Geosynthetics featured during U.S. House hearing

July 23, 2010 | Ron Bygness and Andrew Aho

Editor’s Note: July 22, a hearing was conducted by the U.S. House of Representatives Rural Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade Subcommittee of the House Small Business Committee titled "Coal Combustion Byproducts: Potential Impact of a Hazardous Waste Designation on Small Businesses in the Recycling Industry."

During this hearing, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) issued the following statement and question.

"Geosynthetics are a class of products that provide solutions for the safe storage of Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs) until the CCRs can be reused.

"Geosynthetic materials include liners such as geomembranes and geosynthetic clay liners, structural reinforcement using geotextiles and geogrids, and drainage applications using geocomposite drains. "Concerns of safety regarding CCRs are mitigated if the landfill storage sites are lined and the leachate is prevented from entering the environment.

"Safety concerns of surface impoundments are also mitigated if the impoundments are lined with geomembranes or geosynthetic clay liners. The structural integrity of impoundment levees and walls are greatly increased using geotextile and geogrid reinforcement. "Geocomposite drainage systems draw the water out of the CCR slurry in the surface impoundment, rendering the material into a more solid, stable state.

"Applying these geosynthetic solutions to the storage of CCRs keeps them in a secure safe state until the CCRs can be recycled in the production of cement and wallboard or as structural fill and road base applications.

"Since it appears the future of the CCR beneficial use industry and the livelihoods of those employed in the industry is predicated on the safe, secure handling and storage of CCRs, and that since the geosynthetics solutions outlined above provide for the safe secure storage of CCRs, do you support mandating of the use of these geosynthetics systems by Congress and/or the EPA in regards to CCR containment?"

Rep. Thompson's question was posed to EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator Lisa Feldt, who was a witness at the hearing. She responded positively regarding geosynthetic materials, saying that geosynthetic liners are valuable and will be implemented in the new coal-ash disposal rules.

Ron Bygness is the editor of Geosynthetics magazine. Andrew Aho is the managing director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA).

Comments

There are not yet any comments.
You can submit a comment using the form below.