Containment

One of the world’s most active chapters of the International Geosynthetics Society was created 20 years ago. This year, when IGS Brasil members gather for the chapter’s annual meeting,...

Owens Corning has introduced GeoLap™ adhesive tape, a taping solution designed specifically for RhinoMat® and RhinoSkin® geomembrane applications. The 4-inch-wide tape’s high-strength adhesive is designed for enhanced performance in...

The U.S. dairy industry has committed to work with the Agriculture Department to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent before 2020 through the expanded use of technology that converts manure into energy. It's estimated that only 2% of dairies in the United States efficiently and profitably use energy-conversion technologies, such as lined and covered manure lagoons. There are approximately 56,000 dairies in the US. Learn more here.;

The Maccaferri Group has acquired Sargon Geosynthetics Ltd. Sargon, based in New Delhi, has provided geosynthetic solutions to India's infrastructure market for many years, working in erosion control, road and rail improvement, water and waste containment, and much more. Maccaferri is a global manufacturer of geosynthetics and has worked steadily in the Indian market through its Maccaferri Environmental Solutions Ltd. division.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking proposals for educational sessions at Brownfield 2011--the 14th National Brownfields Conference, scheduled for 3-5 April 2011 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. The deadline for submitting proposals is 2 July 2010. The National Brownfields Conference is the largest, most comprehensive conference in the nation focused on cleaning up and redeveloping abandoned, underutilized, and potentially contaminated properties.

As the second week of the oil spill cleanup begins, EPA staff are optimistic about receding water levels in the Yellowstone River, which will allow access to previously inaccessible portions of the river. This news comes as data becomes available from testing and monitoring conducted last week. A map for both water and air monitoring data is now available at http://www.epa.gov/yellowstoneriverspill. The validated data confirms preliminary information indicating the water is safe and shows no elevated levels above instrument detection for volatile organic compounds.

The third Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS) will serve as a forum for the presentation of applied and fundamental research, case studies, and policy analysis on waste and recyclables management. We invite the community of researchers, engineers, designers, academicians, students, facility owners and operators, regulators, and policymakers to participate. The GWMS will be held in a setting where all participants can share ideas and will include oral and poster presentations as well as social events to provide opportunities for technical interaction and discussion. Learn more and submit your abstract by November 4.

Companies interested in exhibiting at GeoAfrica 2009, 2-5 September 2009, Cape Town, South Africa should be aware that the exhibit hall is limited to 30 spots. The conference organizers report that more than half of them have already been booked. Visit the conference's exhibitor page for more information. Learn more here.;

Whales (bubbles above the water level) in a lined wastewater pond are usually caused by leaking water that cannot be removed, which in turn generates methane that also cannot be removed. Minimize leakage through the liner (there will inevitably be some), provide a functioning leakage removal (monitoring) system, and a functioning gas venting system. A nonwoven geotextile alone under the geomembrane is not sufficient to do this.

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has announced a worldwide call for requests-for-proposals (RFPs) focusing on "innovative" geosynthetics research and development projects. This will be the second class of awardees in the GSI Fellowship series, the having been awarded in 2008. Multiple awards of up to $10,000 per year will be given. Each is renewable, pending an annual written report, to a total amount of $25,000 per student. Read the call from Jamie Koerner and Robert Koerner.

Liner designers and regulators should note that it is NOT possible to perform a geoelectric integrity or leak location survey on a double geomembrane lining system when there is only a geocomposite in the leakage detection system (LDS) between the two geomembranes unless the LDS is backfilled with water. This can be costly, time-consuming, and even damaging to the liner if it is uplifted. Additional ballast on the liner may be required. And side slope liners cannot be tested. Plan ahead and use conductive geomembrane, or place a conductive geotextile or a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) directly under the primary geomembrane.

On June 28, Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and John Boozman (R-AR) introduced the National Dam Safety Act of 2012, which would reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP), first authorized through the Water Resources Development Act of 1996. The NDSP focuses on the safety of the nation's dams by providing vital support for the 50 state dam safety programs. Forty-nine states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have established state dam safety programs; Alabama is the lone exception.

The 3rd Annual Waste-to-Fuels Conference & Trade Show will be held in Jacksonville, Florida 18-20 April 2010. The event focuses on informing the public and private sectors of the economic and environmental benefits of converting waste materials to alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol as well as energy recovery. Topics include municipal solid waste (MSW)-to-fuels and energy recovery; biomass-to-fuels; landfill gas; agricultural waste-to-fuels; and more. Abstracts are invited through January 22. Learn more here.;

The city of Franklin, Tennessee's 30-acre reservoir has been leaking for a number of years. An estimated 1 million gallons leaks from it each day. But crews will soon begin to drain the reservoir ahead of a three-month crack repair plan. This involves the installation of a new geomembrane liner for long-term containment and the removal of 26,000 cubic yards of silt to restore the facility to capacity. Learn more here.;

The US House of Representatives voted 361-54 to override a water bill veto of President Bush - the first override of his almost seven years in office. The $23.2 billion bill now goes to the Senate for an override vote. It includes considerable funds for erosion control, flood control, wastewater management and transportation. Learn more here.;

TIE Technologies, Inc. (Pink Sheets:TTCS), an information technology, security and telecommunications company, and Geocomp Corp., a global leader in geo-engineering, today jointly released the details of the OilDam® product designed to mitigate damage from the Gulf oil spill. OilDam® is a comprehensive solution--utilizing geosynthetics--which can be immediately deployed to provide a reliable means to keep the oil from reaching the shore, contain it and enable its removal.

Austin, Texas-based TRI/Environmental Inc. has designed and is selling a new Capillary Porometer. This latest generation of equipment, designed specifically for geotextiles and the ASTM 6767 test, provides unmatched reproducibility in wet and dry testing conditions. Visit booth #213 to learn more. Learn more here.;

EPA has awarded $520,400 to Wayne, Nebraska, for improvements to its wastewater treatment plant project. Wayne's existing 25-year-old facility continues to generate odor complaints regarding the sludge treatment system. The grant will help construct a wastewater treatment plant which will address odor concerns.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Great Rivers Chapter serves professionals in the erosion and sediment control industry throughout Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. The Chapter’s Fall Conference will...

After a string of product development and research updates, Titan Environmental has announced a new Texas-based office for its US division. Titan Environmental USA has established an office in...

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) is holding its first-ever photo competition. Members should keep an eye on the deadline date: 1 February 2010. This initiative comes just ahead of the planned April 2010 launch of the redesigned IGS website and May 2010's major, quadrennial IGS conference: 9ICG. The 9th International Conference on Geosynthetics will be held 23-27 May 2010 in Guaruja, Brazil (near São Paulo).

In an effort to enhance the online experiences of its Institutes, ASCE has launched new websites for the Coasts, Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute (COPRI) and the Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI). Each site features improved navigation and easier access to the information and services members demand. Discover new research, follow the Institutes' news, track upcoming events, view job openings, and much more. Visit the EWRI website at http://asce.org/ewri. Learn more here.;

The 6th AMI international conference, Waterproof Membranes 2012, will take place at the Hotel Nikko in Düsseldorf, Germany from 11-13 December 2012. On the first evening there will be a welcome reception and registration, followed by a 2-day programme of presentations. A specialist exhibition will run alongside the conference. The construction and civil engineering industry is responding to the drive for green building and greater sustainability. Extra demands are being placed on waterproofing as functions are added to the membrane, such as warming and cooling, energy generation (particularly solar), chemical resistance in landfill, and horticultural resources on roofs and also facades. Read more.

TIE Technologies, Inc. (Pink Sheets:TTCS), and Geocomp Corporation announce that the OilDam™ technology and the Trademark Application, patent rights and associated assets are owned in equal parts by TIE Technologies and Geocomp, the team leaders of the OilDam™ Emergency Containment Proposal. An application to register the OilDam™ mark has been filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, thus it is considered a "pending" application.

The Initial Public Offer (IPO) market has been grim in the United States with economic investment so low. More than 100 offers were withdrawn last year in the US, and over the past six months only two IPOs have gone forward. A few more companies withdrew IPO floatation on February 3. Among them, geogrid and infrastructure specialist Tensar. Learn more here.;