Containment

Who was the first polymeric material manufacturer in the Middle East to gain ISO-9001? Kangaroo Plastics. Appropriately enough, the company's slogan is "Quality Without Compromise." Learn more here.;

An interesting story has popped up in the 12 February 2010 New York Times. Plastic pipe manufacturer JM Eagle has been accused of falsifying testing reports. A former employee has brought about the case under a "whistle-blower" law. And, as the accusations are related to pipe durability (50 year service life) while the company experienced some failures inside of one year, the suit has gained steam and additional plaintives. The states of Nevada, Virginia, Delaware, and Tennessee and water authorities in California have joined the lawsuit. Learn more here.;

As the one-year anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act nears, projects funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are yielding cleaner air, water and land, and new green jobs across the country. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in New York State, where EPA's Recovery Act funding has spurred cleanups of toxic waste sites and leaking petroleum storage tanks, cleaner water, and projects to reduce air pollution from diesel engines.

Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. A special session will be held on floating covers for potable water. Your abstracts are encouraged. The deadline for abstracts is 8 March 2010.

A storm water best management practice (BMP) research team from the Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers Association (SWEMA) is seeking participants for a quick online questionnaire about BMP maintenance costs. The ongoing research is targeted at gathering nationwide data on the current maintenance cost of 16 types of common storm water treatment BMPs, and the resources being allocated to maintain these BMPs, as well as maintenance frequency. Learn more and take part in the survey.

The Nomination Committee comprising representatives of the major owners, representing approximately 66 percent of the votes in Trelleborg AB, and the Chairman of the Board, has resolved to propose to the Annual General Meeting that it elect Nina Udnes Tronstad and Bo Risberg as new Board members of Trelleborg AB. Read more in the release.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Stauffer Management Company (SMC) officials announced today the selection of the remediation team for the Stauffer Chemical Site on Anclote Road in Tarpon Springs. Cleanup is estimated to take eighteen months, which includes: the consolidation and capping of contaminated soils in the north and south parcels of the site; installation of a cut off wall to reduce movement of groundwater contamination at the site; and restoration of the eastern shore of Meyers Cove. The project schedule is currently being refined and once completed will be announced to the community.

The 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG) will be held in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil 23-27 May 2010. When entering Brazil, your passport must be valid for at least six months after the date of entry. For tourists from the Mercosur countries (Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay), it is necessary only to show some identification or a valid passport. For tourists and visitors from other countries, visas may be required. Read more.

The Middle East is investing heavily in innovative farming methods in a bid to reduce growing dependence on the rest of the world for up to 90% of food needs, say the organisers of the region’s biggest agri-business trade event. Running for more than 10 years, AGRA Middle East at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 29-31 March 2010 is regarded as a must visit event by the agribusiness industry of the region. Learn more here.;

Dr. Timothy D. Stark of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has published a guideline to clarify the PVC Geomembrane Fabrication and Installation Specification prepared by the PVC Geomembrane Institute (PGI) in 2006. The FGI grew out of and assumed the PGI's work. The updated seam specification was published in late January 2010. Download the document for free in PDF. Learn more here.;

Global political and engineering discussions are focusing on sustainability. Reductions in energy consumption are key, particularly in relation to climate-related gases, such as CO2 and CH4. These new goals, while beneficial, pose challenges to the construction industry. Geosynthetics are helping. Read about NAUE's Prof. Georg Heerten and important research being conducted on the beneficial environmental impact of geosynthetics.

A Chinese government "pollution census" has found that farm fields are a far bigger source of water contamination in China than factory effluent. The two-year study involved 570,000 people. According to the study, agriculture is responsible for 43.7% of the nation's chemical oxygen demand (the main measure of organic compounds in water), 67% of phosphorus and 57% of nitrogen discharges. Learn more here.;

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Redondo Beach, California, celebrate the groundbreaking of the Alta Vista Park Diversion and Reuse Project, which will protect coastal waters from urban stormwater runoff -- the number one cause of coastal water pollution in Southern California -- and use collected rainwater for park irrigation. The $2.2 million project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Learn more.

The Interstate Technical Group on Abandoned Underground Mines (ITGAUM) is issuing a call for papers to be presented at its 8th Biennial Workshop. The workshop is scheduled for 21-24 September 2010 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Abstracts are due by 7 May 2010. Learn more.

The National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs (NAAMLP) has issued a call for papers ahead of its 32nd annual conference. NAAMLP 2010 will be held 19-22 September 2010 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This year’s conference theme is "Their Legacy, Our Heritage, Everyone’s Future." Subjects include brownfields, acid mine drainage, stream restoration and so much more. The event will be held in conjunction with Interstate Technical Group on Abandoned Underground Mines. Download the call for papers in PDF here.

TRI/Environmental continues its steady growth, as the latest annual newsletter from the Austin, Texas-based company indicates. Sam Allen, Rick Thomas, Joel Sprague and Rich Lacey continue their high level of activity on industry committees; TRI's lab personnel expertise and 24-hour operation option has resulted in record report turnaround times;new testing equipment has greatly expanded the company's capabilities, especially in interface friction and direct shear testing; the ability to test soil specimens with our direct simple shear apparatus is new in 2010; the Denver Down Research Facility (DDRF), a first-of-its-kind large-scale erosion and sediment control performance systems, has received GAI-LAP accreditation; and much more. Read TRI's annual letter for the full story.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have brought in large hydraulic dredge equipment to expedite the removal of ash from the Emory River. To keep the river as safe as possible, the Emory River will continue to be closed until 15 May 2010 from mile marker 0 to mile marker 6. Read more.

Tests have confirmed a deadly link between a toxic Black Country lake in the United Kingdom and the deaths of hundreds of animals over the last decade. In October 2009, underwater mapping helped identify the source of pollution--white phosporous stemming from old industrial activity. By December, a heavy-duty geotextile barrier was installed over part of the lagoon. A three-month study period is underway. Learn more here.;

In May, when participants from around the world arrive in Guaruja, São Paulo, Brazil for the 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics (9ICG), they'll have many hotel beachfront hotel options. The conference organizers have announced that a local travel agency has arranged for special rates at more than just the conference hotel, the Sofitel Jequitimar Hotel. Attendees may also choose from several hotels located at the beaches of Enseada and Pernambuco. Read more and guarantee your best rate no matter where you stay during 9ICG.

The forecast for severe weather this week has prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to cancel its two-day Greener Cleanup Symposium that was scheduled for 10-11 February 2010 at Drexel University in Philadelphia. The event would have explored the most environmentally safe methods to clean up and revitalize contaminated properties.

Five research projects have been awarded $4.8 million grants under the Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP) to develop waste management solutions for Singapore. One of the five main projects involves research at Nanyang Technological University to study bottom ash utilization, landfill stabilization and geomembrane lining systems. Read more. Learn more here.;

BioCentric Energy Holdings, Inc. has scheduled a shareholder meeting and will update shareholders on the company's Algae Pro Photobioreactor System in Santa Ana. A geosynthetic liner has been installed in the 6,000 sq. ft. basin. Construction is nearing completion. Read more in the release.

Organizers fo Venice 2010, the 3rd International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste, remind interested participants that abstracts will be accepted through 31 March 2010. Extended abstracts should be at least one but no more than two full pages. An abstract preparation form is available on the conference website. The event will take place 8-11 November 2010 in Venice, Italy. It is organized by the International Waste Working Group (IWWG). Learn more.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is recommending that a poorly designed erosion-control project in Delta Junction be scrapped, at an estimated cost of as much as $10 million. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is proposing the removal of about a mile of infiltration basin, which is designed to collect and absorb stormwater, along with side inlets and dikes that the project created. Learn more here.;

The world's premier erosion and sediment control conference is just two weeks away. The International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) EC10 takes place in Dallas, Texas from 16 to 20 February. Avoid the on-site registration surcharge by registering today. This year's event includes more than 40 technical sessions under eight key track headings such as "Slope Technology," "Erosion and Sediment Control," and "Beach and Shoreline Stabilization." Read more.