Containment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding a public meeting to discuss the start of the next round of the cleanup already underway at the Welsbach/Gas Mantle Superfund site in Camden County, New Jersey. The next properties EPA plans on cleaning up are the recreational areas along Johnson Boulevard. The properties include the Gloucester City Land Preserve, as well as two ball fields in Gloucester City. The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, 18 August 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Courthouse in Gloucester City Hall, located at 313 Monmouth Street. Read more.

In Chesley, Ontario, Geotubes are being used to dewatering sewage lagoons. It is the first cleaning of the lagoons in 25 years and the first municipal use of geosynthetic dewatering tubes in the Grey-Bruce region. This simple process uses permeable geotextile bags that retain solids while usable lagoon water leaks back into the facility. The Geotube brand is manufactured by TenCate. The Chesley project uses 100-ft-long, 30-ft-circumference tubes capable of holding 38,000 litres. Dewatering is being conducted by Eganville-based Bishop Water Technologies Inc. Other nearby communities are considering the same lagoon cleanup plan. Learn more here.;

A dispute between the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington State over who should manage the Bainbridge Island Superfund site has resulted in $3 million needing to be returned to the federal government. A deal on maintenance and long-term management could not be reached, thus forfeiting some of the money allotted in a recent stimulus package. Learn more here.;

In a move that stands to create jobs, boost local economies, improve aging water and wastewater infrastructure and protect human health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded $2,930,700 to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). This new infusion of money provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will help the state and local governments finance many of the overdue improvements to water projects that are essential to protecting public health and the environment across the state.

Over at the AgNetwork, an article on water source management from Jane Parish, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Mississippi State University, has been posted. She writes, "...Geotextile fabric topped with gravel, concrete washout, etc., can provide a solid, stable surface for cattle around water troughs." Read more in the short article. Learn more here.;

This week, word has come out that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), owners of the Kingston, Tennessee coal ash plant that failed in December 2008, will phase out wet coal ash storage at its many operations to further minimize risk of future environmental disasters. When the unlined, wet ash storage facility in Kingston broke, it released 5.4 million cubic yards of contaminated ash across 275 acres. The estimated cleanup cost, as announced in mid-February, was $525-$825 million. Today, the prevalent estimation is north of $1 billion. Read more.

Aquaculture production is up with the installation of pond liners. In some cases, production is dramatically improved (ie, 57 percent better). The Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery in North Dakota is set to receive close to $1 million in support from the federal stimulus funds for the installation of more pond liners. The fish are used throughout the Midwestern United States. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has published its latest edition of IGS News. The semi-annual publication contains reports from some of the IGS' 30+ international chapters, event recaps from around the world, short course announcements, and much more. This issue is particularly interesting for its IGS Chapter-centered pieces. John Cowland gives a review of IGS Asia, Jorge Zornberg discusses Chapter growth and communication, and Joanna Borkowska announces IGS Poland. Read more about this issue and link to its PDF version on line.

The New Jersey-based newspaper, the Star Ledger, has posted an interesting video story about landfill construction. The 3-minute, 20-second video takes viewers from initial transfer and burial operations back to construction, including video of an active geosynthetic installation. Leachate collection and management and methane harvesting are also touched upon in the report. Watch it online. Learn more here.;

CISEC, Inc. has partnered with the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI) to offer its certification and training program nationwide. "MTTI will facilitate national outreach for the CISEC program through our relationships with various national- and state-level organizations, like Local Technical Assistance Program centers and other professional organizations," said Ann Kitalong-Will, MTTI Training Coordinator. Read more in the release.

Applied Market Information (AMI) is offering a seminar titled "The World Plastics Industry" in Brussels, Belgium on 15 September 2009. The seminar will address global prospects, production rates, market conditions and more. AMI research director Andrew Reynolds writes on the event here.

Escambia County in Florida is very close to taking over the closure of the Saufley Landfill from current owners Louisiana Investment Group (LIG). LIG has reported it cannot maintain the site or cover the expected $5 million closure costs. Escambia is willing to take on the project as the construction of a nearby industrial park depends on the neighboring property being clean. Escambia will get the land for free and proceed with leachate collection controls, site preparation and the installation of a geosynthetic cap. Learn more here.;

Republic may soon take over the Mecham Road landfill in Sonoma County. The company has a proposal on the table to purchase the site contingent upon the landfill's continued use by area residents. Costs would scarcely change, and Republic would be in a much better position to construct future cells with the expertise and proper lining and drainage management technologies that otherwise come with a price tag most municipalities and counties have difficulty approving funds for. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun distribution of a draft Environmental Impact Statement regarding a proposal by P4 Production LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON), to open one of North America's most environmentally advanced phosphate mines. It will provide elemental phosphorus used in making the world's leading agricultural herbicide and other important products. Laminated geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) will be used to cover selenium waste rock piles.

The Hutt Valley in New Zealand is receiving the area's first totally modern, lined landfill. The Class A landfill is almost complete and waste will soon be buried there. Located along a waterway, it's the most advanced cell construction in the region. A second cell phase is planned for four years from now, with additional cell space demand to be evaulated yearly thereafter. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetics magazine, published by the Industrial Fabrics Association International, has launched a new website. The revamped design includes a cleaner presentation and more interactive content, such as a blog from editor Ron Bygness. Learn more here.;

East Coast Erosion Blankets, LLC, a leading manufacturer of erosion control blankets, has expanded its product line by adding the ECP-3™, a heavy-duty triple net polypropylene Turf Reinforcement Mat (TRM). The ECP-3™ is manufactured with 100% green polypropylene fiber and three ultra-heavy weight polypropylene nets securely sewn together with UV stabilized thread. Under modified ASTM 6460 test method, the product has been able to withstand in unvegetated conditions a maximum flow velocity in excess of 15 feet per second with a maximum permissible shear stress of 5 pounds square foot. Read more about it.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an online discussion forum to receive public input on the future direction of EPA's national water enforcement program. The public will be able to provide feedback through the EPA Web site, between now and August 28, giving them a forum to address any concerns about EPA's efforts to protect the water in their communities. Read more in the release.

North Dakota's Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery is getting $920,000 in federal stimulus money to invest in pond liners. In the Associated Press article, the manager of the hatchery cites the incredible fish production increase they've seen with liners: walleye production up 18 percent and northern pike production up 57 percent. Water conservation plus easier to clean ponds is a major improvement. Learn more here.;

Officials for the extensive PCB removal project along the lower Fox River report that the endeavor is ahead of schedule, though a conclusion before 2017 is not expected. Dredging, dewatering and hauling contaminated sediment continues with little interruption or delay. Only three months in, some portions of the river bottom are already to be capped. Geosynthetics are playing a significant role in dewatering and capping. Learn more here.;

In July, India-based FICCI helped organize a conference in Mumbai titled "Geo-synthetics : Opportunities and Challenges." The conference discussions pointed out needs in the Indian market, such as material testing facilities throughout the country, greater standardization, increased specification awareness, and much more. Read about it here.

SKZ, with scientific committee support from Cemagref and the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), announces the 3rd International Symposium on Geosynthetic Clay Liners, to be held at the Fortress Marienberg in Würzburg, Germany 15-16 September 2010. Abstract and papers for oral or poster presentations are invited on the following topics: Application / case studies (Landfills, Canals, Reservoirs / Dams, Transportation Infrastructure) • Durability / Lifetime • Laboratory testing • Performance (Cation exchange, Desiccation, Experience from excavation • Regulations / Approvals. Abstracts must be submitted via e-mail to: gbr-c2k10@skz.de no later than 30 September 2009. View the flyer in PDF.

Aggregate Industries - Northeast Region Inc., will pay a $2.75 million civil penalty and implement a regional evaluation and compliance program to resolve numerous violations of the Clean Water Act at 23 facilities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The penalty is the largest ever assessed to a nationwide ready-mix concrete company for storm water violations under the Clean Water Act. The settlement is the latest in a series of federal enforcement actions to address storm water violations from industrial facilities and construction sites around the country.

The 25th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management conference has issued its Call for Papers. The event will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 14-17 March 2010. It's hosted by the Civil Engineering Department of Widener University and the Journal of Solid Waste Technology and Management. Deadline for receipt of abstracts: 31 October 2009. Read the abstract invitation. Learn more here.;

Noosa Woods and the Noosa Spit Beach along Australia's Sunshine Coast has been eaten away at by tidal erosion. Local officials are now evaluating a proposal for a combination rock groyne and submerged geotextile berm to deflect tidal forces and to better separate the boating channel from swimmers. An additonal, small groyne would be added to further trap sediment. Many people are skeptical about the plan's ability to win approval, however. Learn more here.;