Containment

CSX Transportation is seeking permission to place caps over contaminants from the old Creosote Works that settled in the West Pascagoula River and Bayou Pierre in Gautier, according to company officials and the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. The proposed cap will include layers of reactive core mat, silty sand isolation area, non-woven geotextile and poorly graded stone. The cap would be overlaid with a veneer of fine sand and indigenous wetland vegetation within the intertidal zone to mitigate the seven-tenths acre of tidal fringe wetlands that would be affected. Learn more here.;

Grassy Island in the Maumee River, Toledo, Ohio, is also known as Island 18. The island serves as the dump for all dredged material from the river. And it was there that a dike breached recently, spilling contaminated materials towards the river. A fabric containment fence has been installed around the island and the US Army Corps of Engineers is proceeding with cleanup and containment measures. Learn more here.;

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has invested tens of thousands of dollars in its engineering research over the years, both in-house and with its GSI Fellowships program. The latter endeavor...

The mission of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) Awards Program is to recognize outstanding achievements in the erosion and sediment control industry in the following categories: Environmental Achievement; Sustained Contributor; Young Professional; Professional of the Year; Contractor of the Year; Organization of the Year; Technological Innovation; and Educational Achievement. Only current IECA members may nominate an individual, project or program for an award. Nominations must be submitted electronically and are due by November 1. Learn more here.;

The deadline for submitting abstracts for presentation at StormCon 2010 is 2 December 2009. StormCon is seeking abstracts for presentations at the 9th annual conference, which will be held 1-5 August 2010, in San Antonio, Texas. Abstracts are invited for the following session tracks: BMP Case Studies; Low-Impact Development; Stormwater Program Management; Water-Quality Monitoring; and Advanced Research Topics. To see a full description of the conference tracks and to submit your abstract online, visit www.StormCon.com. Learn more here.;

By Bruno Pedroni – During the last days of July, when many in Brazil are typically on vacation, more than 50 people gathered for the IGS Educate the...

Geosynthetica.net has moved its physical office and now has a new phone number. The new address and phone contact information are as follows: Geosynthetica.net, 1934 Commerce Lane Ste. 4, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA; phone +1 561 768 9487. The central geosynthetica.net emails and personnel remain the same: Elizabeth Peggs, Managing Director: Elizabeth@geosynthetica.net; Chris Kelsey, Editor/Writer: chris@geosynthetica.net; and David Cabrera, Web Developer: david@geosynthetica.net.

David D'Souza, writing for the Goa, India-based Herald, discusses modern, double-lined landfill design but in plain language. He explains the importance of geosynthetic systems, including drainage and containment, and he does it all with easily understandable comparisons, such as geomembrane liners and bathtubs. His succinctly answered questions and plain language demonstrate one way engineers might better engage the public on critical waste designs. Read the article at the link below. Learn more here.;

BBI International, a leader in globally recognized bioenergy events and trade magazines, has launched a new magazine and international conference. Biorefining magazine and the aligned International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show will provide a new communications avenue for the emergent global industry of advanced biofuel and biobased chemical production. The International Biorefining Conference & Trade Show will be held 16-18 November 2010, at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It will feature more than 50 speakers within more than a dozen panels. Learn more about this publication and event.

Each year we look back at the most-popular reads on Geosynthetica to gauge trends in the field and international reader interests. It also provides us another piece to add...

The Canadian Geotechnical Society’s annual conference is always a highlight on the international geotechnical calendar. This year, however, the organizers in Calgary had to cancel the plan for an in-person...

More than 40 civil and geotechnical engineering professors from across the US and Canada gathered in Austin, Texas in late July to take part in the Educate the Educators™...

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has released an Excel-based "FGI Selection Matrix" designed to provide users with a method for general geomembrane selection and information on attributes, physical properties, test methods, and polymeric types. The matrix is polymer based and is designed to narrow the search for alternative types of geomembranes that could be suitable for a specific application or project. The matrix is also intended as an educational tool to provide insight and definitions for attributes, properties, and test methods. FGI intends to further develop and update this new matrix tool as new information or standards develop.

Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) are pleased to invite you to the 1st GSI-Asia geosynthetics conference. The conference will be held in Taichung, Taiwan 16-18 November 2010. The conference theme is "Geosynthetics in Infrastructure." Primary topics include Mechanical Stabilized Earth Structures, Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering, Erosion Control and Sustainable Engineering, and Transportation and Pavement Engineering. The program includes a keynote lecture, special lectures, and discussion sessions. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Registration by September 30 for an advanced registration rate. Learn more here.;

The EPA's AgSTAR program has been critical in developing the biogas industry, many systems of which utilize geomembranes for manure containment and methane harvesting. The 7th National Conference will be held 27-29 March 2012 in Syracuse, New York. Organizers report that the Holiday Inn Syracuse/Liverpool is holding a block of rooms for conference attendees at a special discounted rate of $94/night, plus tax. The deadline for making reservations at this rate is 25 February 2012. Learn more. Learn more here.;

It's been said that a "picture tells a 1000 words." This image from Kingscliff (NSW, Australia) says quite a bit more about the impact of geosynthetics. Geofabrics Australasia was part of this installation of geobags from earlier this year to correct severe beachfront erosion outside a surf life saving club. Note the traditional chunky riprap and its warning sign. And note the beach-goers resting comfortably against the newer, softer (yet stronger) beach protection measure.

In the February 2011 issue of Stormwater Solutions, Bryan Weldin, P.E., and Patricia Stelter of Presto Geosystems write about the use of geocellular systems for supporting sustainable vegetation on sloped sites that otherwise would not support vegetation cost effectively. Two case studies are presented, one from a pulp mill geomembrane cover project and one from a roadside ditch remediation project. Learn more here.;

To support its fast-growing portfolio of live and online events and nonprofit association client base, Minerva Technology, Resources, and Information has added Maria Bertuzzelli to its team. Bertuzzelli is...

From April 13, 2011 on the Fast Company website: "Ethonomic Indicator of the Day: 50% - The percent of Americans who disapprove of building more nuclear plants." Fascinating article. Read more. Learn more here.;

Rubble from segments of the Interstate 10 Twin Spans destroyed during Hurricane Katrina will be stuffed inside erosion control gabion mattresses that will be draped along a 7.8-mile stretch of the Lake Borgne shoreline of the eastern New Orleans landbridge. Learn more here.;

geosynthetica's Lara Costa has posted a wrap-up and abstracts from GeoAmericas 2008. These pages deliver conference images, a summary of events and links to free papers from the event (courtesy of IFAI, publisher of the full conference proceedings). Check out Lara's review and the significant conference papers posted here for free. See the links to those pages on the abstracts page. Full proceedings may be acquired from the IFAI Bookstore.

British non-woven fabrics maker Fiberweb Plc said it expected first-half profit to be hurt by higher raw material costs, but remained confident of making progress in the second half as it increases prices. Also, the company has said it would look for small deals in Western Europe and North America to expand its geotextiles, agricultural fabrics and filtration businesses. Fiberweb operates 16 production sites in eight countries. Learn more here.;

American Environmental Group Ltd has grown to become one of the largest suppliers and installers of geosynthetic materials in North America, with offices across the country and multiple divisions. The company currently has a Geosynthetics Technical Manager position open at its Richfield, Ohio headquarters. Learn more about the qualifications and expectations here. And please share this opportunity with the geosynthetics experts you know who may be right for the position.

Steel producer ArcelorMittal has planned a landfill in Burns Harbor, Indiana; but the company is facing a number of questions from the public and environmental advocacy groups who would like specifics on what the company plans to bury. What's most interesting about this case is that public questions seem to have arisen primarily in the wake of ArcelorMittal revealing the degree of containment technologies they plan to use. That is, presenting a modern system that exceeds the state's minimum design seems to have raised some concerns. Learn more here.;

Increasing costs for raw materials and energy and demand for sustainable climate protective waste treatment and recycling techniques have placed technologies like bio-methanation and material recovery facilities (MRF) in the spotlight. The biennial Waste-to-Resources Symposium (24-26 May 2011, Hanover, Germany) combines a conference, commercial exhibition and site visits to address this growing energy and waste management sector. The 2009 edition included participants from 41 countries. Abstracts for 2011's presentations will be accepted through 4 December 2010. The event will feature simultaneous translation (English-French-Spanish-German) and is being held under the patronage of Dr. Norbert Roettgen, Germany's Minister of the Environment. Learn more here.;