Containment

The Charleston Gazette out of West Virginia has posted a new entry in its sustainability and environmental watch blog. This time around, the blog includes notes on changes expected to be made in pit fluid storage rules. Changes include: requiring all pits used to store contaminated water from drilling to have synthetic liners; forcing operators to remove all solid wastes, including liners, during reclamation of pits and impoundments; new design and construction standards for these pits; and requiring inspection of the pits by a registered professional engineer. Learn more here.;

Messe Frankfurt, organizers of the Canadian Waste & Recycling Expo and TechTextil's European and North American conferences, has announced the Mexico Waste & Recycling Expo. The inaugural event will be held 10-12 March 2010 in Mexico City, Mexico. Key subjects will include composting systems, construction and demolition, infrastructure, operations, and more. Learn more at the event website. Learn more here.;

The early registration deadline for GeoHalifax 2009 is 17 July 2009. Full conference registration includes membership in either the Canadian Geosynthetics Society (CGS) or the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) - Canada National Chapter (CNC). Take advantage of the preferential pricing and membership offer. Conference fees increase $100 after 17 July. Secure registration for this 20-24 September 2009 (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) event is available online. Learn more here.;

EcoInform has announced dates for the 7th Cooperation for Waste Issues forum. It will be held 7-8 April 2010 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Papers are being solicited through 1 December 2009. Key topics sought include environmental issues of waste management, new technologies, landfill construction and operation, sludge management, waste to energy, and more. Learn more at the conference website. Learn more here.;

Americhem, Inc., a global provider of custom color and additive solutions for polymer- based and synthetic-fibers products, recently introduced nDuramax™, an advanced family of high-performance UV stabilizers. The product line includes a new UV stabilizer solution for PET fibers that offers significantly improved weathering compared to traditional technologies. The sectors for which these UV stabilizers may be used include geosynthetics. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) is looking for innovative and enthusiastic members that have the vision to help lead IECA to new levels of success. Please consider running for the IECA Board of Directors. If you are interested in serving and have questions, please contact Executive Director Russ Adsit by email at russ@ieca.org. Learn more here.;

Applied Market Information's (AMI) 8th annual Polyethylene Films conference will take place 18-19 March 2010 in Daytona Beach, Florida. The event will include Resin 2 Revenue’s Blown Film Symposium. Preferable pricing is available through 24 September 2009. View the brochure in PDF for registration information and the call for presentations. Learn more here.;

The U.S. EPA has identified the hardrock mining industry as its priority for developing financial assurance requirements. Financial assurance requirements help ensure that owners and operators of these facilities, not taxpayers, foot the bill for environmental cleanup. These requirements will be developed under section 108(b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, commonly called "Superfund." EPA plans to propose the rule by spring of 2011. The agency will publish a notice of this priority in the Federal Register, which is the first step toward developing the requirements.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has experienced dramatic membership growth since the kick-off in February at the Geosynthetics 2009 event. The next teleconference meeting for members will be 14 August 2009. Visit the FGI website for membership and activity information. Learn more here.;

In the late 1990s, selenium became a pollutant in mining that companies needed to start monitoring. So it's a fairly recent issue. Selenium, when oxidized, can leach into groundwater. Mansanto has spent more than $6 million developing its selenium storage and geosynthetic capping system for the Blackfoot Bridge mining project in Oregon. Learn more here.;

Presenters and paper topics for GeoAfrica 2009 (2-5 September 2009, Cape Town, South Africa) have been posted at the conference website. It is an interesting mix and bodes well for discussion. View it online today. Learn more here.;

The massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is having a considerable (and beneficial) impact on construction markets and the environment. Approximately $7.22 billion is moving into these key areas with water-related projects receiving the lionshare. (CONTINUED.)

The Fox Waterway Agency, which has been using geotextile tubes in dredging operations on the Fox River and Chain O' Lakes, has applied for a 10-year permit from the US Army Corp of Engineers to expand the use of tubes for sediment removal and dewatering. Approval and active project furthing is expected by early autumn. Learn more here.;

AMI's magazine Compounding World has released its July/August 2009 issue. It is available free for viewing online. The current issue contains articles on innovations in clarifiers and nucleating agents; analysis of the Asian masterbatch markets; expert views on compounding nanocomposites; eight pages of news from Chicago's NPE show; BASF reveals restructuring plans for Ciba; and PolyOne announces sustainable developments. View the issue today. Learn more here.;

DuPont Performance Elastomers, manufacturers of the long-successful Hypalon® chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE), released a short statement in May this year that it would exit the Hypalon® market. The exit was abrupt, with an end of June 2009 target set for ceasing production. The move will affect many industries, including geosynthetics.

The Mt. Washington mine remediation project is progressing steadily in Canada's Comox Valley. The site has long been a source of severe pollution for Tsolum River, but work is now in motion to prepare the area for the installation of a drainage system and bituminous geomembrane cap. Learn more here.;

Registration is now open for the "New Shoreline Alternatives to Hard Armor" seminar from the Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA). The event will take place 13 August 2009 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Get a first-hand view of what shoreline property owners are doing to improve water quality. The seminar will include information on and images from eroded shorelines in construction stages of repair, overall site layout and site preparation completed for a shoreline restoration. A brochure is available on the MECA website. Learn more here.;

Plast Euro reports that the University of Twente, the Netherlands, will establish what is being called the establish the Thermoplastic Composite Research Centre (TPRC). Numerous companies, including Ten Cate Advanced Composites, have signed an agreement to help launch the venture. A sustainability angle is involved. Thermoplastic composites are processed faster that thermosets and are more environmentally friendly. New technology research and development will also be pursued. Learn more here.;

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has moved the dates for its Environmental Connection 2010 (EC10) conference. The conference will now begin on 16 February 2010 and continue through 20 February 2010. The commencement of conference activities is two days later than originally planned due to the NBA All-Star Game which will be held in Dallas during the original dates of the conference. Read more.

EDANA, the association serving the nonwovens and related industries, today announced its new Board of Governors. Incoming Chairman Kenneth Strassner (Kimberley Clarke) will take over from Gerd Ries (Johnson&Johnson), who has accepted the position of Vice-Chair, a role he shares with Jean-Marie Becker (Ahlstrom). Paul Evers remains in his previous role as Treasurer. Read more in the new release.

EDANA, the association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has released a list of its new Board of Governors. The original release about the Board changes may be found here.

The Dow Chemical Company has announced that Victor Dean, Global Marketing and Business Development Director for Building & Construction of Dow Building Solutions, has also been named General Manager of Dow Roofing Systems, LLC (DRS) in addition to his current responsibilities. Dow acquired Stevens Roofing Systems and created DRS so that we could combine Stevens' expertise and know-how in commercial roofing with Dow Building Solutions' expertise in building science, insulation, and polymer technology expertise to advance our energy efficiency leadership.

Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) and Noel P Hunt International Limited have reached agreement on the takeover of the TenCate 50% interest in the joint venture Geofabrics Australasia Pty Ltd of Cheltenham (Australia). The takeover price of the shares amounts to AUD 40 million (approximately €23 million). The book profit on the sale of the 50% interest amounts to approximately €11 million and will be incorporated in the half-year figures of TenCate. Read more in the release.

SKZ's 2nd International Conference on Geosynthetics Middle East will be held in Dubai, UAE, 10-11 November 2009. The speaker and topic line up has been announced and it is certainly an impressive list. Ian Peggs of I-CORP will present on predicting end-of-life for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes and the incorporation of flexible solar cells on exposed landfill caps; Carl De Leon of Solmax will present on geomembrane liners in harsh, petrochemical containment operations; Detlef Schramm of Dow will present a geomembrane global review; Silke Schwöbken of SENSOR will present on drainage detection systems; and much more. Dr. Helmut Zanzinger will chair the seminar. Download the program in PDF.

The Geosynthetics Interest Group of South Africa (GIGSA) invites its members to a tour of the multi-layered, geosynthetic-reinforced embankment at Snake Valley for the Gauteng Rapid Rail Link. The tour will be held on 22 July 2009 at 13:00. Bombela JV has been the contractor for this intriguing project and materials have been supplied by Kaytech. Interested attendees shoulod contact Jo-Ann Hechter, (011) 8798400, or e-mail adminjhb@kaytech.co.za, and ask for a map to the site office. GIGSA is the host chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) for the forthcoming GeoAfrica 2009 conference (2-5 September 2009, Cape Town). Learn more here.;