Study Reports Growth In Geosynthetics

WORLD WASTES STAFF

Norwalk, Conn. - The overall market for geosynthetic materials is valued at $786 million in 1993, according to a Business Communi-cations Co. Inc. (BCC), Norwalk, Conn., report.

Geomembranes represent the lar-gest market sector, while geosynthetic clay liners, the smallest industry segment, will experience the fas- test growth. By 2003, the market for geosynthetic materials is expected to reach more than $2 billion, a 10.1 percent average annual growth.

Geomembranes are important as liner materials because of their low permeability to water and other fluids. The technology has developed from the early pond liner technology of the 1950s to high density poly-ethylene (HDPE), very low density polyethylene (VLDPE) and the reinforced chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) membranes currently used in landfills and hazardous waste im-poundments.

As a result of recent regulations, the BCC study forecasts PVC to become a cost-competitive material choice, with increasing sales if im-proved welding techniques become viable.

Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) are often used with other liners in landfills and hazardous waste sites in order to add permeability to the primary geomembrane. Because the landfill and environmental containment industry is struggling to find cost-effective installations, the self-healing characteristics of GCLs are particularly valuable, the report noted. The market for geosynthetic clay liners is expected to grow at 15 percent annually from $30 million in 1993 to $121 million by 2003.

For a copy of the report, "Geosyn-thetics: New Markets in Geotextiles, Geomembranes, Geosynthetic Clay Liners and Geomatrices," contact: Randall K. Wakeford, Business Com-munications Co. Inc., 25 VaZant Street, Norwalk, Conn., 06855. (203) 853-4266.

Agreements Toter Inc., Statesville, N.C., has reached a tentative agreement with The Heil Co., Chattanooga, Tenn., to acquire the assets of Heil Rotomold Inc.

Contracts Chambers Devel-opment Co. Inc., Pittsburgh, has signed a contract with the city of Key West, Fla., to accept ash, residual and by-pass waste from the Montenay in-cinerator. Also, a five-year contract with Reuter Recycling and Composting, Pembroke Pines, Fla., has been extended to include Pompano Beach, Fla.

Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., Cambridge, Mass., has been awarded a contract to provide MSW services for 16 counties and 30 cities in central Texas.

Loans The California In-tegrated Waste Management Board will distribute more than $2 million in loans to six California companies that will manufacture new products from the state's waste.

New Facility KW Plastics, Troy, Ala., has opened KW Plastics Recycling Division.

Pratt Industries, Atlanta, will construct a $75 million recycled liner board manufacturing facility in Conyers and Rock-dale County, Ga.

International Process Sys-tems Inc., a Wheelabrator Technologies Co., Hampton, N.H., has opened a composting facility in Bristol, R.I.

Community Waste Disposal Inc., Dallas, has opened a new material recovery facility.

Silver Creek Materials Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, will build a new commercial composting facility in Tarrant County, Texas.

International Recovery Corp., Miami Springs, Fla., has opened a used oil recycling center in Wilmington, Del.

New Name Zimpro Pas-savant Environmental Systems Inc., Rothschild, Wis., has changed its name to Zimpro Environmental Inc.

The Steel Can Recycling In-stitute, Pittsburgh, has been renamed the Steel Recycling Institute.

New Office ABB Environ-mental Services Inc., a subsidiary of Asea Brown Boveri Inc., Portland, Maine, has o-pened an office in Orange Park, Fla.

Environmental Aspecs Inc., Raleigh, N.C., has opened an office in Harrisburg, Pa.

Miami's Post Buckley Schuh & Jernigan Inc., has moved it's Dade office to a new building.

New Projects The Mid-western Region office of Roy F. Weston Inc., West Chester, Pa., will construct a cap on a landfill near La Crosse, Wis.