Properly treating water, solid waste and mining require not only human efforts. Technology and the advances that science has made in terms of effectiveness have become the perfect combination to obtain the best results.
In the Dominican Republic, people are aware of this and that is why the method known as Flat-Die or Calandreo has just been introduced in the local market. This technology, developed by Atarfil, a leading company in the manufacture of geomembranes, allows the production of geomembranes with the smallest variations in thickness that may exist.
The representatives of the product, through a press document, ensure that it has less impact on the environment, and show it by saying: “A 1.0mm thick Atarfil geomembrane has a permeability equivalent to 10m of well-compacted, good-quality clay. A container of 20 rolls of 1.0mm can protect an area of more than 20,000m2. If we want to do the same with clay, we would be talking that it would require 200,000m3 of material”.
The material highlights that, to transport this clay from the materials bank to the construction site, “we would be talking about more than 28,000 trips. Let’s imagine the carbon footprint and the impact on the sustainability of the project, without counting other impacts on sustainability and the environment such as the effects on roads, populations, etc. “
The representatives explain through the document that geosynthetics, and specifically in this case geomembranes, are products that increase the sustainability of projects by making works faster to execute, with a lower carbon footprint. They are lasting solutions that reduce social and environmental impact.
Here are some questions and answers to better understand the effectiveness of the novelty of the Atarfil group, which, in its 25 years of activity, has developed projects in more than 50 countries. It has three factories and seven commercial offices.
Years of product guarantees?
By European regulations, the product has to declare a 10-year guarantee. Additionally, Atarfil has a policy of Liability Insurance Policy with an international insurance company of recognized prestige that supports the guarantee. This gives the client great confidence when carrying out their projects with Atarfil Geomembranes
We are talking about a 10-year guarantee, but nevertheless the useful life of the product is much longer. In conditions of exposure to UV rays, the useful life is more than 20 years. If the product is not exposed to UV rays, the useful life is even longer. Longer duration, greater sustainability.
Why does it impact the environment less?
A 1.0mm thick Atarfil geomembrane has a permeability equivalent to 10m of well packed good quality clay. A container of 20 rolls of 1.0mm can protect an area of more than 20,000m2. If we want to do the same with clay, we would be talking that it would require 200,000m3 of material. To transport that clay from the materials bank to the construction site, we would be talking about more than 28,000 trips. Let’s imagine the carbon footprint and the impact on the sustainability of the project, without counting other impacts on sustainability and the environment such as the effects on roads, populations, etc.
Geosynthetics and specifically in this case geomembranes are products that increase the sustainability of projects by making the works faster to execute, with a lower carbon footprint; they are lasting solutions that reduce social and environmental impact.
How do you ensure the quality of the product?
Atarfil has an ISO 9000 certified quality control and assurance system. It also has an ISO 14000 certified environmental management system. It has quality approvals from many countries, such as Asqual in France, which is one of the most demanding in the world.
The firm’s laboratory is regularly certified by the GAI-LAP institute in the United States. With this certification we guarantee that the values obtained from the tests to which the material is submitted are made by certified technicians, in calibrated equipment and rigorously following the test methods.
How does a project of this nature impact the carbon footprint?
Speaking of the case of the closure of landfills, the use of geomembranes is a solution that reduces the transport of materials, prevents the emission of methane into the atmosphere and allows the creation of green areas in a lasting and sustainable way.
To install: What are the recommendations and level of complexity?
The installation itself is not complex. It requires having the right equipment, a good installation plan, establishing clear quality control and assurance protocols, and the most important qualified operators. For all this, there are highly developed and proven international regulations that, if adopted in the Dominican Republic, will make the results of the installation work consistent and reliable. We are at your disposal to support your customers in this matter.
