Geosynthetics are playing an increasing role in a wide range of environmental applications.

Increasing environmental concerns regarding the protection of our ground waters, atmosphere, waterways and oceans have led to a massive awareness of the versatility of the available range of geosynthetic types that can provide secure long term mitigation of harmful human and natural activities.

Landfills

Geosynthetic Product Applications in LandfillsLandfills are disposal facilities for waste. There are many types of waste:

• Domestic and municipal solid waste

• Industrial waste

• Contaminated materials

• Hazardous waste

The objective of a landfill facility is to contain the waste in a manner that is protective to human health and to the environment.

Landfills perform by controlling and managing the movement of fluids (i.e. liquids and gasses) around, into and out of the contained waste volume.

Geosynthetics serve two purposes in this application:

1. Base barrier system functions:

• To minimise the escape of leachate into the foundation

• To prevent contamination of groundwater

2. Cap barrier system functions:

• To control moisture filtration into the waste

• To collect gas flows from the waste

• To prevent odours, and sources of disease

• To meet erosion, aesthetic and other functional criteria

Acting as liquid and gas barriers, geomembranes have become a fundamental component in civil engineering, due to the heightened need for groundwater and environmental protection. High density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes, specifically those with a certification by government regulators and thickness' of more than 1.5 mm, are most commonly used. Global Synthetics offer a full range of HDPE geomembranes made to the highest quality using virgin polymer. These can be provided in both a smooth and coated texture.

Geomembrane structures, coated materials as well as related construction elements must often be protected from potential mechanical damage. Without suitable protection, damage may occur from sharp-edged objects such as stones, from the unevenness of the subsoil or even by the cover material. Mechanically bonded needle-punched nonwovens as well as composite materials manufactured from polypropylene (PP) are commonly used for protection layers. Global Synthetics offer highly protective cushion geotextiles with mass in excess of 3000g/m2 when high levels of protection are required.

In many situations, the use of the geosynthetic clay liner can be used to replace the importation of natural sealing clays at a saving to the landfill owner and to the environment. The Naue geosynthetic clay liner can additionally be coated with a polyethylene to give greater levels of safety in containment and also reduce desiccation issues, root penetration issues and extend the soil type usage against possible ion exchange issues that may be an issue with conventional geosynthetic clay liners.

Drainage materials are required for the surface collection of precipitation, the subsurface collection and diversion of groundwater, as well as the general collection of fluids (including gases) and their discharge into a drainage system (or gas collection system).

The use of a geonet or Transnet geocomposite is effective as a drainage system.

Complete geosynthetic solutions from Global Synthetics are available to protect the groundwater and environment from the potential contamination of pollutants. The full range of products are durable and ensure a long service life. Compared to conventional construction methods, they are also typically more economical, consume less space, save resources, and reduce installation costs.

Erosion Protection

Wind and waterborne erosion of land, waterways and coast lines is an increasing challenge around the world. For temporary protection of disturbed land during construction activities until native grasses can be re-established Global Synthetics is able to offer a wide range of natural jute and coir products. Many erosion problems exceed the hydraulic limits established for grass cover and require the use of more hard armour solutions that may have traditionally been rock or concrete. Global Synthetics is able high performance turf reinforcement geosynthetic products.

In some situations, for applications of long durations of flow and to prevent scour and erosion and undermining of structures a rock filled mattress.

For containment and management of site erosion issues Huaxiang are able to offer a silt fence and various other simple site management products including bale bags and silt socks. These products are marketed under the brand name.

Coastal applications may require the use of Sand Containers or Geotextile. These products are very effective sand filled and on site constructed products that protect our fragile coastal shorelines from the apparent increasingly frequent wave attack.

Management of Sludge and Wastewater

Dewatering Geotextile Tubes are an effective way of removing sludge from a range of civil, environmental and industrial processes. The use of such products provides a very innovative, efficient and economical alternative to the dewatering of sludge over more traditional methods and allows the transportation of a more manageable material to landfill if required or as may be the case in certain waste streams using the collected sediment for a beneficial use such as a soil enrichment product.