Containment

The Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA) is planning its 2010 Annual Erosion Control and Stormwater Management Conference and Trade Show. The event will be held 11-12 March 2010 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Organizers seek presentations of two types: local projects completed for stormwater management or erosion and sediment control; new innovative products for stormwater management or erosion and sediment control. Abstracts and titles are due by 31 July 2009 to meca@mnerosion.org.

Prof. Krishnan Balan (Civil Engineering at College of Engineering, Trivandrum, India) reports that they are organizing a short course on Geosynthetic Applications Case Histories. This event will be held 6-8 December 2011 for the Departmental Engineers of India's Kerala State. An exhibition is being planned and interested manufacturers will have the opportunity to present case histories of their products in use and design procedures. Learn more here.;

There are two big events named RemTech, one in Canada and one in Italy. The Italy-based RemTech 2011 brings together 2500 professionals from multiple engineering and construction disciplines to exchange knowledge on remediation technologies. These discussions include the utilization of geosynthetics, such as in brownfields. Former IGS President Dr. Ing. Daniele Cazzuffi is serving as a coordinator on the scientific and advisory committees for this year's event. Download a brochure to this 28-30 September 2011 event (PDF).

Quick upon its announcement of a new Board-appointed Secretary and the addition of an outside management company’s services, IGS North America has issued the call for its next board....

The cost of reducing pollution in the waters around Seattle will top $500 million over the next 15 years, local officials say. About 15 major construction projects will be needed to prevent storm water from entering the municipal system and to increase treatment-plant capacity, which officials say will be necessary to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Learn more here.;

The inaugural Carbon Management Conference conference from the Society of Petroleum Engineers will focus on engineering solutions to climate change, carbon management in construction and operations, and much more. Drawing professionals from all engineering disciplines, the event will be held 7-9 February 2012 in Orlando, Florida. Perspectives will be presented on greenhouse gas reduction, case studies, life cycle assessment, applicable technologies, and much more. Register by January 16 for the best rates. Learn more here.;

A link to the Wall Street Journal article referenced in the geosynthetica news item "Animal Waste Debate" from 24 September 2008. Learn more here.;

New Caney, TX - Aqua-Flex is the newest product entry into the water feature and backyard pond markets. Developed by the research teams at Raven Industries and Colorado Lining International, Aqua-Flex is a...

By Robert Koerner - Having closed out the four-part webinar series on MSE Walls, the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) will continue with its regularly scheduled GSI Webinars here in October....

Canada needs a plan to ensure the nation doesn't get left behind in the global race to a clean-energy future. That's what a broad selection of more than 150 companies, organizations, and academics told Tides Canada in endorsing the foundation's A New Energy Vision for Canada. The document outlines a vision of a highly energy efficient nation that has largely moved to clean energy sources by about 2050. It also suggests key elements of a national energy strategy that would deliver such a future.

IGS North America’s webinar series has become a strong draw for the field. The International Geosynthetics Society chapter’s next offering lands April 24, when Abigail Gilson, M.S., P.E. delivers...

In March, North American Green is offering numerous sessions in various cities of its technical seminar for engineers "Designing with High-Performance (Hydraulic and Rolled) Erosion Control Products." Attendees can earn up to 3.0 Professional Development Hours (PDH) credits while receiving valuable information about specificy and using these materials immediately. Also, registration is FREE. Additionally, all attendees will receive a free, 2-gig USB flash drive, pre-loaded with helpful design and specification data. Read more about the course and learn about dates and cities in which it will be offered. Learn more here.;

By Bruno Pedroni and Chris Kelsey – On June 9, a two-day workshop on Geomembrane Installation Quality convened in São Paulo, Brazil. Organized and promoted by Geosynthetica and its...

Nearly 20 years ago, the GeoAsia  conference series kicked off with an International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) conference in Bangalore. The event was hosted by IGS India, which celebrated...

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.;

Mother Earth News is encouraging the use of EPDM geomembrane liners for backyard ponds. A current article describes the basic steps one needs to take to create a water-saving and wildlife-encouraging pond. EPDM liners from manufacturers such as Firestone are applied not just on small-scale home use but larger scale use by industry, golf courses, fish hatcheries and other environments. Learn more here.;

Low & Bonar PLC, an international performance materials group, has announced the acquisition of Xeroflor International GmbH ("Xeroflor"). Low & Bonar's company Colbond is heavily involved in various aspects of green roofs, and Xeroflor's pre-vegetated mat technology offers a strong complement to Colbond's business. High profile examples of Xeroflor roofs are at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Canada, the Ford Motor Company's truck assembly plant in Michigan, the Aldi logistics centre in St. Augustin, Germany and the Kastrup power plant in Denmark.

A global push is on to certify aquaculture operations. The group that appears to be leading the drive is the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). By June 2011, an independent body co-founded by the WWF - the Aquaculture Stewardship Council - will be fully set up to do certifications, the organization reports. It's thought that by 2040-50, the aquaculture industry will have to increase production 50 per cent from current levels to meet demand. Learn more here.;

You may be seeing a lot of familiar material returning from the Environment Agency of the United Kingdom online. A new website for www.uk.gov has started reissuing reports as it replenishes...

On August 4 and 5, CETCO will host webinars on "Understanding and Monitoring Polymer Amended Bentonite in Geosynthetic Clay Liners for Use in Coal Ash Impoundments and Caustic Leachate...

By International Lining Technology - Whether on a golf course, winery, or mining site, proper pond liner preparation and management could save companies millions in damages. Installation of geosynthetic liners...

SpectraPave Software is an interactive design/analysis tool that incorporates the state-of-practice design methodologies for both flexible pavements and unpaved roads. The program features both design and cost analysis tools for evaluating and quantifying the benefits of Tensar® TriAx (TX) Geogrid for unpaved applications such as haul roads and working surfaces. SpectraPave4 Software, released in February 2010, incorporates the unpaved haul road design methodology developed by Dr. J.P. Giroud and Dr. Jie Han and has been calibrated and validated for the new TriAx Geogrid product. Learn more and download a copy. Learn more here.;

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of rock in order to free trapped natural gas is an environmentally intensive operation. It has brought about enormous controversy, but the gas deposits trapped thousands of feet below large tracts of American land have been an irresistable energy resource. A lawsuit from West Virginia is typical of the situation. In it, land owners have charged that Chesapeake Appalachia permanently damaged their land when a fracking wastewater pit liner was ruptured. They contend the torn liner was buried on site without repair and continues to leak onto their property. Learn more here.;

Since 1986, Biobarrier® has been the product of choice for re-directing tree and shrub roots from walls, sidewalks, foundations and landscapes. Biobarrier Root Control System is placed in a trench between roots and the area to be protected and is guaranteed for 15 years. “ When we introduced Biobarrier, it was a different kind of product for the market,” said Jerry Dunaway, Biobarrier sales manager. “It still is unlike anything else. We think it is also the most effective and cost-efficient method of inhibiting root growth. For example, it generally costs about $900 to replace 15 linear feet of 4-foot-wide sidewalk. Using Biobarrier along that same stretch of sidewalk costs less than $50.”

Approximately 50 km southeast of Melbourne you'll find the Brookland Greens, a developing area in which residents now fear for gas explosions from the landfill. The waste facility approved as recently as 1996 but side liners were not required. As such, gas has migrated laterally, and lacking proper venting controls, the site has become quite dangerous. Making matters worse, a Victorian council approved home construction as close as 200 meters from the active landfill zone--ignoring the previous rule that no homes be constructed within 500 meters of both active and inactive, capped waste cells. Learn more here.;