The Delaware Solid Waste Authority is serious about keeping the site safe and clean. So serious that it is investing $10.5 million in the construction of a new cell at its Southern Solid Waste Management Center (SSWMC) in Sussex County, DE.

National Earth Products Inc. (NEP), a subsidiary of Mahwah, NJ-based EMCON/OWT Solid Waste Services, a unit of The IT Group, is working on this more than 30-acre expansion project to construct Cell 4 Disposal Area and related facilities. The authority entertained proposals for both a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene baseliner, and selected NEP, based upon its low bid for polypropylene.

An overall description of the project is the construction of a pond, the installation of 2,000 ft. (606 m) of collection forced main and the construction of a courtesy box area with a MSC wall and litter fence for landfill. Major components of the project include clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating and backfill of leachate collection and detection system, stormwater segregation berms, stormwater pumps, a leachate recirculation pump, stormwater management structures, leachate pumps, a gas main with condensate knockouts and connections to the Cell 4 drop-off and materials handling area.

Other components include paved and unpaved access roads, abandonment of monitor wells and other existing structures, extension of the existing irrigation system, electrical raceways, terminations and all other electrical work.

According to IT Group Project Manager, Dave Weick, this is a fill operation and the prepping of subgrade for liner placement is currently on the agenda. “Since it’s close to a 32-acre area, we are using a bunch of different types of equipment for the project. Some of the machines used include: a Volvo A-30 off-road truck, Cat D5 and D6 bulldozers, Case 580 backhoe, Cat 563 compactor, Volvo A150 front-end loader and a Cat 330 excavator, just to name a few.”

Weick stated that the project is split up into two phases with six drainage areas worked on per phase. Since it is a dual drainage system, it consists of the following: 360,000 to 400,000 cu. yds. (273,600 to 304,000 cu m) of cell construction; 40,000 tons (36,000 t) of sand to be placed; and 33,000 tons (29,700 t) of tire chips to fill edges for drainage purposes.

“We do have some challenges with this project,” said Weick. “It’s working with two layers of geo-clay using a polypropylene composite built in a low groundwater level. So excavation has to be carefree. The weather has been a major hurdle since the project is subject to rain and freezing temperatures.”

Phase I is scheduled for completion in January 2001 and Phase II should be finished by April 2001.

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