Special Series

PGI’s west coast short courses were well received and attended by regulatory and industry professionals. The PVC Geomembrane Institute (PGI) offered its popular short course, “Constructing with GCLs and PVC Geomembranes,” on Oct. 26, 2006 in Sacramento, Calif., and Oct. 27, 2006 in Riverside, Calif. Hosted by the California Water Board, the courses were presented by Timothy D. Stark, Sam Allen, John Heap, Stuart Lange, and Chris Athanassopoulos, P.E. “The short courses generated outstanding attendance in both northern and southern California,” said Stark, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. More than 100 professionals from various disciplines within the industry including those involved with the regulation, design, construction, operation and closure of landfills, lagoons, ponds, decorative applications, and corrective action activities at closed sites, attend the course. In addition to obtaining 0.8 CEUs from the University of Illinois, participants gained a broad knowledge of what is required to properly design, specify and construct liner and/or cover systems with GCLs and PVC geomembranes. This course included discussion of the latest information on PVC geomembranes including current research at the University of Illinois, manufacturing, formulation, fabrication, shipping, installation, long-term performance, interface strengths and slope stability, wedge welding, air channel testing of field PVC seams, and updated ASTM testing of PVC geomembranes. The course also presented the latest information GCLs including panel separation, hydraulic equivalence, specifications, testing, and installation. The PGI 1104 Specification and the associated ASTM Specification were discussed for testing and certification of PVC geomembranes in a variety of environmental applications. PGI and its membership, dedicated to advancing the use of PVC geomembranes, aids engineers in specifying PVC for environmental applications. For additional information about future course offerings, visit www.pvcgeomembrane.com or contact Frank Konvalinka, PGI, at +1-217-333-3929.

Onsite Water Treatment is the first magazine to address residential, industrial, agricultural, and institutional water treatment issues with effective, compliant, cost-saving, and easy-to-implement solutions. Learn more here.;

The 22 July 2008 update on standards and work items from ASTM International includes four work items from Committee D35 on Geosynthetics and three standards from Committee D18 on Soil and Rock. Of D35's offerings, two of the items pertain to geomembranes and two to geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs).

The Arizona Department of Transporation (ADOT) is embarking on a first-of-its-kind project in the state: constructing a mountain freeway over a pronounced, eroding fissure in the rock. Geogrids, geotextiles and steel rebar will make the project viable and safe. Read about it in the East Valley Tribune. Learn more here.;

The latest edition of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Membership Directory is online at the society website. Note: while numerous pages at the IGS site are available to all, the membership directory is available only to members. Members must login to the Members Only section of the site. Learn more here.;

Has your product been reviewed by the Highway Innovation Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC)? geosindex.com is adding HITEC review to its geotextile and geogrid specification-ready data tables. Product data is being accepted. For more information, visit the site or contact Elizabeth Peggs. Learn more here.;

Rowad National Plastic Co. Ltd. one of the fastest growing plastic processor in Saudi Arabia, announced today that they have formed a new Joint Venture Co. to manufacture HDPE Geo-Membrane in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The name of the new Joint Venture is "ROWAD INTERNATIONAL GEOSYNTHETICS CO. LTD." The license has been issued by SAGIA as 30% share is with foreign company. Mr. Mohammed Z. Al-Laboon, the General Manager of Rowad N. Plastic Co. said that, the new Joint Venture is part of Rowad's continuing strategy of diversification and growth with distinguished engineering plastic products. With this first Geo-Membrane manufacturing line in Middle East, it will allow to serve better the Geosynthetic needs of potential customer locally and internationally. The Rowad Geo-Membrane will be available in smooth, one side texture and double side texture in various thicknesses (0.5 mm to 2.50 mm) with unique 7.0 meter width in Rolls. The Rowad Geo-Membrane is to be manufactured using first quality, high molecular weight polyethylene specifically formulated to be most resistant to sunlight, chemicals, leachate, toxic wastes and hydrocarbons. Geo-Membrane will meet the growing demand of Saudi market driven by Government and private construction projects in municipal/ sanitary land field, water treatment and mining industry. To know more about the product application and installation of Rowad Geo-Membrane kindly visit the web-site (www.rowadgeo.com). Rowad International Geosynthetic Co. Ltd. will commission the first 10,000 TPA plant by second quarter of 2007, as the construction of factory is already ongoing on its new plot in Dammam 2nd industrial area. On the other side, we are already in touch with several major installation companies in the Middle East and Africa says Ashraf A. Shah, Manager Sales & Marketing. We also signed off-take agreement with JV partners, WASEW Technologies and Golden Trade for lifting 50% capacity for necessary supply to their ongoing overseas projects. Rest of the capacity will be for a growing local and GCC Countries which till today remained as an import market. Mr. Laboon further stated that with this new JV, ROWAD will take a quantum leap in its overall annual sales, and continue to maintain its leadership position in the plastic sheet business, along with a strong position in injection molding and industrial plastic waste recycling protecting Saudi and regional environment.

geosIndex.com is a freely available, interactive geosynthetics material index brought to you by geosynthetica.net. The site, created by requests of geosynthetica's 300,000 annual visitors, is fully functional. We are adding data rapidly. For companies interested in having your products listed, please contact Elizabeth Peggs by email or phone. Learn more here.;

URBANA, ILLINOIS --  The PVC Geomembrane Institute – Technology Program (PGI-TP) at the University of Illinois is offering a PVC Geomembrane Technical CD-ROM for distribution.  This CD contains a wealth of PVC geomembrane information to include past PGI Technical Bulletins, Quality Control Manual, Fabrication and Installation Document, 1197 Specification for PVC Geomembranes, and technical papers written by industry professionals. To receive your complimentary CD, please contact the PGI-TP at  (217) 333-3929 voice, (217) 244-2839 fax, or e-mail pgi-tp@uiuc.edu. This CD can also be downloaded from the PGI website at http://pgi-tp.ce.uiuc.edu using Adobe Acrobat Reader. The PGI-TP is dedicated to conducting research and educating engineers and specifies about the properties and uses of PVC geomembranes.  The PGI-TP conducts ongoing research in order to further the knowledge base of PVC geomembranes.

Gundle/SLT Environmental, Inc. (GSE), will release its first quarter 2006 financial and operating results on Tuesday, May 2, 2006. The company will host a conference call May 4, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. (ET). This call will discuss results of operations for the first three months of 2006 and answer questions from participants. Learn more here.;

Oil giant Shell and German chemicals firm BASF will put their Basell petrochemicals joint venture up for sale later this month with a price tag of up to 6 billion euros ($7.2 billion), the Financial Times reported on its website on Thursday. Investment banks Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) and Lazard are preparing an offer memorandum for Basell that will go out to interested parties later this month, the report said. The banks are understood to have received preliminary approaches from both trade and financial buyers, the FT added. Last week, BASF said it would make a decision on Basell in the first half of 2005. Both BASF and Shell have said that options include selling their stakes or an initial public offering. Basell had sales of 6 billion euros and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of more than 300 million euros last year. A Shell spokesman in London declined to comment on the timing of any sale or on the value of Basell. - Yahoo Finance UK/Ireland. Learn more here.;

"I have always been an advocate of geosynthetica.net and the value that it delivers to its underwriters and readers alike." - Alicia Centeno, TenCate.

The November 2007 issue of the IGS News is currently available online. Read about the change in the IGS News Editorship (thank you Karina McInnis, welcome Gerhard Bräu!), calls for the IGS Awards, Council candidates and the 10th ICG candidate city, as well as meeting minutes, chapter reports and conference synopses. Learn more here.;

Stephen Wilk, Colin Basye, Dingqing Li, and Brad Kerchoff write on some roles for geosynthetics in railroad applications, such as for ballast pockets and flooded cuts. A version of...

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) is pleased to offer "Constructing with Fabricated Geomembranes - Flexibility and Superior Performance," its popular short course, on 15 October 2010 in Denver, Colorado. This course is ideal for those involved with the design, construction, operation and closure of landfills, lagoons, secondary containment, ponds, decorative applications, and corrective action activities at closed sites are encouraged to attend this course. Participants will gain a broad knowledge of what is required to properly design, specify and construct fabricated geomembranes.

SABIC has taken over the petrochemical activities of DSM: with effect from 1st January 2002. From the 1st October, 2002, the company name will be SABIC Polyolefine GmbH. The new company takes over all responsibilities of the DSM Polyolefine GmbH. Address and telephone extensions remain unchanged.

High-Energy Treatment of Tubing & Molded Parts - E-Beam Services reports that plastic tubing and molded parts processed by means of the company's high-energy electron-beam process can replace more expensive engineered products in automotive under-the-hood applications. Such parts are said to exhibit outstanding performance and durability, as well as temperature and chemical resistance.E-Beam's high-energy process permanently alters the polymeric matrix by converting the material to a crosslinked polyethylene (PE) or PEX, the company explains. Utilizing electron beam technology, the process does not change product formulation or processing, E-Beam notes-unlike many thermochemical processing methods, electron beam crosslinking is performed on the fully formed component or product. Automotive design engineers can used this crosslinking process on HDPE tubing and molded parts to provide in-service temperatures as high as 120C, E-Beam says, noting that, in comparison untreated HDPE tubing normally withstands in-service temperatures of approx. 60C. In addition to improving performance temperatures, the process is also said to increase thermal stability under load. When tested at 80C, PEX tubing performs at 870 psi, while untreated HDPE tubing fails at 670 psi, according to E-Beam Services. Enhancements are also said to include increased tensile strength; increased impact resistance; improved resistance to slow crack growth and environmental stress crack; reduced rapid crack propagation; and improved resistance to oils, petroleum and solvents.

The latest episode from Land and Water's Erosion and Sediment Control Network (ESCN.tv) is available. This week's broadcast seems to have been brought about through a rain dance, as you'll find stories on stormwater runoff management videos, Rain for Rent's award, raindrop protection, Ecorain, and more. Watch it online today. Learn more here.;

Minnesota's Chapter 7020 rule is compelling more feedlots to control pollution and runoff. This means more lined ponds by 2010, when the rule goes into full effect. Counties such as Fillmore still have up to 300 farms in need of compliance. Agri News has the story and an example of one farm with a clay and geomembrane double-liner system. Learn more here.;

MARC has affirmed the ratings of geosynthetic manufacturer Emas Kiara Industries Bhd's (EKIB) RM80 million Partially Underwritten Murabahah Notes Issuance Facility/Islamic Medium Term Notes Issuance Facility (MUNIF/IMTN) at MARC-2ID/ AID. The rating outlook is revised to stable from developing. Since MARC's review at end-August 2009, the rating agency's concerns over the execution and collection risks attached to EKIB's first foreign contract to install geodykes along the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India have eased with the substantial completion on work under the contract and collection of 73.44% of billed receivables as of mid-August 2010.

Propex Inc. will announce its 2006 year-end results on April 2 and hold a conference call on the matter April 11. The company is a leading manufacturer and marketer geosynthetics and is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. For more information, read the release. Learn more here.;

The Port Clements landfill near Queen Charlotte, British Columbia, Canada is to be capped with a geomembrane earlier than expected due to some concerns over leachate generation and unexpected flow in one of the landfill's water courses. Read more about this site. Learn more here.;

The International Association of Geosynthetic Installers (IAGI) has announced that three more companies have achieved the status of Approved Installation Contractor (AIC). They are: American Environmental Group Ltd., Atlantic Poly Liners Inc., and Layfield Environmental Systems Ltd. The AIC Program's requirements involve not just proven field experience but independent, third-party auditing of the business.

A new web site has been launched by J. Kenneth Kearney called e-JKK. The site, which features geotextile in agricultural applications, is only one week old and it's debut was announced at the IDEA 04 show in Miami, FL this past week. Learn more here.;

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.;