LANDFILL TECHNOLOGY

by Chuck Fleishman
Bonding synthetic turf
to the EDPM reduces
its exposure to UV.

Synthetic Grass Geomembrane Composite

An advanced landfill capping solution from LiteEarth

hen a landfill reaches its final grade, an intermediate or

permanent closure system is installed to isolate the waste
from the environment. Many factors must be considered
when designing a closure method: gas production and containment,
erosion concerns, slope stability, differential settlement of waste, water
runoff, installation and maintenance costs, the surrounding community,
and many more environmental and logistical implications.
For final closure of a landfill, soil caps have traditionally demonstrated some vulnerability to interface issues, erosion and weather-related
events that can lead to failure (plus substantial maintenance requirements).
These limitations and older technology, among other considerations,
prompted the development of LiteEarth. The innovative new capping
system is an exposed synthetic grass-geomembrane liner engineered to
address the technical, environmental and logistical challenges that face
the waste management industry, particularly in the areas of long interim
and final closure.
In addition to municipal solid waste, LiteEarth is also suitable for

coal ash deposits, soil erosion control, surface mining locations, and
more.
The LiteEarth system consists of four major components. The first
is the ethylene polymer diene monomer (EPDM) geomembrane liner

The synthetic grass is adhered to a woven carrier geotextile, which is then factory bonded to the 45 mil EPDM liner with an industrial grade adhesive.

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LANDFILL TECHNOLOGY

the barrier component of the product which has been used successfully worldwide as an environmental barrier liner for more than 40
years. EPDM is impermeable and highly resistant to weathering.
The second component is synthetic grass is manufactured in an ISO
9001 quality control facility a that uses a woven primary backing for
added stability, multi-axial tensile strength, and enhanced tear and puncture resistance properties.
Next is a high-performance butyl adhesive splice is used for seaming, which offers strong peel, shear and temperature performance.
Lastly, one of several anchoring methods includes trenchless earth anchors that are quick and easy to install and tested to withstand category
IV hurricane winds.
Putting it all together, the synthetic grass is adhered to a woven carrier geotextile, which is then factory bonded to the 45 mil EPDM liner
with an industrial grade adhesive for permanent welding of the components. The result is a lightweight, impermeable, single composite that
provides a cost-effective, durable, aesthetically-pleasing and environmentally-friendly solution for long-term landfill closure.

Installation
LiteEarth is easy and efficient to install, eliminating repeat site visits to
apply layers of capping materials and the associated labor. The composite is delivered to a job site in pre-manufactured size and length specifications, 15 feet wide by up to 300 feet long rolls, and installed over a
prepared subgrade, drainage geocomposite or a cushion geotextile.
The product is seamed using a high-performance butyl adhesive
splice, offering an easy seam and go process. Unlike the fusion welding of thermoplastics, the splicing method is performed without the need
for generators and welding equipment. A thin coat of primer is applied
to two overlapping panels, before a 7-inch wide butyl adhesive strip
is placed between the primed surfaces. The two are then joined under
slight pressure, creating a strong and durable seam that is impermeable
to both water and air. This method of seaming has a 30-year track record
of success for EPDM.
Each of the components as well as the system of LiteEarth have been
tested. For landfills that may go through a significant amount of settlement, the flexibility and durability of the cover material is an important
property. EPDM has been tested to perform under extreme temperatures
and weather conditions, and offers greater puncture resistance, better
linear dimensional performance and better multi-axial elongation than
LLDPE, which has been used in alternative capping methods. Further,
bonding synthetic turf to the EDPM reduces its exposure to UV, extending
its lifetime performance well beyond exposed EPDM covers.
Chuck Fleishman is Director of LiteEarth in Austin, Texas. contact
Chuck at cfleishman@liteearth.com

22 www.solidwastemag.com June/July 2014

BENEFITS
Carbon Footprint: Reduced carbon footprint compared
to traditional landfill covers.
Erosion Control: No infill and no soil design prevent
erosion and other issues associated with traditional
closures.
Clean Water Runoff: Generates clean and predictable
water runoff, helping to curb water pollution.
Operational Flexibility: When differential settling occurs, LiteEarth can easily be repaired to accommodate
earth shifts. Since this surface system is simple and
visible, additional waste can be added and the system
seamed with no impact to the overall integrity or initial
environmental protection.
Performance Benefits: Wrinkle resistant due to better
thermal stability, and addresses issues of soil erosion,
lack of vegetation growth, slope failure, hippos and gas
release.
Economical: Offers significant cost savings over 50+
years versus traditional Subtitle D, while also providing
airspace benefits at full elevation and side slopes.
Simple in Design: Monolithic liner replaces multiple
layers that minimizes on-site construction and installation issues.