Containment

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is scheduled to hold 18 public meetings this fall to discuss the draft Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)--a strict "pollution diet" to restore local waters and the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay TMDL will set binding limits on nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment pollution throughout the 64,000-square-mile watershed to meet clean water standards for the Bay and its tidal tributaries and help restore local rivers and streams. Read more.

The fate of a 1,400-acre dairy farm again rests with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The dairy, partially finished and owned by A.J. Bos, has been in legal limbo for more than two years. The EPA is demanding five studies and tests to determine whether manure holding ponds would be located on top of karst terrain. Bos has refused. Learn more here.;

Du Toit Viljoen has retired from his years of work at South Africa-based Engineered Linings. Contacts for Engineered Linings are Marketing and Technical Director Peter Hardie (peterh@englining.co.za) and new Managing Director Dave Roy (droy@englining.co.za). Colleagues wishing to contact Du Toit privately may reach him through his new e-mail address, dutvil@gmail.com. We congratulate him on his retirement and trust we'll see him soon enough in his travels or perhaps at an IGS event. Learn more here.;

Specialty films can inhibit the growth of weeds and pests and promote plant growth, even improving color of crops. But the increasing use of pesticides has caused early failure of films. Also, the effects of photoselective films on pollination by bees are being examined. These are just some of the subjects to be discussed at Agricultural Films 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, 22-24 November 2010. An early-bird registration rate is available through October 15. Learn more here.;

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.;

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.;

With more than 600 coal ash ponds in the United States, and with new rules potentially coming into effect to require liners for these facilities, every state is having to re-evaluate its handling of coal ash waste. In South Carolina, the Washington Post reports that 20 power company sites face closure and a need to reline their waste cells, if and when the new rules are enacted. Learn more here.;

Writing for the UK-based Rail Engineer, Douglas Ayres recalls his time in the Western Region’s New Works Laboratory. His history includes many notes on firsts in the use of geosynthetics in track construction: geotextile, geomembranes and geogrids. Learn more here.;

The ongoing focus on sustainability in construction has contributed to greater interest in vegetative, or green, roof systems, in which traditional roofing material is replaced or supplemented with vegetation. A proposed new ASTM International standard will address an important aspect of designing this kind of roofing: determining the proper roofing and waterproofing membrane for a particular system. The proposed new standard, ASTM WK29304, "Guide for Selection of Roofing/Waterproofing Membranes for Vegetative Roof Systems," is currently being developed by Subcommittee D08.24 on Sustainability, part of ASTM International Committee D08 on Roofing and Waterproofing.

Thanks to President Obama’s recently announced National Export Initiative, now may be a good time to expand your business globally. The program aims to increase financing and other support to small businesses and, ultimately, double the amount of exports over the next five years. Anne Field's article at Open Forum provides a number of resource ideas. Learn more here.;

Zahra Ali, writing for the Express Tribune (and International Herald Tribune), writes on water shortages for people living in the Thar Desert, which bridges India and Pakistan. Wells are their only source of water and the water table is declining by 11% each year. Health problems are increasing since most of the water available is saline. Rainwater harvesting with geomembrane containment is part of a new answer. Engro Polymer and Chemical Limited (EPCL) is providing the materials. Learn more here.;

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) invites you to present a paper at its inaugural EUROTEC technical conference in Barcelona, Spain. The three-day event, SPE-EUROTEC 2011, will be held 14-15 November 2011. SPE invites speakers to present papers on: Failure Analysis and Prevention; Bioplastics; Product and Engineering Design; Color and Additives; General Business; Engineering Properties; Structure; and more. Learn more here.;

As hearings continued through September 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks comments regarding the regulation of coal ash containment sites. The Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA) was among the first in line to address the issue Aug. 30 at the initial hearing in Arlington, Va. Read more, including remarks from GMA Members. Learn more here.;

The Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS) is a bienniel, global gathering of specialists from within and industries intersecting with waste management. Take advantage of this international networking opportunity. Learn from industry leaders. Listen to an exciting keynote address, tour the United States’ first landfill solar energy cover system, and learn about cutting-edge technologies in the exhibit hall. Register by September 10 to save on registration. Use code AA13 when registering to receive the discounted pricing. Learn more here.;

The Dexter National Fish Hatchery near Roswell, New Mexico is the only hatchery in the United States specializing in endangered fish species. The facility has just concluded five stimulus-funded projects, including a $320,000 investment in new pond liners. Learn more here.;

The New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations Spring Conference and Trade Show began in 1997 and has become an annual premier northeast event. It attracts over 700 public and private sector solid waste and recycling professionals to a technical program with 90 presentations and an expanded Trade Show that is supported by 120 major exhibitors. Those interested in the PowerPoint presentations from the 2010 conference can access them free online. Also, the dates and location for the 2011 event have been announced: 1-4 May 2011 at the historic Sagamore in Bolton Landing, New York. Learn more here.;

A rail yard in Utah has been in operation since the first transcontinental railroad reached the area in 1869. Four major railroad companies have used the rail yard for switching, maintenance of locomotives, and transferring cargo. A DNAPL tar plume was discovered running from the northern end of the yard under an adjacent highway and into a neighboring pond. HDPE geomembrane and Organoclay Reactive Core Mat from CETCO were used to remediate the site. Read more.

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has announced the keynote speaker and three plenary speakers for FOAMS 2010, which will be held 28 September - 1 October 2010 in Seattle, Washington. The first two days will focus on the FOAMS 2010 Tutorial tracks. The last two days will focus on the topical conference. The event is sponsored by SPE's Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division and Pacific Northwest Section. A special advanced registration rate is available for those who register before 10 September 2010. Read more.

Penton Media's 2010 Global Waste Management Symposium (GWMS), an international forum for the presentation of peer-reviewed applied and fundamental research and case studies on waste management, announces a new special session: "Applicability of USEPA Greenhouse Gas Rules to Landfills," to be held October 4 from 12:00 - 2:00 pm at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. Learn more.

Many levees in California are in need of repair, according to experts. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged $500 million to upgrade the state's levee system, but the Army Corps of Engineers -- which is busy in Afghanistan -- is needed to fix most of the levees, an official said. Without repairs, a levee failure in the Sacramento area could hamper the ability of 25 million Californians to secure fresh water, experts noted. Learn more here.;

The latest newsletter from Australia-based Global Synthetics includes a number of interesting articles, such as the debut of Propex's ArmorMax turf reinforcement mats in the Australian market, managing stormwater at the country's largest airport, the use of ACEGrid geogrids for strong earth reinforcement and storm protection in New Zealand, and much more. Download a copy of the newsletter here (PDF).

Encana Oil & Gas USA Inc. has installed its first gas exploration well in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. And to ensure residents that security measures are taken to prevent a blowout (such as experienced in the Gulf of Mexico by a BP oil rig) the company is talking to residents about the design. In addition to fail-safe mechanisms on the well, safety measures include a geosynthetic liner on the well pad, automated controlled to reduce human presence need on site, and a secondary containment layer beneath the diesel tank. The company reports that nearly every system component has two or three containment measures. Learn more here.;

In Cleveland, Tennessee, an expensive drainage ditch and retention pond project that was built during a drought is now suffering erosion strong erosion in non-drought conditions. An unknown water source is entering the pond and turning it into a constant stream. Officials are now debating whether riprap could be used in the ditches. If the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation does not approve the plan, a geosynthetic liner will most likely be needed in the pond to sustain the flow rate. Learn more here.;

The newly created, 160-acre Royal Palm Beach Commons Park in Florida has been constructed on a former golf course. When the tee boxes and greens were excavated, arsenic-contaminated soil had to be stockpiled. Arsenic was part of the herbicides used on the course for many years. Now, the soil is contained on an 18-foot-high mound behind a residential home. A 20-mil liner has been installed for containment. Residents want the arsenic soil moved, but the city says it would be too expensive. Learn more here.;

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that more U.S. coal ash disposal facilities are revealing contaminated water sources, both potable and surface water. Arsenic and other heavy metals have been discovered. The Journal has cited a study conducted by the Sierra Club, Earthjustice and the Environmental Integrity Project. The study reveals 39 polluted sites across 21 states and is available here (PDF). Learn more here.;