Containment

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Soil and Water Conservation Program has announced that in 2010 it will dedicate to erosion control measures 62 cents of every dollar earmarked for soil and water conservation. This move underscores how important erosion control has become in agriculture, public works and other vital sectors. The department opened additional monies through an improvement to its fund management and transference. The move made room for $27 million to soil and water conservation and erosion erosion control practices. Learn more here.;

National Geographic reports on the closure of "Little Blue Run," the largest coal ash pond in the United States. The 1,700-acre site does not have any geosynthetic lining system and has operated since 1974. Groundwater testing near the site has discovered that arsenic, sulfates, and chlorides have leached into the water from the coal ash reservoir. The United States still has no official policy on coal ash management, though the 1.1 billion gallons that spilled from an unlined Kingston, Tennessee facility in 2008 put the issue of coal ash regulation in the public eye and organizations such as the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) have helped inform environmental agencies and policymakers on the how geosynthetic lining systems protect municipal solid waste facilities and could protect coal ash storage too. Learn more here.;

Testimonials from the people using a company's products and services are often one of the strongest ways to highlight the value and strengths in that company's offerings. Bill Johnson, a field technical engineer with Firestone Specialty Products, has shared a comment on Demtech Services Inc., a maker of welding equipment and other materials used in the installation of geosynthetics, such as the geomembranes produced by Firestone. Addressing Demtech's "Demo Dave" McLaury, Johnson commented: "Demtech equipment is innovative and your energy is infectious. Those of us who benefit from your continual strides forward appreciate all you do for our industry." Learn more here.;

Trelleborg is making organizational changes in order to further strengthen and focus the Group. Trelleborg Automotive will be focused on antivibration solutions. Trelleborg Automotive's other operations -- polymer boots for drive shafts and steering applications and noise damping solutions for brake systems -- will be strengthened by integrating them into Trelleborg Engineered Systems and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions respectively. Through this, the operations will benefit from better efficiency, footprint and access to global marketing structures. The operations had 2011 annual sales of about SEK 600 M and about SEK 750 M respectively. Altogether, Trelleborg’s offerings to customers will be strengthened.

The Dallas City Council has approved $29 million for a levee damage study and transportation improvements. The levees have been treated with erosion control measures, but significant improvements are thought to be needed, including reinforcement and internal seepage control. Learn more here.;

Construction of a cap for the Global Landfill in Old Bridge is under way to provide final containment of a Superfund site that has been an environmental concern in the area for many years. The cap will include a flexible, geosynthetic barrier (to allow for further site settlement) and leachate-collection and stormwater-control systems. The DEP and EPA have required long-term monitoring of the aquifers and wetlands. The DEP and EPA have also required some 5,000 cubic yards of wetland sediments contaminated with volatile organic chemicals to be placed under the landfill cap.

Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand are the newest partners in the Methane to Markets (M2M) program, which aims to reduce emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas and clean energy source. Methane to Markets now numbers 25 partners. Landfills and animal waste management are major areas of concern in M2M programs. Learn more here.;

International geosynthetics manufacturing GSE has released the details of its 3 November 2011 "Geosynthetics 4 Success" seminar in Charlotte, North Carolina. The seminar is part of a series of events the company has arranged in which expert independent speakers join technical personnel from the company to present on key subjects in the field. In Charlotte, the focus will be on the latest developments in geosynthetics and the use of geosynthetics in waste and coal ash containment applications. This discussion will include all aspects of new product performance, benefits, issues, and an update on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Coal Ash Rule. Learn more.

The latest release on geosynthetics from the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) reports on the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) support for geosynthetic performance in levee construction and reinforcement. Read the full release here.

Yesterday we looked at the artificial reef (geotextile-based) being design for an off-shore, erosion control focus in New Zealand. Beach erosion is also a major concern in Australia. Today, the Central Coast Sun published a piece on Maroochydore Beach's plight. There, councils have tabled erosion control projects for 30 years--until now. Geotextile sand bags are finally being brought in to buy much-needed time and halt erosion while a long-term plan is given attention. Learn more here.;

GeoAfrica 2017 will be held 8 – 11 October 2017 in Marrakech, Morocco. The conference, which is centered on the theme of “Geosynthetics in Sustainable Development in Africa”, is the 3rd African...

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.;

Austria-based geosynthetics and plastic pipe manufacturer Agru has released the fourth and final 2010 issue of the Agru Times. This issue includes a number of interesting developments, such as the expansion of pipe production in China, a flue-gas desulpherization system, large-diameter pipe rehabilitation, and foamed polypropylene sheets. Read the issue today (PDF).

The Northwest Evening Mail, which serves the Lakes District in the northwest United Kingdom, has published a piece about the waterproofing of Seathwaite Tarn, a Victorian-era dam. The 100+-year-old structure is being given a modern facelift--or rather, a modern face. A Czech Republic-based office Carpi is installing a geomembrane skin to the tall, 138-meter-wide dam. Learn more here.;

HUESKER launched a series of "mini-webinars" this year, succinct (<30 min) engineering discussions on various geosynthetic applications and materials. January's coal ash webinar was so well-attended that the company has...

At Geo-Frontiers 2011, a special session will be held on "Soil-Structure-Geosynthetics Interaction." Session organizers invite abstracts through the overall conference abstract submission deadline: 8 March 2010. The proposed technical session will include presentations related to the development and application of analysis and design dealing with macro-scale mechanical interaction problems encountered in foundation engineering, underground construction, railroads and pavements, and ground improvement. Learn more.

Yesterday, March 20, was not only the first official day of spring but National Agriculture Day. Woods Houghton's guest column in the Current Argus newspaper, published in New Mexico, offers some interesting statistics on the United States agriculture industry. For example, farmers manage 1.3 million acres of water conveyance ditches. Learn more here.;

The 6th edition of AMI's Waterproof Membranes conference will be held 11-13 December 2012 at Hotel Nikko in Düsseldorf, Germany. This annual gathering focuses on the exchange of technical information on geomembranes and roofing/architectural membranes. Research updates, market data, case studies and manufacturing advances are presented. Learn more about the key deadlines (abstracts, early registration) and sponsorship opportunities.

The Stormwater Equipment Manufacturers Association has launched a new website: www.stormwaterassociation.com. The website contains information about the association's activities, membership, technical information and a buyer's guide. The buyer's guide is a free useful resource for end users needing information about stormwater equipment and other services. Read more in the release.

A July 15, 2020 post on the SCS Engineers website provided some nicely experienced perspective on why temporary landfill caps are increasingly welcomed on landfill sites. Dr. Ali Khatami,...

Ian Peggs of I-CORP INTERNATIONAL continues Geosynthetica's planned series of primers on geoelectric leak location technology--how it's used with geosynthetic barrier systems, relevant applications, affiliated issues from the field, and more. In this second article, Dr. Peggs addresses essential design criteria for making an installation surveyable.

Ten years ago, the first of Poland's Special Economic Zone permits were issued. These permits enable investors to launch businesses, apply for certain support, etc., but also under strict business transparency and conduct regulations. Panto Poland Engineering in the Lodz SEZ has just become the 101st SEZ permit. The article about Panto's achievement also notes the interesting fact that CETCO Poland was the first SEZ permit recipient. The company continues operating strongly in Poland and elsewhere in the world. Learn more here.;

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released action plans developed by 22 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. In addition to the action plans released today, EPA is also releasing assessment reports on the structural integrity of an additional 40 coal ash impoundments at 16 facilities across the country. Most of the 40 impoundments have a rating of "high" or "significant" hazard potential, indicating the potential for harm in the event of impoundment failure. Read more.

Fredericton, Canada's ADI Group Inc. and its subsidiaries ADI Systems Inc. and Geomembrane Technologies Inc. announced they have been selected as a platinum winner in the Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies program. "To achieve platinum status, which involves being recognized as one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for six consecutive years, is a remarkable achievement," said Hollis Cole, CEO of ADI Group, in a release. Learn more here.;

The Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $17.9 million contract to a construction firm in New Orleans to reinforce the flood walls and levees along the city's London Avenue Canal, which failed during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The federal agency also approved a request by levee officials to paint all sheet piling with an anti-rust coating, a move that would ease concerns about rusting in the structures. Learn more here.;