Waste Tron, Inc.
Fabric Covered
Buildings - Ideal Waste Buildings for Soil Remediation
A 72' by 300' fabric
arch building has
proved to be
an integral part of
WTI's remediation
processes.
Location:
Point
Pleasant, West Virginia
Building Size: 72' wide by 300'
long Waste Fabric
Covered Building
Application: Waste
Management - Soil
Remediation
"By composting the soil and letting natures
'bugs' do the work, the project is proving to be
time-effective and cost-effective," says Ryan
Wheeler, WasteTron, spokesperson. They
identified hot pockets of contaminated soil on
the site, and transported it to the fabric
building composting area. The soil is placed in
windrows, straw and chicken manure are added and
then the windrows are turned daily by a large
compost machine.
For a
company that
provides full-scale
environmental
solutions for
hazardous waste
projects, Waste Tron,
Inc. is accustomed
to using innovative
products in its
processes. A 72' x
300' fabric building
has proved to be an
integral part of
their remediation
processes for a site
formally used to
manufacture dynamite
during World War II.
In 2001, Waste Tron,
Inc. was contracted
by the Huntington
District U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers
to remediate the
contaminated site to
a habitable state.
Plans included
cleaning the site
through a composting
process to stabilize
the soil to a safe
and usable resource.
"Rather than the
traditional methods
such as capping the
contaminated areas.
or sending the soil
for incineration.
our client decided
to try a pilot
program using
bio-remediation.
The microbial action
that occurs during
composting reduces
the contamination
significantly.
"There is a very
fine line of how
much moisture needs
to be present in the
soil for the
bioremediation to
work. The fabric
buildings have been
a help in that
regard by keeping
the weather elements
at bay for us,"
Wheeler said.
A 4" center
ridge-vent in the
ceiling of the
fabric buildings
runs the length of
the arch building,
which allows
condensation to
exhaust, and large
fans were installed
at each end of the
building for proper
ventilation. An 18'
x 18' door was
installed on one end
of the fabric
building so large
machinery can access
it.
"The free-span space
allows ample room
for workers, the
windrow turner and
other machinery," he
said. "As well, the
fabric cover is not
affected by the
corrosive gases so
it will never rust."
Although there are
still several months
left in the project.
Waste Tron, Inc. is
happy with the
initial results.
"The results we are
getting right now
are great ... the
composting process
is working,"
Wheeler said.
When this project is
complete, Waste Tron,
Inc. plans to
disassemble the
waste building and
move it to other
locations for
several
applications.
Building Highlights
• A
4" center ridge-vent
in the ceiling runs
the length of the
Arch building, which
allows for
condensation to
exhaust.
• Large fans were
installed at each
end of the building
for proper
ventilation.
• An 18' x 18' door
was installed on one
end of the building
so large machinery
can access the
building.
Hot pockets of
contaminated soil
are identified
and transported to
the fabric building
for composting.
The contaminated
soil is placed in
windrows and
amendments such as
straw and chicken
manure are
added,
then turned
daily by a large
compost machine.
The results are very
positive.
The fabric building
will be relocated to
other
sites once the job is
complete.