LiteEarth Offers a Wrinkle Free Closure

System
While polyethylene are prone to wrinkles and waves, the flexible LiteEarth
synthetic grass and EPDM composite remains in a wrinkle free state.
When closing landfills and other earth capping projects, waves and wrinkles in the
material can lead to long-term structural and environmental damage. Due to its low
coefficient of thermal expansion, as well as its unique components, LiteEarth will
remain in a wrinkle free state when used in interim or long-term closure applications.
Expansion and contraction with LiteEarth will be much smaller than polyethylene,
said Dhani Narejo, P.E., Ph.D., President of Narejo, Inc. We have determined that
the high mass of the material, when combined with synthetic grass and a low
coefficient of thermal expansion, makes it possible for LiteEarth to remain wrinkle
free.

LiteEarth is the latest product to enter the landfill closure market, and consists of an
EPDM geomembrane factory bonded to synthetic grass using an industrial grade
adhesive. Testing has confirmed that LiteEarth is a robust material with a much
greater thickness and mass than polyethylene geomembranes and drainage
geocomposites alone, which lends an intrinsic resistance of the material to waves,
wrinkles and damage.
According to the Geosynthetics Institute GSI White Paper #27, co-authored by Dr.
Robert Koerner and Dr. George Koerner, wrinkles and waves in a geomembrane can
result from expansion and contraction when exposed to temperature change, and are
primarily related to the type of material as well as its stiffness and thickness. Due to its

higher coefficient of thermal expansion, polyethylene geomembranes such as HDPE

and LLDPE are prone to wrinkling and waves.
Waves and wrinkles on the surface of landfill closure can be troublesome for several
reasons. As wrinkles develop and fold over each other, pressure can cause cracking of
the surface, leading to water or methane gas leakage through the geomembrane.
Uneven stresses by the waves can also cause distortion and structural damage to the
underlying clay liner, and lead to possible shortened lifespan of the cover. Further,
wrinkles and waves on down slopes often pool with water, making any repairs
particularly difficult.
The GSI White Paper #27 states that, In the end, a no wave strategy will result in a
greatly improved environmentally safe and secure liner system.

The LiteEarth system is applicable for long-term closure of Municipal Solid Waste
(MSW), Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) and other Monofils and Mining, and
exceeds the infiltration and erosion requirements for a Final Cover as specified in
RCRA Subtitle D. Further, when placed under high temperatures, LiteEarth has
shown excellent linear dimensional performance, tensile strength, elongation and tear
resistance, and has a temperature range of -49F to 241F.
For more information on the turf closure system LiteEarth, please visit
http://www.LiteEarth.com.
About LiteEarth
LiteEarth is an advanced, engineered and fully-tested earth capping system that
exceeds the infiltration and erosion requirements for a Final Cover as specified in

RCRA Subtitle D. The patent-pending turf closure system permanently combines

synthetic turf and EPDM geomembrane into a long-lasting composite using an
industrial grade adhesive. The result is an efficient, economical and environmentallyresponsible solution with very low installation and life cycle costs. The system has
been fully tested according to ASTM and regulatory standards. LiteEarth synthetic
turf is manufactured by industry leader Act Global.