On September 21, 2004, Dr.-Ing. Georg Heerten, managing partner of Naue Fasertechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Luebbecke, Germany, was appointed honorary professor by the president of the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) in Aachen, thus paying recognition to his many years of teaching during his lectureship “geosynthetics in geotechnical application” for the chair geotechnics in structural engineering at the faculty for civil engineering at RWTH, Aachen. Professor Heerten’s lectures were directed at teaching young civil engineers about innovative structural methods using geosynthetic materials, e.g. in civil engineering, road construction, hydraulic engineering as well as in environmental protection applications. For more than two years, Dr.-Ing. Georg Heerten has also acted as deputy Chairman for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik e.V. with registered headquarters in Essen. The DGGT e.V. is the technical and scientific contact center for more than 2000 geo-engineers and engineering geologists. The DGGT e.V. has just held its 28th Deutsche Baugrundtagung (subsoil conference) in Leipzig, Germany, with more than 1000 attendees and a special session “Forum for Young Geosynthetic Engineers” chaired by Dr.-Ing. Georg Heerten for around 200 of the up-and-coming generation of young engineers, aged up to 35. It was this part of the conference which, on the one hand, documented the high level of professional knowledge and responsibility in the science and practice of geotechnics among the young civil engineers and, on the other hand, provided incentives and motivation for students. Even in the Ancient World it was said that building meant designing the future and a society which did not, or no longer built, was one doomed to decline. Naue Fasertechnik are committed to supporting young civil engineers and keeping them informed about the application of geosynthetics in geotechnical applications.

Bob Mackey reports on the ISO TC 221 Geosynthetics Meeting in Seoul, South Korea 24-25 June 2004.

Fred P. Rohe will be presenting three technical papers at the First National Congress on Geosynthetics in Lima, Peru, October 27-29, 2004 (go to https://www.geosynthetica.net/calendar.asp?search_key=c412 for more information on the conference). Rohe is the former president of Environmental Protection, Inc. in Mancelona, MI USA. He will be making presentations on the application, installation and testing of PVC geomembranes in specialized applications. His primary presentation is the paper “Geomembrane Installation over Structural Foam Fill – General Motors Renaissance Center Plaza and Promenade”. The use of expanded polystyrene Geofoam for many construction fill applications is growing all over the world. EPI provides geomembranes for protection of Geofoam and numerous projects throughout the United States. The second presentation titled “PVC Geomembrane Liner Placement Underwater in an Operating Irrigation Canal” will detail a case study of using PVC geomembrane liner to eliminate seepage of water from an operating canal. Lining canals has specific interest in the arid areas of Peru. The final presentation is titled “Electrical Leak Location Survey of PVC Lined Oxidation Ponds”. This paper combines the use of the latest in thermal welding and electronic leak location technologies to provide secure PVC geomembrane containments that have zero defects. The case study is based on lining and testing at the Oscoda WWTP. For more information, contact EPI at 9939 US-131 South, Mancelona, MI 49659. Phone 800-OK-LINER or 231-587-9108, or on the web at www.geomembrane.com

U.S.-Based Standards Organizations to use $399,500 Commerce Department Award to Establish Presence in China. Consortium Aims to Identify and Remove Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade. On October 13, 2004,, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that it would make $399,500 available for the establishment of an office in Beijing for China Standards and Conformity Assessment. The CSCA office is an initiative by a four-member consortium: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), The American Petroleum Institute (API), ASTM International, and CSA America. Consortium members have a significant knowledge base and resources for standards and conformity assessment in a broad array of industry sectors including: consumer products, medical devices, manufacturing components, tools, petroleum & gas extraction/processing/distribution, power generation, building materials, boilers, and compressed gas. Through its CSCA office in Beijing, the consortium will form relationships with peer agencies in China, monitor standards development, and promote acceptance of members' standards and conformity assessment systems. Once established and staffed, the CSCA Beijing office will prepare Chinese marketing materials and a website, obtain market and standards information of strategic importance, network with government agencies and standards officials, and conduct training. “The Commerce Department is pleased to partner with ASME, API, ASTM International, and CSA America on this project,” said Ben Wu, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy nominee. “This partnership reflects the Bush Administration’s commitment to opening new markets, growing better American jobs and creating an environment for businesses to innovate, compete and prosper.” The funds awarded to the consortium are made available through the Commerce Department’s Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), a public-private partnership developed to help small and medium-sized U.S. Firms expand exports that support jobs. The MDCP is a competitive program of the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration. The program builds partnerships by providing financial and technical assistance to non-profit organizations involved in improving competitiveness and developing foreign markets. The consortium will match every federal dollar with two dollars of its own. Ben Wu, President Bush’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy, made the announcement this evening at the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day 2004. The event, which culminated with a dinner at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., was attended by representatives of about 50 trade associations, professional societies, standards development organizations, corporations, and government agencies. World Standards Day recognizes the important role standards play in meeting the technical needs of business, government, and consumers. The U.S. event was organized by the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology and the American National Standards Institute, in cooperation with the Aerospace Industries Association. For more information about the Market Development Cooperator Program, please visit the "continued" link below. Learn more here.;

Includes four work items and two new approved standards.

SPE and Brian Walther, New Product Development Specialist of the Dow Chemical Company, offer the on-line presentation Novel Polymer Modifier Improves the Flow Characteristics of TPO Compounds October 21, 2004. Learn more here.;

Swana is offering Bioreactor Landfill E-sessions. Receive an education sitting at your own desk. Learn more here.;

A review of the events, people and papers surrounding the Symposium Honoring the Research Achievements of Dr. Robert M. Koerner on the weekend of September 12 and 13, 2004 .

The EBA (Eisenbahn-Bundesamt), or federal office for railways in Germany, has issued a new guideline Bekanntgabe der Prüfbedingungen für Geokunststoffe in Zulassungsverfahren des Eisenbahn-Bundesamtes (Test Conditions for Geosynthetics in Approval Procedures of the Eisenbahn-Bundesamt) that became effective on 31 May 2003. Naue Fasertechnik (a gsa Underwriter) has since received EBA approvals for seven of their products. Please note that the document at the link below is in German.

Lange Containment Systems Inc. announced that the company has recently celebrated their 10 year anniversary in the geosynthetic membrane business. gsa wishes them success for the next 10!