Containment

The March 2009 issue of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) News is available. IGS News is a semi-annual publication containing chapter reports, event recaps, course announcements, etc. Highlights of the March issue include reports from RemTech, Geosynthetics 2009, and "Lifetime of Geosynthetics"; a German draft on geosynthetic reinforcement recommendations; a call for IGS Council candidates; and much more. Download the issue in PDF today. Learn more here.;

GeoFlorida 2010, the annual geo-congress of the Geo-Institute of ASCE, will be held 20-24 February 2010 and will present a broad perspective on new developments in geotechnical engineering analysis, modeling and design. Technical topics will crosscut all areas of the profession, such as stability analysis, geoenvironmental engineering, and case histories. The deadline for abstracts has been extended to 24 April 2009. Download the Call for Papers in PDF.

A New Zealand-based wastewater plant has become the target of considerable resident anger now that an oxidation pond installed in 2006 for temporary silt dewatering seems to have become more permanent. The South Taranaki District Council (STDC) allowed the installation on a temporary basis but both the council and the wastewater plant seem content to continue the use of geotextiles for dewatering at the site and may now even burry the material on site. Residents are angry that the plan has changed from what they originally approved. Learn more here.;

In the United Kingdom's Midlands, the Site 41 landfill in Simcoe County is seeking numerous amendments to its certificate with the Ministry of Environment, including the replacement of a gravel layer with sand. Tests on the chosen geotextile separator have indicated that it may sustain damage beneath the type of gravel layer that had been specified. To ensure the geotextile's performance and the overall protection layer's performance, site operators would like to use sand instead. Learn more here.;

HAZGARD 535 by Layfield is now listed by ULC as a secondary containment liner for fuels in Canada. Manufactured in Layfield’s Vancouver geomembrane plant, this new material meets all of the ULC requirements for above ground secondary containment of flammable and combustible liquids (Class IA). HAZGARD 535 is fire retardant, UV stable, and has a -40 C handling temperature. HAZGARD 535 uses a next-generation non-halogenated fire retardant that is not harmful to the environment. This material can be placed under tanks in all types of facilities including earthen, concrete, and steel secondary containments. Section 4.3.7 of the National Fire Code (and most provincial Fire Codes) requires that secondary containment liners meet specific ULC requirements. The company has tested HAZGARD 535 liner material tested and listed by ULC to fully meet the Fire Code requirements. Suitable for above-ground tank farms containing gasoline, diesel, jet, and other fuels. Learn more here.;

As of 6 April 2009, the Integrated Waste Services Association (IWSA) has officially changed its name to the Energy Recovery Council (ERC). The ERC will continue the work of IWSA, which has heavily invested its efforts in the promotion of renewable energy technologies, such as waste-to-energy.

The reflecting pond in Greer, South Carolina's new $20 million, 12.6 acre combination development of a civic park, city hall, and police and courts office has received a $50,000 heavy-duty liner to hault water loss. The new park opens officially for July 4th celebrations. Engineers had sought for months to determine the source of water loss but ultimately decided the site soils weren't proper. The liner completes the development. Learn more here.;

As April 2009 opened, waste management corporation Republic Services unveiled its impressive combination of solar cell on an exposed landfill cap outside San Antonio, Texas. Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL visited the site a week before the ceremony that marked this innovative addition to waste management practice. Peggs has provided geosynthetica with a write-up about the visit, the technology he found there, and the promise of this application in other applications and around the world.

Though the global economy has battered construction and construction services companies, Aspect Environmental Lining Ltd of Frankton, Hamilton, New Zealand is a welcomed exception. The fledgling firm--just 16 months old--is run by Craig McMillan and Greg Terrill. They began with only one installer but now employ six. The decorative and agricultural liner markets have largely gone away, but larger, more complicated installations, such as for landfills, remain strong. Read about their success in Nikki Preston's article for the Waikato Times. Learn more here.;

The Netherlands-based Royal Ten Cate, which is the parent company of TenCate Geosynthetics (North America), has announced that Chief Financial Officer Jan Wegstapel has decided to step down to pursue other interests. Jaap Lock, the former CFO of TenCate, will temporarily fill the position. TenCate global interests involve geosynthetics, synthetic turf, aerospace composites, protective fabrics, and more.

During the Geosynthetics 2009 biennial conference in Salt Lake City, Utah (25-27 February 2009), the former PVC Geomembrane Institute (PGI) officially launched its new identity as the much more-expansive Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI). The FGI’s inaugural meeting was deemed a great success, and we expect news soon about initial membership and research projects. We now find that within the last seven days the FGI has launched a new website at www.fabricatedgeomembrane.com. Read more.

Not long ago, Brian Horne, owner of SLRD Company Mullica Hill LLC, bought the Henry Harris Landfill in New Jersey for $10. The site's waste operations were ceased in 1980. Horne, a 25-year veteran of landfill remediation, hopes to build an outlet mall or business park on the 50-acre site. But he'll first need to add a $3 million geosynthetic cap, amend tears in the the old liner, and address local concerns over disturbance and disposal of site soils. Learn more here.;

AMI's magazine Compounding World has released its April 2009 issue online. The current issue contains articles on new developments in titanium dioxide, an analysis of PVC Compounding market trends, a listing of Europe's Top 20 PVC compounders, faster formulation with combinatorial compounding, advances in extruder technology for recycling plastics, and a look ahead to this year's big Masterbatch event. View it online today. Learn more here.;

Scott Barker of the Knoxville News Sentinel has published a nice update to the Kingston, Tennessee coal ash spill from December 2008. That reservoir break released 5.4 million cubic yards of contaminated fly ash. Some 25,000 pages of TVA records from the facility have been released and tell an interesting story of a dredge pond suffering continual leaks and breaks for decades. Cleanup may exceed $800 million. Learn more here.;

United Kingdom-based geosynthetics firm ABG Ltd. Has been cited and fined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for improper equipment guards that led to two employees suffering hand injuries. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica's Chris Kelsey writes on the benefit of seeing and handling geosynthetic materials up close, whether it's on a project site or at a trade show or seminar. "We receive a great deal in the post each week: short course announcements, industry magazines, and the occasional product sample. As last week closed out, we received…." Continued.

The old saying that things are bigger and better in Texas just might apply to landfill management. Republic Services, Inc. has unveiled a 5.6-acre exposed landfill cap with photovoltaic (PV) cells adhered directly to the geomembrane. It's all taking place on a portion of the 680-acre site along Tessman Road in San Antonio, Texas. Firestone manufactured the green-colored geomembrane, and United Solar manufactured the flexible PV laminates.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is entering into a $50 million agreement with the state of Louisiana to repair the Grand Isle storm-surge protection barriers. Governor Bobby Jindal signed the agreement on Thursday, April 2. The project is to be fast-tracked and will use geotextile tubes packed with sand to form the core flood defense measure along much of a seven mile stretch. The previous storm-surge defenses were destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita (2005) and Gustav and Ike (2008). The barrier system will be 13 feet high and will be composed of central, sand-filled, six-foot-diameter geotextile tubes with additional sand packed around them.

The 12th International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium (Sardinia 2009) will be held in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy) from 5 - 9 October 2009. Though organizers have received more than 700 abstracts, they are extending the call to 15 April 2009, in part out of deference to potential authors/presenters who were overlooked in emailings from the conference organizers and scientific committee.

Pond skimming is the "sport" of building up speed on a ski slope and then using that speed to try to ski (or snowboard) across a relatively small open stretch of water--usually just large enough for most competitors to fall in. It often takes place in the waning days of a ski season. Some events ban the use of ski poles, however; for those who fall in the water, if holding the poles, may inadvertently puncture a pond liner! This is definitely a type of threat most designers anticipate…though perhaps it is something installers and suppliers should warn facility owners / operators about if they intend to allow pond skimming at their site.

Erosion during India's monsoon season is a major concern. The state of Goa is dealing with a double-edged problem: a grounded vessel and erosion (the latter being connected in part to the presence of the grounded vessel and what may occur if the ship is moved during monsoon). To remedy all of the this, funds are being made available to halt further problems along a 1.1-km shoreline on Dando-Sinquerim beach. Project partners hope to use submerged geotextile tubes to break the waves and control erosion so that some dredging and reclamation work may be performed around the ship. Learn more here.;

A first announcement and call for papers has been issued for Landfill 2009, the 8th Bienniel Seminar on Waste Disposal by Landfill from the Landfill Interest Group - Western Cape. LIG is part of the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA). Landfill 2009 will be guided by the theme "The Functional Landfill." The event takes place in Cape Town 19-20 October 2009. Abstracts are requested by 30 April 2009. For more information, see the following short article.

The Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in England is reopening after an £8.5 million (USD $12.2 million) renovation. The upgrade included the installation of a barrier membrane for the canal's clay liner--though referred to in the article as permeable--and geotextile separators to serve as underlay to riprap. Learn more here.;

Frank Achelpoehler wants to expand to a 2500-head dairy operation in Liberty, Indiana; but the state's environment officials are wary of mega-farm construction. Liner and waste management problems in the past year have been the cause of significant concern among citizens, public debate, and slower approvals. Achelpoehler's farm is also located within the New Madrid fault line. He's filed a new proposal, though, that includes two smaller lagoons, rather than one massive one, and additional emergency runoff collection zones in the event of seismic disturbance. Learn more 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.