conference chairman. A call for presentations has been issued and abstracts are due to the conference manager, Irina Bender of SKZ by 15 April 2010. Read more about the event and the topics sought.

TCL2010--the International Conference on Textile Laminating and Coating--will be held 4-5 November 2010 in Cannes, France. Please note that these are new dates for the event. The theme of the gathering, which will be held at the Novotel Montfleury, will be "An Industry Moving Forward - Focus on the future. A call for papers has been issued. Read about the sessions here.

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. Deadline to submit an abstract is 20 May 2010. Learn more.

"We foresee the role of German technology as crucial for the development of the technical textile sector in India." With these words Mrs. Rita Menon, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles in India opened a two days Conference on German Technology for Indian Technical Textiles which was jointly organised by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry) and the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. Read about these events.