Product Overview

Skidmark Geomembrane™ is a blend of recycled tire rubber and thermoplastic. It is used to line irrigation canals, primarily to save water but it can also prevent erosion and vegetation growth in canals. Future applications may include reservoir liners and secondary containment lining under hazardous liquid storage.

This product was not developed to find a use for recycled tire rubber, but rather because of its ideal physical characteristics and the cost advantages it provides as a canal lining membrane.

However, because Skidmark Geomembrane™ does use recycled tire rubber, it is an environmentally GREEN/GREEN product.

How Much Water Can Be Saved

This is an impossible question to answer but the opportunities are enormous. By conservative estimates, there can be from 30 to 50 percent water loss due to seepage during transport in unlined canals. Further, it has been estimated that there are 12,000 miles of unlined canals in the western United States.  (See DRI PAM Study)

Why Scrap Tires Must Be Recycled   

If all of the tires scrapped in the United States in one year were placed sidewall to sidewall at the equator they would circle the earth more than one and one half times. Whole tires have been banned from landfills in most states because they do not bio-degrade and they will float to the surface over time. If dumped illegally or stored above ground, tires collect water where mosquitoes will breed rapidly. When a fire starts in a scrap tire dump it is nearly impossible to extinguish while smoke pollutes the atmosphere. (more)

How Does "Recycled Rubber" Canal Liner Compare

Current methods of lining canals have a wide range of cost, effectiveness, durablilty and installation constraints as was demonstrated by the Bureau of Reclamation's 10 year study of 34 different lining tests. (more)

Skidmark Geomembrane™ has passed accelerated aging and water quality tests. Seam welding and installation procedures have been performed by a  small crew without heavy equipment. This recycled rubber membrane can be expected to compare favorably with the highest rated exposed geomembranes available with several additional features. (more)

 PHOTO CREDITS; Scrap tire photos  from EPA-905-B-06-001 Scrap Tire Cleanup Guidebook.