MONCKS CORNER, SOUTH CAROLINA – June 16, 2014. Berkeley County Water and Sanitation recently announced the completion of a 10-acre partial cap at its landfill site in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The site is the first application in the state to use ClosureTurf™, an EPA Subtitle D compliant landfill closure system specifically designed to eliminate soil erosion, reduce post closure maintenance costs, increase slope integrity and enhance landfill gas (LFG) management. By implementing the ClosureTurf™ system across the 10-acre area, Berkeley County will save approximately $720,000 over a 30-year period in future maintenance costs while reducing the environmental impact and improving safety and performance.
Officials at the landfill had to address significant challenges: The previous landfill operator had built the waste too far out to the edge, leaving little room to place a two-foot thick traditional soil capping system that would require extensive waste removal. The landfill is also located in an earthquake zone and an area susceptible to hurricanes and high rainfall events. In the event of seismic activity or significant rainfall, the soil used in a traditional capping system would present a significant slide hazard.
ClosureTurf™ is an innovative three-component system comprised of an impermeable geomembrane layer underneath for drainage and friction, a high-strength polyethylene engineered synthetic turf on the surface for durability and aesthetics, and sand infill for longevity and protection from vehicular traffic. Once installed, a landfill is converted from a mountain of unsightly trash to one that is much more aesthetically pleasing.
“We’re proud to say we’re the first in South Carolina to use this alternate method of landfill capping,” said Mark Schlievert, Director of Solid Waste, Berkeley County Water and Sanitation. “By using ClosureTurf™, we saved an initial cost of $50,000 and estimate additional savings of $24,000 a year (over the 10-acre area) during the site’s 30-year maintenance period. In addition, we significantly reduce water contamination, dust, and heavy equipment noise and pollution from ongoing maintenance.”
To gain approval to implement ClosureTurf™, which is considered an alternative landfill capping system, Berkeley County landfill officials worked closely with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The 10-acre partial capping project was completed within nine months.
About ClosureTurf™
ClosureTurf™ is an innovative and economical final cover system designed for waste containment which eliminates soil erosion, increases slope integrity, enhances gas collection, and lowers maintenance costs. ClosureTurf™ was developed by Watershed Geosynthetics LLC and is sold exclusively by Agru America, Inc. First installed in 2009, this innovative technology has continued to gain more acceptance in the waste industry as an increasing number of owners, agencies and engineers have approved its use in multiple states over the past five years.
About Agru America, Inc.
Since 1988, Georgetown, SC-based Agru America, Inc. has been the world’s leading manufacturer of flat die extrusion geomembranes, geonets, geocomposites, geotextiles, geo clay liners, concrete protective liners and fittings. Agru America also supplies vertical barrier systems and piping systems for the U.S. and international civil/environmental markets. The company’s state-of-the-art products include Agru Smooth Liner® / Micro Spike® (structured textured products), Super Gripnet®, and Drain Liner® in both LLDPE and HDPE. Agru America is part of Alois Gruber GmbH, an Austrian family-owned business since 1948 with production facilities in Austria, the U.S., Germany, China and India, and distribution in over 80 countries worldwide. The company’s website can be found at www.agruamerica.com.
