Containment

In conjunction to the next TC28 International Symposium that will be held in Roma (Italy) from 16 to 18 May 2011, a technical exhibition will be organized in the same area (Roma Eventi - Fontana di Trevi Congress Centre). This will offer a unique opportunity for leading professionals to get together, exchange information and ideas, and learn about new products, innovative technologies, construction methods and design procedures. For more information on sponsorship opportunities for the 7th International Symposium on Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground, visit the conference website. Learn more here.;

SOPREMA is proud to announce that its factory located at 1675 Haggerty Street, is the first site in Canada and first of the SOPREMA group to have successfully completed the certification process for EN 16001 Standard - Energy Management Standard (energy efficiency). Offered by the BSI group, a world-leading independent professional services organization, this standard ensures that the company complies with the most current practices in terms of energy management.

The Solid Waste Association of North America's 16th Annual Landfill Symposium will be held 31 October to 3 November in Orlando, Florida. The event offers multiple CEUs across broad but intensive training sessions. Subjects include geosynthetics and geodesign, liner and cap performance, landfill closure and redevelopment, case studies, greenhouse gas emissions, new technologies and much more. Abstracts are sought through March 18. Submit an abstract online. Learn more here.;

Honeywell's uranium conversion plant in Metropolis, Illinois is going through some difficult labor disputes, but those may pale in comparison to local challenges to the company's plan to close and seal four settling ponds. The company plans to seal the waste in a specialized concrete mixture, then cap with additional fill, a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), a geomembrane, a surface drainage system, and a protective soil cover. Local residents fear it is not enough. Learn more here.;

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA) has extended the deadline for the MECA awards to January 31. If you know of an individual, group, company or organization that should be recognized, please complete the nomination form. Categories include the Innovation Award, Industry Leadership, Environmental Excellence, Environmental Leadership, and the MECA Recognition Award. Learn more. Learn more here.;

During the 2011 annual conference of the Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA), a Jeopardy!-style game will be played. Like the tv game show, it will feature contestants having to provide questions to the erosion and sediment control answers. MECA 2011 will be held 3-4 March 2011 in Plymouth, Minnesota. Learn more about and register for MECA 2011 at the association website. Learn more here.;

It's now been a little more than a week since the operators of Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill, facing rising waters and pounding rain, sent a torrent of stormwater containing garbage and medical waste out into the ocean off of Ko Olina on Oahu's Leeward Coast in Hawaii. The landfill's liner has been damaged and must be repaired before more garbage can be collected. Learn more here.;

U.S. companies are looking for ways to help China meet its water needs. China is a becoming a major player in the fast-growing, $483 billion global market for equipment to treat, recycle, pump and transport water -- a market that is expected to grow. A.O. Smith Corp., for example, is supplying the country with water filtration systems. China currently ranks No. 3 in the world market for water infrastructure. Learn more here.;

Geosynthetic welcomes its newest underwriter, Brockton Equipment / Spilldam Inc. The company manufactures a wide range of oil containment booms and turbidity barriers for various applications in the marine environment, technologies which provide essential environmental protection for construction, mining, remediation, dewatering operations and many other applications. Learn more on Brockton's website. Learn more here.;

WestMoonint will raise its synthetic rubber hypalon rubber series price, because of the imbalance between hypalon rubber demand and supply and shortage of hypalon rubber replacement. Therefore, effective 1 January 2011, WestMoonint has raised hypalon 40 and hypalon 45 price at least US$152/mt and Euro 114/mt, across all overseas markets and end users.

The government of Manitoba has announced plans to commit $20 million over the next decade to help fuel the green products sector. A key focus will be on the utilization of natural materials, such as those typically used in erosion control blanket and hydromulch components. In fact, Premier Greg Selinger made the announcement at the Riverton, Manitoba headquarters of ErosionControlBlanket.com. CEO Mark Myrowich, who also heads Verdyol Biotic Earth, gave Premier Selinger a tour of the facility. Approximately $4 million was announced for funding to be committed this year. Learn more here.;

Leister has had an effective team of eleven specialists active in the important Japanese market since May 2010 with the subsidiary Leister Technologies KK. A further expansion to 15 employees is planned in the next few months. In taking this important decision, Leister aims to intensify its activities in Japan, while consolidating and expanding its market leadership.

Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Among the many short courses being held, ASTM Committee D35 on Geosynthetics will present one on test methods and specifications (March 13, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm). Up to 7 professional development hours (PDHs) are available. Learn about this event and others. Learn more here.;

Christine Basile has returned as staff manager for ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics. Her contact information is cbasile@astm.org, +1 610 832 9728. Learn more here.;

The 6th International Mine Closure Conference (MC 2011) will be held 18-21 September 2011 in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. This conference is a not-for-profit conference and is presented annually in various parts of the world by the Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG) and the Centre for Land Rehabilitation (CLR). Erosion control and closure/capping systems will be among the key concepts discussed. Abstracts are accepted through 1 February 2011.

The National Association of County Engineers (NACE) will hold its 2011 conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 17-21 April 2011. As the event comes to the North Star state, it will operate under an appropriate theme: "Guiding with Vision." One of the most intriguing sessions that will be held, particularly from the perspective of the geosynthetics fields. One of the key sessions will focus on geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) bridge abutments. These GRS construction approaches have been economical and fast to construct. They abutments themselves have performed wonderfully, and these successes are helping transform the practice.

The Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners (Minnesota) approved a conditional use permit Tuesday that could allow a privately owned demolition landfill to accept a wider range of items, including things termed "industrial waste." Jay Morrell Building Investments built the landfill to Class III standards by installing a clay bed and thick plastic liner. The leachate, or runoff from the landfill, is collected. Learn more here.;

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute's (FGI) next "Constructing with Fabricated Geomembranes & Emerging Trends" short course will be held 11 March 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Up to 7 PDHs are available, and government employees may attend the event for free. The full-day short course includes presentations from industry professionals on design, specification, testing, manufacturing, fabrication, installation, inspection, and field testing of different types of fabricated geomembranes for a variety of applications. A flyer has been released. Read it here (PDF).

Northwest Linings and Geotextile Products, Inc., a growing construction products distributor located in Kent, Washington seeks an outside sales person to prospect local northwestern territory calling on contractors, owners, and engineers. Five years geosynthetics experience selling to the construction industry is desired. Education: BA preferred, Associates minimum. Learn more about this and other opportunities on Geosynthetica's Employment Page.

Western Environmental Liner, an online supplier of custom fabricated pond liners, PVC liners, pit liners, field liners, canal liners and polypropylene liners,has been recommending reinforced products over un-reinforced products for most common applications. Their reinforced polyethylene also known as the Aqua seriesconsists of a very strong high density polyethylene scrim coated with a low density polyethylene coating. Western Environmental Liner's Aqua series consists of the best woven coated reinforced polyethylene available in the market today. The Aqua series has excellent tear and good u.v. resistance, excellent for long term applications. These products often make for a perfect pond liner.

To keep current with the latest developments in the field of geosynthetics, a seminar titled "Geosynthetics India 2011," preceded immediately by "An Introductory Course on Geosynthetics," is being organized by the Indian Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) and the Central Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP). Topics include geosynthetic materials, testing and specification, reinforced soil structures, slope stabilization, filtration, drainage, roads, hydraulic structures, landfills and ash ponds, erosion control, ground improvement and more.

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association's (MECA) 23rd Annual Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Conference and Trade Show will be held 3-4 March 2011 at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Plymouth, Minnesota. The event will feature special pre-conference training opportunities and two days of expert presentations on local projects, stormwater management, innovative products, and more. Register by February 1 for a discounted rate. Learn more at MECA's website. Learn more here.;

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) is concerned over too little regulation and oversight in some mining operations in the state. One uranium mine that was inspected recently as cited for numerous problems, including a number of pour patches on a geomembrane and an unchecked pipe penetrating one of the pond liners. Learn more here.;

Is this a first? Cracks along the peaks of wrinkles are not that unusual, but has anyone ever seen transverse cracks across a wrinkle, perpendicular to the length of the wrinkle? Several of these transverse cracks occurred in straight sections of the wrinkle but none occurred at the more highly stressed kinks.

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) is continuing to expand its product line by acquiring the assets of another leading manufacturer of concrete drainage structures, Frederick Precast Concrete, Inc. (Greencastle, Pennsylvania). Known for its custom as well as stock structures, Frederick Precast is being added to ADS' other recent acquisitions enabling it to provide a complete line of sanitary, storm and water structures to the mid-Atlantic United States. ADS purchased the Foltz Concrete Pipe Company of Winston-Salem, North Carolina in April and Piedmont Concrete of Pineville, North Carolina in May.