IECA Abstracts are due May 29!
Don't forget to submit your abstracts to the International Erosion Control Association's (IECA) next Environmental Connection event. EC10 will be held in Dallas, Texas 14-17 Februrary 2010. Abstracts will be accepted through 29 May 2009. "Hot Topics" for 2010 are LEED for new construction, sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process.
Learn more here.;
OWRB Approves $3 Million Green Package
The Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) approved the state’s first Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) “green” projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For example, a $2 million streambank stabilization and erosion control project along the Illinois River and Eucha/Spavinaw Creek watersheds.
Learn more here.;
Election of the new Chairman of CEN TC 189 on Geosynthetics
Daniele Cazzuffi (CESI SpA – Milano, Italy and also IGS Past President) has been unanimously elected as Chairman of the European Committee for Standardization on Geosynthetics (CEN TC 189) for a period of three years, 2012–2014. The vote was held during January 2012 as postal ballot among all standardization bodies of the 27 countries belonging to CEN. The mandate of CEN TC 189 is to develop standardized test methods for the overall characterization of geosynthetics and mainly to elaborate the harmonized European standards for the various fields of geosynthetics applications. He is the first elected chair from outside of Belgium and the Netherlands.
New Mining Risks at Mount Polley and Samarco
The mining disasters at the Mount Polley mine in British Columbia, Canada and at the Samarco Mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil were both dramatic examples of containment failures. Each...
SWANA Announces North America Carbon Credit Summit
The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) has announced that it will host the North American Carbon Credit Summit on Wednesday, 14 April 2010 in Reno, Nevada. The one day event will provide the most current information available on the constantly evolving carbon credit market as it applies to municipal solid waste professionals.
New Brochure from ACE Geosynthetics
October 2014 - ACE Geosynthetics has published a new brochure focusing on its main products – geogrid (ACEGrid®), geotextile (ACETex®), and geotextile tube (ACETube®).
The design concept of the brochure...
Top 15 Stories on Geosynthetica, January – June 2015
With multiple stories published per week throughout the year, a biweekly newsletter, numerous international event partners, and a strong presence in social media, Geosynthetica covers much of the world's...
Contaminated mining environments: It's better to be green
Rick Mills writes on acid mine drainage, the need for strong environmental controls, and the importance of mining and mineral extraction to Canada's economy.
Learn more here.;
Advances in Leak Detection
France-based Cemagref's Hydraulic Structures team has been using a new experimental platform since 2006 to test leak-detection systems in levees. The platform, financed by the Carnot fund, acts as a stimulus for a number of partnership research projects on structure monitoring. The platform was originally used for the Hydrodetect partnership-research project. TenCate helped coordinate the work, which has been assessing the capacity of a geotextile fabric equipped with fiber optic detection technology. Paul Royet of Cemagref writes on the latest experimental installations and how this new technology may be the future of hydraulic structure leak detection systems. Read the article here.
Waste Expo Photos: Day 1
Waste & Recycling News has posted some photos from Day One of Waste Expo 2009. See them here.
Learn more here.;
Solmax Increases Flexibility for European Customers
Solmax International announced that all European customers will now benefit from a 7-day grace period free-of-charge for on-site deliveries (DDP). All fees due to merchandise pick up delays will be covered by Solmax for up to 7 days for deliveries transiting via Liverpool, South Hampton, Anvers, le Havre and Hamburg port. Read more about this benefit.
Learn more here.;
John Wieland Homes Agrees to Clean Water Act Settlement
John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods Inc., and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods of the Carolinas Inc., based in Atlanta, Ga., have agreed to pay a $350,000 civil penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Water Act, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today. The companies have also agreed to implement company-wide storm water compliance programs at their construction sites that go beyond current regulatory requirements. EPA estimates that the agreement will keep approximately 37 million pounds of sediment from polluting the nation's waterways each year.
Update: Asia Mining 2009
The latest conference update from the Asia Mining Congress 2009 is available. The current issue includes information on the latest speakers from mining, manufacturing, governments, and investment groups; workshops; sponsors; and the most current event brochure. The conference will be held 23-27 March 2009, Singapore. Read the newsletter online.
Learn more here.;
BMC Gulf Using Geosynthetic Tubes on Dadar Beach
Residents in Shivaji Park, on Mahim Bay in Mumbai, India, opposed the use of boulders for a beach renourishment plan. Now, geotextile tubes will be used. The 500-metre-long Dadar Beach is being beautified and maintained by a municipal corporation and a public works department.
Learn more here.;
Does EC Make a Difference?
While the term "best management practice" (or, BMP) may be misleading, especially since agencies from town to town may disagree on which BMPs are acceptable--that is, which are actually "best"--erosion control is clearly of need. You can see this on a very large scale around Las Vegas. The Review Journal looks back at 10 years of major erosion control and bank stabilization projects and how sediment loads have been reduced by 75%, 38,000 native plants have returned, more than 100 species have returned, and much more.
Learn more here.;
Drainage and Venting of Geosynthetic Containment Systems
The recent increase in discussion on finer points to geomembrane installations (e.g., managing geomembrane wrinkling) has us revisiting stories on other significant points regarding geomembrane system performance. Here, we...
Geotextile Tubes Short Course at Univ of Delaware
"Geotextile Tubes: Coastal, Structural and Dewatering Design and Applications" will be held on the University of Delaware Campus 3-5 October 2011. This training opportunity presents the theory behind the use of geotextile tubes in both structural and dewatering applications, along with the latest developments in the industry and applications. An introduction to to GeoCoPS design software is included. Instructors: Dov Leshchinsky and Doug Gaffney. Up to 1.8 CEUs or 18 PDHs may be awarded for full participation.
Learn more here.;
Greenroofs in Africa
Jeanne Viall's article at All-Africa.com describes the experience of encountering greenroofs in South Africa from the impression to the design (with its geomembrane seal) to the importance of greenroofs in stormwater management and energy conservations.
Learn more here.;
Exposed Geotextile Tubes in Ocean City
The Nor'easter storm that punished the east coast of the United States last week has exposed the old geotextile tubes that helped establish and secure the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey. But after surviving years of storms, this most recent event overwhelmed the tubes. The tubes remain, intact, but new sand will need to be brought in to rebuild the dune network.
Learn more here.;
Issue 2: IGS India Journal
The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Indian Chapter (IGS India) has announced the publication of Volume 1, Issue 2 of the Indian Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Improvement. This issue includes articles on "Comparative Study on the Performance of Piled Embankments with and without the Geosynthetic Reinforcement," "Evaluation of the Performance of Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Walls Using a Geocentrifuge," and "A Case Study on the Use of Coir Geotextiles for Stabilizing a Steep Slope." Additionally, updates on forthcoming events and opportunities are included. The journal is distributed for free to IGS members, who also enjoy full access electronically to other international journals on geosynthetics. Join today.
Learn more here.;
Rubber as a Primary Liner for Milling/Grinding in Mining
This interest in rubber-based liners for SAG milling flies in the face of the previous belief that a SAG mill, using large-diameter grinding media, was just too tough an environment for rubber. But synthetic and natural rubbers are moving from secondary liner status to primary liners in grinding applications at mines. A Canadian company claims to have supplied liners to more than 300 mills around the world.
Learn more here.;
St. Tammany Parish sets money aside for road, drainage improvements
More than 100 road and drainage projects throughout unincorporated St. Tammany Parish are scheduled for next year using money from the parish's 2-cent sales tax. The parish's budget for 2010 provides for $17.5 million in capital improvements, including $10 million for individual road and drainage projects in each of the 14 council districts.
Learn more here.;
D35 Takes Up Draft Guidelines for Fabricated Geomembranes
ASTM Internnational Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has announced work item WK38128, Guide for Identification, Packaging, Handling, Storage and Deployment of Fabricated Geomembrane Panels. The title and scope are in draft form and are under development within this ASTM Committee (D35.10 - Geomembranes).
Learn more here.;
Boom demand high as gulf oil spill moves to Florida
Those bright orange, yellow and red oil-containment booms you see on the news symbolize the fight against the unfolding environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. The question is: Will there be enough to go around? As reports have painfully documented, nobody prepared for an accident of this magnitude. No one set aside a massive stockpile of booms.
Learn more here.;
EuroGeo 6 Abstracts Due October 30
The technical committee of the 6th European Conference on Geosynthetics (EuroGeo 6) remind readers that the window for submission of abstracts will close 30 October 2015. Please remind your...