Capping the Akuedo landfill site in the middle of the city for safe public reuse with a geosynthetic system

Overview

At the heart of a dense urban area in Ivory Coast, an old landfill site had become both a physical and social constraint. For decades, surrounding neighborhoods lived alongside waste, exposed to environmental and health risks that shaped daily life. The project set out to solve a complex waste management problem by securely capping the landfill and transforming it into a public urban park. This required a containment system that could meet stringent regulatory standards while ensuring long-term safety for a space intended for public use.

The landfill rehabilitation project followed French landfill regulations. The technical specification required ASQUAL-certified materials, including a geomembrane combined with a 1,000 g/m² protective layer. Solmax’s consulting expertise enabled further optimization of the original design.

Challenge

Capping a landfill destined to become a public park places security above all else. The containment system had to prevent any risk of puncture, leakage, or long-term degradation, knowing that people would eventually walk, play, and gather above it. Standard landfill lining practices were applied, including welded geomembrane seams protected by nonwoven geotextiles, but the context elevated the stakes.

Material supply quickly emerged as a critical challenge, as rising global raw material prices led to periods of scarcity and uncertainty. At the same time, construction work was delayed, pushing the installation schedule closer to the rainy season—further increasing pressure on logistics and project scheduling. In this challenging context, Solmax proved to be a loyal and reliable partner. Beyond the technical and supply-chain requirements, the project also carries strong symbolic significance: as a flagship environmental protection project in West Africa, it represents a visible step toward sustainable urban development and therefore placed exceptionally high demands on the quality of project delivery.

Solution

The final lining system combined GSE^® HD 2.00 mm ASQUAL-certified geomembrane with MIRAFI^® P 100 S nonwoven geotextile, forming a robust capping solution designed to prioritize safety and durability. Approximately 500,000 m² of geomembrane and 830,000 m² of geotextile were supplied to create a continuous, protected barrier across the landfill. The geotextile was selected specifically for its high puncture resistance, ensuring maximum protection of the geomembrane in a public-space application where long-term integrity was critical.

Close cooperation between Solmax, the distributor, the specialist contractor, and Veolia enabled the project team to successfully overcome supply shortages and weather-related delays. Production flexibility during a period of sharply rising raw material prices helped stabilize costs and ensure continuity, an important contribution that strengthened trust at a critical moment.

The completed capping has enabled the landfill’s transformation into an urban park, reshaping the landscape and improving quality of life for surrounding communities. What was once a source of environmental and health concern now supports public use and urban renewal. The project underscores a key lesson for landfill rehabilitation: the success of a lining solution depends as much on system-level coordination and professional installation as on the certified materials themselves.