ClosureTurf | Watershed Geo

A fast and easy to install, three component system designed to create an aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective landfill closure solution.

With over 2,500 acres and 80 projects in place, the ClosureTurf engineered synthetic turf and structured membrane composite final cover system is quickly becoming the new standard for final landfill covers all across the country.

What is Closureturf®?

As a response to numerous failures and poor performance of environmental closures at landfills, engineers have studied new approaches to establish a more physically stable and environmentally sound solution. Traditional landfills require large amounts of soil throughout their lifespan and are often lacking adequate soil to complete closure construction. Many of these landfills experience on-going erosion and sedimentation issues. Traditional covers are highly reliant on trucking soils, heavy civil construction, on-going maintenance and repairs in order to maintain their integrity. Introducing ClosureTurf®, an EPA, Subtitle D Compliant landfill closure solution that is specifically designed to address and solve soil erosion, slope integrity, gas emission, installation and maintenance cost control, EPA regulation compliance, and longevity of structure and appearance.

ClosureTurf is a patented, three component system comprised of a structured geomembrane, an engineered turf, and a specialized sand infill. The foundation of the system is an impermeable, highly transmissive structured geomembrane. It provides for the highest interface friction values available in the market. The engineered turf component gives the system its natural look and feel of grass while protecting the geomembrane from extreme weather conditions for the long term. The specialized sand infill component is placed between the blades of the engineered turf and allows the system to be trafficked while also providing additional protection from weathering. When required, ClosureTurf’s patented surficial gas system is included with the system to vent landfill gas emissions. ClosureTurf is fast and easy to install for an aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective landfill closure solution.

ClosureTurf® Features:

Types of Applications

ClosureTurf is used as a final closure for multiple types of applications–MSW Solid Waste Landfills, Utility & Industrial CCR Impoundments & Landfills, Industrial By-Products and Phosphates & Mining

Protects against erosion

ClosureTurf eliminates 99.9% of sediment runoff versus traditional practices. It also eliminates thick soil profiles over the geosynthetics to provide greater stability on steeper grades and reduces slope rebuilding.

Long Life

The three durable, high-strength system components ensure a long-life of protection against operational and natural forces while maintaining an excellent appearance with greatly reduced maintenance.

Rapid Capping

ClosureTurf allows for faster capping during the operational life of the landfill. Faster capping reduces odors, improves gas collection efficiency and enhances compliance with Title V air quality rules.

Soil Cover Savings

ClosureTurf eliminates the need for high maintenance vegetative soil covers and increases weather resistance. Since final cover soils are challenging to locate and expensive to place in the final stages of the landfill’s lifespan, the resulting savings can be significant.

Steeper Waste Slopes

Since soil stability problems either through earthquake or gas pressure buildup is reduced, steeper waste slopes can be used.

Weather Resistant

The components of the ClosureTurf system work in conjunction to seal the waste mass from the destructive forces of high rainfall intensities and hurricane force winds.

Eliminates Cap Infiltration

Since surface water is not restricted by the hydraulic conductivity of a vegetative cover drainage system, and can no longer infiltrate into the waste, leachate production is cut off at the source.

Reduced Wildlife Impacts

By reducing organic matter and food sources, fewer animals, including birds, are attracted to the site. This is important at landfills located in coastal areas or near airports. Because the components of the ClosureTurf system do not pass the animals’ smell/taste test, they do not usually bother with it.

Enhanced Visual Inspection

Because the synthetic materials are not covered with thick soil profiles, they are easily inspected for damage, which, if identified, may be easily and inexpensively repaired. Also, most damage to synthetic caps is done by earthwork equipment during soil placement. By replacing the soil layer with ClosureTurf, this is no longer an issue.

Easier Reclamation Access

Landfill materials are readily accessible in the event of landfill reclamation for future piggyback areas or future waste lifts due to waste settlement or vertical expansion. The composite nature of the ClosureTurf system allows owners access to the waste without having to remove the existing cover soils of a typical and traditional final cover system.

Environmentally Friendly

The ClosureTurf system is better for landfills in sensitive areas where soil erosion and sedimentation are a major concern. Soil loss is non-existent during operations and post-closure. Eliminates the need for borrow sources, and siltation ponds can be converted to simple stormwater retention ponds. As a direct result, associated environmental construction impacts are much easier to manage.

Product & Technical Resources

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What is the purpose of the sand infill?

The sand infill, along with the system’s transmissivity, is specifically designed to handle more than six inches of rainfall per hour with minimal erosion. Plus, the engineered turf works as a grid that “locks” the sand in place to help resist erosion should rainfall exceed the drainage layer’s flow capacity.

How steep of a slope can the system be used?

The ClosureTurf system is exceptionally stable, with an interface friction of 43 degrees between the engineered turf and Super Gripnet. In fact, this equates to a greater than 2.0 safety factor for typical landfill slopes.

What is the longevity of the system?

An independent UV weathering study performed on our engineered synthetic turf utilized accelerated extreme exposure conditions to indicate half-life longevity over 100 years as proven by multiple independent evaluations. The engineered synthetic turf also provides a protective covering for the membrane against heat and UV degradation adding many years of functional life to the membrane.

How is the system anchored?

ClosureTurf typically is only terminated at the toe or on the outside perimeter swale. Anchoring to resist pullout forces are not needed since ClosureTurf incorporates a high-friction, interface that resists sliding.