Title: Landfill Project in Meia Serra (Madeira), Portugal
By: Naue

In landfills geosynthetic materials are used to contain potential pollutants and prevent precipitation from entering the landfill body. Since May 2001 several geosynthetic installations were carried out in the landfill Meia Serra, Portugal. The Portuguese Naue Fasertechnik partner BBF from Coimbra won the project and installed this project with several Naue geosynthetics.

The project was divided into two installation phases with one domestic waste cell and one ash cell. The base liner consisting of a geosynthetic clay liner Bentofix® and a 2 mm thick Carbofol® polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane structured on both sides (KN/MK) was installed for the 27.000 m2 large domestic waste section. A Secutex® nonwoven acted as the protection geotextile under the mineral leachate collection layer. In the steep slope areas, a geosynthetic drainage mat Secudrän® was used. The cross-section of the 5.500 m2 large ash cell where the sediments of waste incineration were deposited was identical to the domestic waste section. In addition, the contractor and the authority decided to install two geomembranes encapsulating a drainage net to protect the groundwater against escaping leachate in this section, due to the consideration that possible escaping leachate would cause the most environmental damage.

In September 2002, the second installation phase started which was recently completed. The same material as described above was used for lining the 21.000 m2 domestic waste cell and the 10.000 m2 large ash cell. In November 2002, the installation of a cover liner started on the 46.000 m2 large first landfill section. The capping system consists of a HDPE Carbofol® 1,5 KN/MK geomembrane, a drainage mat Secudrän®, Secutex® protection nonwovens and a geogrid Secugrid® ensuring stability in steeper slope areas.

The high requirements for the Meia Serra landfill design due to narrow spacing and the morphology of the island were perfectly met by the use of a geosynthetic combination of geosynthetic clay liners, drainage mats, protection and reinforcement elements.