COMANCO Completes Cell Expansion at SWA Palm Beach Landfill and Continues Overlay Closure Construction
Progress continues at the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) landfill in Palm Beach County, Florida. COMANCO recently completed the Cell 25 expansion and has shifted focus toward temporary overlay closure operations within the Class III area.
With Cell 25 complete, remaining work now focuses on final sod installation and ongoing overlay construction. The project combines earthwork, geosynthetics, piping, gas system improvements, and temporary closure installation across multiple active work areas.
The completed expansion will provide SWA with additional engineered disposal capacity while supporting continued environmental protection and long-term landfill operations.
Crews Transition from Cell 25 to Overlay Operations
COMANCO recently completed primary construction for Cell 25. Sod subcontractors are scheduled to begin final stabilization work, and the electric pump system has already been installed and placed into operation.
As work on Cell 25 wrapped up, crews shifted focus toward the temporary overlay closure area. Current operations include placing 12 inches of screened material to prepare the area for geosynthetic installation. Once grading activities are complete, the liner crew will install a 60 mil HDPE liner followed by a 300 mil composite layer.
After geosynthetic installation is complete, crews will place 2 feet of protective cover over the system before installing a 30 mil HDPE temporary closure liner. The temporary cover will then be secured with anchoring materials and UV sandbags to help maintain stability across the overlay area.
This phased construction approach allows landfill operations to continue while protecting inactive areas throughout the site.
Geosynthetic and Pipe Installation Continues Across the Site
The SWA landfill project includes substantial quantities of geosynthetics, aggregate, and piping materials across both the Cell 25 expansion and overlay closure areas.
Material installation totals include: same list, shown as a table
| Material | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 60 mil HDPE liner | 1,564,920 SF |
| 30 mil HDPE liner | 450,800 SF |
| Geocomposite within the cell installation | 1,252,220 SF |
| Geocomposite within the overlay installation | 326,250 SF |
| Geonet | 590,295 SF |
| Geotextile | 171,000 SF |
| GCL | 615,525 SF |
| HDPE pipe, 2-inch to 18-inch diameter (gas and leachate collection) | 10,460 LF |
Additional support materials include more than 115,000 tons of protective cover sand and 3,447 tons of river gravel used throughout the project. AGRU and CETCO supplied geosynthetic materials for the work, while ISCO provided HDPE pipe systems.
Crews Complete Key Testing and Inspection Milestones
Quality control remains a major focus as crews move through each phase of construction.
One of the most notable milestones came during leak detection testing between the primary and secondary liner systems within Cell 25. TRI completed testing with zero leaks identified in the containment system.
Pipe inspections also moved forward without issue. Florida Jetclean cleaned the installed piping and completed internal video inspections without issue. Following inspection, SCS engineers approved all cleaned piping systems.
Verification and testing efforts like these help confirm that containment and collection systems meet project specifications before the next operational phase begins.
Coordination and Site Safety Remain a Priority
Maintaining production on an active landfill project requires constant coordination between crews, haul trucks, inspectors, and field leadership.
Protective cover hauling operations are currently underway across the overlay area. To help maintain safe traffic flow, COMANCO implemented designated dumping locations, speed limit signage, traffic cones, and controlled entrance and exit points for haul trucks. Two crew members remain dedicated to managing gate operations during hauling activities.
The on-site trailer has also improved coordination between the Project Engineers and Project Managers by creating a dedicated space for meetings, planning, and communication. An on-site ice machine has become a valuable resource for crews working in Florida’s extreme heat conditions.
The project continues moving forward through coordination among multiple field leaders, including Superintendent Billy Wilson overseeing earthwork operations, Superintendent Ramon Irizarry managing Cell 25 geosynthetics installation, and Superintendent Martin Calderon leading overlay geosynthetics operations.
Project Engineer Alex Kusik continues coordinating site operations while Senior Project Manager Michael Taylor oversees overall project execution. The project additionally marked an important advancement for the field team as Martin Alarcon recently stepped into a Leadman role.
Cell 25 Expansion Supports Future SWA Operations
The Cell 25 landfill expansion and temporary overlay closure project will allow SWA to continue placing waste within a fully engineered and monitored containment area designed for long-term environmental protection and regulatory compliance.
As overlay operations continue, COMANCO crews remain focused on maintaining safe production, protecting installed materials, and delivering quality work throughout every phase of the project at the SWA Palm Beach landfill operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a landfill cell expansion?
A landfill cell expansion adds new engineered disposal capacity to an existing site by constructing a lined containment area, typically combining earthwork, HDPE geomembrane liners, geocomposite drainage layers, and leachate and gas collection piping, so waste can be placed safely while protecting surrounding soil and groundwater.
What geosynthetic materials were used in the SWA Palm Beach Cell 25 expansion?
The project used more than 2 million square feet of geosynthetics, including 60 mil and 30 mil HDPE liner, geocomposite, geonet, geotextile, and geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), along with over 10,000 linear feet of HDPE gas and leachate piping.
What is a temporary overlay closure?
A temporary overlay closure is an interim cover system, here a 30 mil HDPE liner over protective cover secured with anchoring materials and UV sandbags, that stabilizes and protects an inactive landfill area until permanent closure or further construction occurs.
SAFETY ★ QUALITY ★ SERVICE
COMANCO is an environmental, commercial, and civil construction company specializing in constructing containment facilities.
Landfill expansion and temporary closure projects require experienced coordination across every phase of construction. Through ongoing work at SWA Palm Beach, COMANCO continues delivering safe, quality-driven containment infrastructure that supports long-term landfill operations and environmental protection.
Contact COMANCO to learn more about our landfill expansion and geosynthetic construction capabilities.