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Eugène Timmermans, commercial manager of Trisoplast Mineral Liners, explains the special properties of the sealing layer his company applied to the Roof of Drenthe.
Trisoplast is a mixture of 87% sand and 13% bentonite polymer. Eugène: "That ratio always remains the same. More than thirty years ago, we started conducting tests with different components. But with this mixture ratio, we are always right."
To seal a waste pile like the Roof of Drenthe, Trisoplast is ideally suited. Eugène: "Our product has high plasticity and gum-like properties. It therefore provides good resistance to tearing and cracking. Even installation on steeper slopes is possible without reinforcement. The landfill will continue to shrink in the coming years, which is why a flexible product is needed for covering."
Trisoplast is also resistant to chemicals and has great self-healing ability. After decades of experience, the company applies a layer thickness of 7 centimeters after compaction with a roller that can also work on steep slopes.
"What happens on top of the landfill does not affect Trisoplast," Eugène continues. "Building on a landfill is difficult, not because of our product, but because of the settlement that will continue for years. For example, if piles need to be driven for a lookout, it can be done through the Trisoplast layer.
By Dutch standards, the 10 hectares of Trisoplast that has now been applied is a fairly large project. Eugène: "Another 7 hectares or so will be added in the spring. The fact that the project had to be done quickly is not a problem for our planning. We are used to it. We completed the main part of the work before the construction period. After all, the necessary work still had to be done afterwards to make the Roof of Drenthe completely ready for the cycling race."
Trisoplast has been an important partner for Attero for decades. Even the first collaboration with Cofra dates back before the year 2000. Eugène: "As a regular supplier to Attero, we also apply our product for the under-covering of new landfills. In our business, we also have to deal with the after-care fund. When a landfill is covered, it is transferred to the province. Sealing with the right and proven products is the most affordable solution for all parties. Trisoplast has a lifespan of at least 100 years."
Eugène experiences the Roof of Drenthe project as extremely pleasant, mainly because of the excellent cooperation with all parties involved. "You never tackle a job like this alone. If each party delivers its work well and on time and takes each other into account, our only common enemy is the weather. And in this project, with one minor exception, that too did not throw a spanner in the works."
