Containment

The geosynthetics industry has learned that Samir T. Badawi has died while traveling in Germany. Badawi has served as chairman of Houston-based Gundle/SLT Environmental Inc.'s (GSE) Board of Directors since 1995 and as company CEO since 1998. In that time, the company expanded steadily, building upon what was already a highly respected name in geosynthetic manufacturing. Badawi's considerable global business experience proved to be a good fit for GSE, which has operations around the world. Not only did he oversee GSE's important merger with SLT/ Environmental, but its acquisition by a private equity firm (Code, Hennessy & Simmons). Read more.

GSE has released an official statement regarding the death of president and CEO Samir T. Badawi.

Land and Water magazine's Erosion and Sediment Control Network (ESCN.tv) has for years been a weekly roundup of stories impacting the erosion control and sediment control field. But after a couple significant upgrades to the ESCN website (www.escn.tv) and a week off, the online-based broadcast has returned with news that it is moving to bi-weekly broadcasts, deeper stories and more reports not just from the field but actively out in it. Read more.

TenCate Geosynthetics has published its Summer 2009 issue of MiraFacts, a semi-annual, electronic publication detailing projects, issues affecting engineering, short course and training opportunities, and more. The issue contains a host of interesting stories, including three case studies, a specification update, the introduction of MiraGreen Nonwoven D, and more. Read it online today.

The Global Plastics Environmental Conference (GPEC 2010) will be held 8-10 March 2010 at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando, Florida. GPEC is sponsored by the Plastics Environmental Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). The theme of GPEC 2010 is "Sustainability and Recycling: Raising the Bar in Today’s Economy." The conference invites your abstracts through 1 October 2009. Final papers will be due 1 December 2009. For more information, view the Call for Papers in PDF. Learn more here.;

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has added the 2009-published book Thermal Analysis of Polymers: Fundamentals and Applications by Joseph D. Menczel and R. Bruce Prime. This book emphasizes the practical uses of thermal analysis. Each chapter guides readers through the applications of thermal analysis for polymer characterization, with detailed examples that show how to perform each step. Learn more here.;

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has added the December 2008-published DVD presentation "Utilizing FTIR, DSC, TGA and Ash to Identify Polymer Types" to its store's offerings. This DVD presentation deals with the basic identification of plastics by the use of FTIR analysis, DSC, TGA, and muffle furnace ash. The operation of each instrument is explained, as are the results that can be obtained and the conclusions that can be drawn from each of the tests. Learn more here.;

The NPDES Permit Writer's Course is a five-day course covering the key elements of NPDES Permit development. The course is taught by experienced US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff and contractors and has been one of EPA’s most successful courses over the past decade. Because of the popularity of the course, EPA has recorded Web-based presentations covering the material presented in several key modules of the live course. These recorded presentations enable participants who attended the NPDES Permit Writers’ Course to review the material on demand in a self-paced environment. Learn more at the Permit Writers home page. Learn more here.;

Debate over a Weyerhaeuser landfill proposal in Washington state exemplifies the huge gap in landfill technology understanding between the industry and the public. One public opponent has contended he's pushed a Bic pen through a landfill liner. Not only would one not be allowed to do this on a site, but it would not be possible given the heavy-duty geomembrane used in modern lining systems. Objection is fine; but accuracy and facts are better. Learn more here.;

The earthquake that struck the Italian city of L'Aquila and its surrounding region in April 2009 claimed the lives of 308, injured more than 600 others (a third of whom were severely injured), and caused damage of more than € 1.5 billion (USD $2.1 billion) to buildings. Total damage is estimated to be roughly € 3.5 billion (USD $4.9 billion). Approximately 65,000 people had to evacuate their homes. They were lodged in tent camps, hotels and other structures along the Adriatic coast. Many Italians volunteered time to provide civil service in the quake-affected region. Engineer Pietro Rimoldi, a regular participant in international geosynthetics discussions, especially regarding walls and reinforcement, was one of those volunteers. We interviewed him in June and July regarding his service in L'Aquila, his observations, and ways geosynthetics might provide future protection. READ THE INTERVIEW.

We interviewed engineer Pietro Rimoldi regarding his volunteer service in L'Aquila, the earthquake-affected area of Italy. He shared his observations and ways geosynthetics might provide future protection. See photos from his trip.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) will offer "Constructing with Fabricated Geomembranes," its popular short course, on 23 October 2009 in Lakewood, Colorado at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel. This course will be presented by Timothy D. Stark, Stan Slifer, John Heap, Daren L. Laine, Bill Shehane, Stuart Lange, Andrew Mills, Gary Kolbasuk and other speakers. Course participants are eligible for 6 PDHs. Learn more and view an agenda here.

This is a quick reminder that the deadline for offering a paper at PVC Formulation 2010 is not far away at 18 September. If your company has new developments or an overview of PVC compounding and you would like to give a 25 minute PowerPoint presentation, please send a short summary to me before 18 September 2009. The 2nd international conference on PVC Formulation takes place 16-18 March 2010 at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany.

With an estimated 30 billion pounds of additional polymerization capacity coming online in the Middle East in the next five years, the region stands to become a major plastics processing center. Will geosynthetics be part of this boom in production? How will the Middle East's growth affect global markets? Applied Market Information (AMI) is bringing its one-day "Middle East Plastics Industry Strategy Seminar" to Philadelphia on 4 November 2009. Read a piece on the event from conference coordinator Lauren Fell. Read more.

TenCate Geosynthetics is working with the U.S. Amry Corps of Engineers on the rehabilitation and protection of the coastal strip of Grand Isle in New Orleans (Louisiana). Miles of tubes are being installed to correct years of coastal erosion and best defend the shoreline against future hurricanes. Engineering News Record (ENR) has posted a news video detailing the work, how the design has been inspired by installations in Texas, and future expectations. Learn more here.;

The Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers Association has launched a new website: www.stormwaterassociation.com. The website contains information about the association's activities, membership, technical information and a buyer's guide. The buyer's guide is a free useful resource for end users needing information about stormwater equipment and other services. Read more in the release.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) just announced the availability of grants for aquaculture producers from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Grant funds will assist producers for losses associated with high feed costs during the 2008 calendar year. The deadline for receipt of applications is 21 August 2009. Learn more.

AMCOL International Corporation (AMCOL) provides and markets a wide range of specialty mineral products. The product portfolio of the company include metalcasting, pet products, specialty minerals, building materials, drilling products, geosynthetic clay liner products, onshore and offshore water treatment filtration, pipeline separation, well testing services and trucking and freight brokerage. The company's products find use in industrial, environmental and consumer-related applications. AMCOL operates through five business divisions, they are minerals, environmental, oilfield services, transportation and corporate.

The Rio Grande Valley in Texas experienced a dire drought in 1998. Miracle rainfalls at the tale-end of the drought saved the valley. Today, another round of water conservation efforts are underway to further protect the region from a drought on the scale of 1998's. Using federal stimulus funds, seven miles of Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2's canals have been lined with geomembrane and concrete to guard against seepage loss. An additional 40 miles may be aided by liners and burying soon. Learn more here.;

How very strange. Small amounts of geotextiles are even being sold on Craigslist. Learn more here.;

The town of Stayton, Oregon is rectifying a major water loss problem at its water treatment plant. The third filter pond's concrete liner cracked and began leaking a quarter million gallons per day. A polyethylene geomembrane liner is being installed now. It's just part of a major upgrade to stop leakage and improve overall operations. The full project's work should conclude by June 2010. Learn more here.;

The state of Minnesota and 3M corporation have embarked on a historic $20 million project to reverse three decades of landfill pollution. Long ago, chemicals from 3M's manufacturing were buried in the unlined cell. Since then, pollution has been detected and regulations now require liners. A significant amount of waste (30 acres) is being exhumed and reburied on the same site after the modern lining system installation is completed. Learn more here.;

Last year, the Sukaarr Foundation Trust (SFT) launched a rainwater harvesting project in Pakistan's Thar region, village of Diplo where the well had run dry. The SFT is a non-governmental organization. The project installed geomembrane-lined ponds to stop seepage. Roofs over the ponds and some underground tanks have helped assuage evaportation concerns. By the end of the monsoon season's second shower, the village's 700 residents had enough water for a year. This pilot project may be replicated across Pakistan soon. Learn more here.;

CISEC, Inc. will be presenting its inspector training modules and administering its nationwide certification examination through the Federal Highway Administration's Local and Tribal Technical Assistance Programs (LTAP/TTAP). The 58 LTAP/TTAP centers can now provide inspectors, designers, and regulatory agency personnel more opportunities to receive training in CISEC, Inc.'s professional sediment and erosion control inspector program and, if qualified, sit for the CISEC nationwide certification examination. Read more in the release.

Waste & Recycling News reporter Joe Truini has died of a heart attack, aged 37, in Akron, Ohio. Truini has reported on various aspects of the waste management industry since 1999 and was an avid runner. We extend our sympathies to his family and friends on this very unexpected loss. Learn more here.;