Thinking of ways on how to avoid further damage to the environment? We can say conserve water, plant more trees, reduce, reuse and recycle techniques, protect the rivers, do not use plastics, and so many other options. They are all accepted and definitely brilliant ideas. These are things that even a young kid could accomplish and true enough, if all of us will have this concerted effort it can make a big impact and probably could create a positive change.
Protecting the environment is everyone’s concern and even big companies have their own share in this endeavor. Thanks to continued research and development. For more than thirty years, people have used a baseliner to protect landfills, to secure toxic wastes ponds, to protect the soil and avoid chemical spills in the mining industry, and in the enhancement of dikes and repairs of concrete linings. Geomembrane is no longer new when we talk about engineering. It has been used in mining since the 1970s and its extensive popularity can be considered an earth saver.
The goal of using geomembrane whether as liner- composite or base, in impoundments, as a barrier, or as an overlay is to achieve zero leaks. In as much as we wanted a hundred percent success on this, leaks can occur because of punctures due to overload or pressure applied to it, the effect of temperature and high seismic zones as in earthquake-prone areas.
There are many ways to detect leaks and one is the electrical leak detection survey that has been in the market for over thirty years. The US had prevailed and became very active in presenting this method in many conferences, presentations, and workshops. US and EU have come out with their standards of leak detection systems and continue to promote their services to the rest of the world. Whatever method is adopted in a geomembrane integrity survey it is definitely the owner who will get all its benefits and the earth as well.
Nowadays,waterless testing seems to be the new trend. Aside from being cost-effective, its accuracy in reporting even the minutest damage to the liner is perfect. Some machines can be lightweight and give a vibrant sound whenever a leak is detected. Some come almost like a small tool but is performing an impeccable part in huge projects like waste management, sewage treatment, securing clean and potable water reservoir, and mining. Waterless testing can easily determine the integrity of the geomembrane in a shorter span of time making quality control an effortless task.
Waterless testing results can be an integral part of succeeding studies that will improve its technology. To face the challenges the earth might confront in the future, innovative techniques and best systems should be made available upfront. These could save not only the earth but also our lives.