Containment

The Geo-Frontiers 2011 event includes 8 short courses, 90 sessions within 10 technical tracks, student programs, networking events, award programs, the GRI-24 annual conference and will feature 4 highly regarded plenary sessions: H. Bolton Seed Lecture, Peck Lecture, Terzaghi Lecture, and the Mercer Lecture. In addition to the educational component of Geo-Frontiers the event will feature an exhibit hall with over 120 geotechnical products and services. Read more.

Trelleborg, through its Trelleborg Engineered Systems business area, has signed an agreement to acquire PPL Polyurethane Products Ltd., which has annual sales of approximately SEK 90 M and about 90 employees. PPL Polyurethane Products is based in the UK and develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of polyurethane-based solutions and products, with a focus on the offshore oil/gas and infrastructure segments.

A new creek bed is being dug for Jonathon Creek in the city of Moncten, New Brunswick, Canada. It's part of a $3 million remediation project stemming from a poorly closed waste cell. The "pre-causeway channel", that is, the part from the outflow of the CN culvert to the historic river's edge, will be lined with a special geotextile material covered with rip-rap, the round stones used to control erosion. Workers must perform this work in winter when the ground is frozen, else the construction equipment will sink. Learn more here.;

The Business Times reports on NAUE's new Bentofix GCL factory in Malaysia. Learn more here.;

Denver, Colo. – The International Erosion Control Association Region One (IECA) has announced that "Evaluating Floating Surface Skimmers" has been named the winner of the Most Distinguished Technical Paper...

The PA Department of Environmental Protection announced today that Chief Oil and Gas LLC has paid $180,000 in civil penalties for a hydraulic oil spill and for failing to properly maintain a drill pit at a Marcellus Shale natural gas well in Jefferson Township, Somerset County. A June 10, 2010 site inspection by DEP found evidence of the discharge of hydraulic oil onto the ground. Operators are required to notify DEP of any spills of that nature because the oil is classified as a residual waste. Chief did not notify DEP of the spill and was not permitted to discharge residual waste at the site. Chief Oil and Gas has since successfully remediated the site.

George and Bob Koerner offer an overview and intitial feedback on the state of CQA and GSI's Inspector Certification Program (GCI-ICP).

American Excelsior Company announced that they are introducting a new innovative family of hydraulic mulches called Bindex™ at this year's International Erosion Control Association (IECA) tradeshow being held in Orlando, Florida later this month. This new family of hydraulic mulches includes a Bonded Fiber Matrix (BFM) along with Bindex Wood (wood fiber mulch with or without tackifier) and Bindex Blend (wood-paper blend mulch with or without tackifier).

Green Group Holdings, LLC has announced plans to invest $40 million in Waller County, Texas to build Pintail Park, a mixed-use development and industrial park that will be anchored by Pintail Landfill. The proposed landfill will have multiple layers of groundwater protection, including a compacted clay liner, a 60 mil HDPE liner, and an extensive drainage system to remove rainwater and liquid away from the waste 24-hours a day. Learn more here.;

Montreal (Qc) – Solmax, a world leader in manufacturing PE geomembranes and developing fluid containment and transportation solutions, is proud to announce its support for Antoine Valois-Fortier, Canadian Judoka and bronze...

GSE is excited to release the New Interactive Online Drainage Design Manual site. This site is in collaboration with our Drainage Design Manual to assist in specifying the most cost-effective drainage systems on the market, provide product review and selection, and preparation of construction details. The Drainage Design Manual was written collectively by industry design professionals with the 1st Edition released in July 2004 then the 2nd Edition in June 2007. A 3rd Edition is forthcoming. Learn more here.;

Drs. R.J. Bathurst (Editor) and J.P. Giroud (Chairman of the Editorial Board) of Geosynthetics International, an official journal of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), have announced the award for 2010's best paper: "Geosynthetic capillary barriers: current state of knowledge" by J.G. Zornberg, A. Bouazza and J.S. McCartney. The article appeared in Geosynthetics International Volume 17, No. 5, pp 273-300.

The South Africa Chapter of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) seeks speakers on erosion and sediment control topics for an upcoming conference. Speakers need to be confirmed by July 2010. More details about the conference will be posted on IECA's website as soon as they are available. For more details, please contact Louise Mare at email: louise@naturalbridge.co.za. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released a draft Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), a mandatory "pollution diet" designed to restore the Chesapeake Bay and its vast network of streams, creeks and rivers. The Bay is a complex ecosystem and an economic engine for the region, supporting a variety of industries from fishing to tourism. The draft TMDL -- which EPA is legally required to produce -- sets limits on the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution discharged into the Bay and each of its tributaries by different types of pollution sources.

The Freedonia Institute's latest geosynthetics market report ("Geosynthetics to 2012") indicates that demand for these materials will advance 2.5 percent annually to over 900 million square yards in 2012. This projects a value in excess of $2 billion. Freedonia expects that gains will be promoted by rebounding road and highway construction spending. In the near term, demand is also expected to be promoted by components of the Obama Administration’s economic stimulus program that involve public works. Geosynthetics can be used to stabilize foundations, promote drainage and prevent erosion, generally at a lower cost than alternative products. Demand for high-performance geosynthetics, such as geomembranes, geogrids and preformed geocomposites, will outpace demand for less costly geosynthetics. Learn more here.;

UK-based Electrokinetics, which combines geosynthetic and electrokinetic technologies for drying out soils, was launched in 2004 out of research and development work conducted at Newcastle University. Last year it announced is was nearing the turn to profitability. In a November 26 article titled "Rise in Fortune…", the company reports that its technology is being considered for potential sludge drying at the source, in order to prevent storage disasters such as occurred in Hungary. When an aluminum slag cell failed two months ago, it flooded a Hungarian town, ruined infrastructure, and killed eight people. Learn more here.;

Tri-Tech Holding Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIT), a leading total solutions provider to China's water resources, municipal wastewater and industrial pollution control markets, announced today the relocation of its corporate headquarter, subsidiaries of Tranhold, Yanyu and BSST to new offices in the Renji Plaza, Chaoyang District, Beijing. Tri-Tech designs customized sewage treatment and odor control systems for China's municipalities and its larger cities.

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.

International geosynthetics manufacturing GSE has released the details of its 3 November 2011 "Geosynthetics 4 Success" seminar in Charlotte, North Carolina. The seminar is part of a series of events the company has arranged in which expert independent speakers join technical personnel from the company to present on key subjects in the field. In Charlotte, the focus will be on the latest developments in geosynthetics and the use of geosynthetics in waste and coal ash containment applications. This discussion will include all aspects of new product performance, benefits, issues, and an update on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Coal Ash Rule. Learn more.

Infomine held a very successful inaugural heap leach conference in Vancouver last in 2013, and now the organization returns with Heap Leach Solutions 2014 (www.heapleachsolutions.com). The event will be...

The Solid Waste Association of North America's 16th Annual Landfill Symposium will be held 31 October to 3 November in Orlando, Florida. The event offers multiple CEUs across broad but intensive training sessions. Subjects include geosynthetics and geodesign, liner and cap performance, landfill closure and redevelopment, case studies, greenhouse gas emissions, new technologies and much more. Abstracts are sought through March 18. Submit an abstract online. Learn more here.;

By HUESKER - A project to reinstate the lining along a 3 km section of Germany's Mittlere-Isar-Kanal (MIK) necessitated the installation of approx. 150,000 m² of Incomat® Standard geosynthetic...

University of Kansas School of Engineering Ph.D. student Ryan Corey, one the Geosynthetic Institute's fellowship recipients, is conducting research regarding geosynthetic reinforcement over buried pipelines. Improving the safety of pipelines is a significant infrastructure need. More than 350 deaths, 1500 injuries, and $5 billion+ in property damage has been linked to pipeline problems in the past 20 years. Professor Jie Han is the advisor for Corey's work. Learn more here.;

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.;

Venice 2010--the 3rd International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste--will be held 8-11 November 2010 in Venice, Italy. It is organized by the International Waste Working Group (IWWG). Key theme incluce anaerobic digestion; renewable fuel (handling and storage); refuse-derived fuel (RDF); experiences and new developments (e.g., case studies); climate change; and much more. Abstracts due: 31 March 2010. Learn more here.;