E-Link: Major Breakthrough in Hazardous Cleanup Process

[MVala@USCCMAIL.uscc.bms.com]

---------------------------- Forwarded with Changes ---------------------------
From: Susan Voigt at ~PGRNB01P
Date: 12/5/96 9:50AM
To: Michael J Vala at ~PGRNB05P
*To: Daniel K Balkunow at ~PGRNB03P
Subject: E-Link: Major Breakthrough in Hazardous Cleanup Process
---------------------------- Forwarded with Changes ---------------------------
From: Colin Baigel at stfp1s03-staff-nyc
Date: 12/5/96 8:29AM
To: Susan Voigt at ~PGRNB01P
*To: Thomas Hellman
*To: George Nagle at ~PGRSYRPO1
Receipt Requested
*cc: M E Beko at ~PGRNB04P
*cc: Joseph J Ferro at ~PGRNB02P
*cc: Amy L Freedman at ~PGRLVA4P
*cc: Charles E Thompson at ~PGRLVA2P
*cc: Cynthia E Vona at ~PGRLVA2P
Subject: E-Link: Major Breakthrough in Hazardous Cleanup Process
---------------------------- Forwarded with Changes ---------------------------
From: owner-environews@envirolink.org at Internet/X400
Date: 12/4/96 4:57PM
To: Colin Baigel at STFP1S03-STAFF-NYC
*To: environews@envirolink.org at Internet/X400
Subject: E-Link: Major Breakthrough in Hazardous Cleanup Process
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radsafers -

This was forwarded to me by our EH&S Director, it sounds too good to be true
which probably means it is.  Who was commenting on the quality of information on
the internet, how about in a press release?

The above comments are only my opinion and not those of my employer.


Mike Vala
mvala@usccmail.bms.com
________________ Forward Header __________________________________ Subject:
E-Link: Major Breakthrough in Hazardous Cleanup Process
Author:  owner-environews@envirolink.org at Internet/X400
Date:    12/4/96 4:57 PM


This news story is from the Environment News Service:
http://www.envirolink.org/environews/ens/
---

Plasma Technology Promises Nuclear Cleanup

     New York Dec 3 (ENS)-- Several new technologies have come into the
hazardous waste remediation arena in the past few months, but one, plasma
waste conversion promises to eliminate hazardous waste including low level
nuclear residue from sources such as those generated by medical technology
and from research facilities.  Open pit nuclear facilities, such as those in
Barnwell, South Carolina, Lathrop Wells in Beatty, Nevada and the Superfund
site at Shelbyville, Kentucky, may soon become relics.  Widespread citizen
protests over the proposed Ward Valley, California low level nuclear waste
site, consisting of open trenches in the Mojave Desert, may become a thing
of the past if the new plasma  technology is accepted at an upcoming meeting
between Startech Environmental Corporation, manufacturer of the process, and
officials of California Radioactive Materials Management Forum( CalRad), an
organization of nuclear waste producers in that state.

     In anticipation of the presentation of Startech's process Betsy Hite,
spokeswoman for CalRad said she is open-minded, "If there are technologies
that can reduce the amount of nuclear waste and we can all look at it, boy,
we really want to see it.  The primary question is that if we as a society
believe that we benefit from nuclear technology then we must find a way to
deal with the waste.  If this technology can present us with an alternative
to dumping we will implement it."

     The Plasma Waste Converter manufactured by Startech utilizes a 50,000F
degree flame to reduce organic and inorganic compounds, solids, liquids,
gases, sludge and radioactive waste by a "closed-loop elemental recycling"
process of molecular dissociation.  A plasma flame is generated by ionized
gas being ignited by an electric spark in a controlled atmosphere.  The
intense heat within the chamber reduces the material as well as residue from
the initial burning into a pure molecular state that produces no secondary
waste like that found in incineration, which typically takes place in the
5,000F degree range.

     The plasma technology is also far superior to the molten metal systems
that have been on the market for the past several years.  Molten metal
technology typically pours ferrous metal in a heated liquid state onto the
waste to be remediated causing it to ignite.  This encapsulates the material
in the cooled slag which has been poured into a vitreous-lined metal mold
which is then removed to storage.  By comparison the molten metal technology
reduces the waste by 30 to 1, while the plasma technology not only reduces
the material to more than 300 to 1, but actually changes the molecular
structure, even in radioactive materials, to elemental benign waste.

     "Instead of low level radioactive waste having a half life of 300-400
years," says John Longo, president of Startech, "plasma remediated nuclear
waste will be reduced to a size easily storable at the generating facility
and will have a half life of only 100 years.  The remediated product is
similar to obsidian and can be safely encapsulated and removed to a
non-nuclear waste facility."  Startech is currently remediating nuclear
waste from New Jersey and New York City.  Without the plasma technology and
with the promised closing of Barnhill, South Carolina's open trench dump
both states were going to left with no waste elimination alternatives.

     When plasma technology is used to reclaim and remediate landfill
garbage, the clean air generated from the process can be utilized to drive
turbines to produce electricity.  Two installations of the plasma technology
in Hawaii have been designed for just such a service.  Hawaii currently burns
a high percentage of its residential garbage to drive electric generators.
However, the turbines cannot consume raw waste without the aid of diesel
cogeneration plants.  Instead of waiting years for natural landfill breakdown
to produce a small percentage by volume of methane gas from the breakdown of
landfill debris the plasma technology can recover landfill debris, instantly
convert 100% of the material to clean hot air. The residual energy is used to
power the electric utility plants as well as clean up the unsightly landfills
that cover the Hawaiian Islands today.

     Earlier this month Longo met with ambassadors and deputies of the
African, Caribbean and Pacific Island nations at the United Nations in New
York.  In a statement the ambassadors declared "The problems of the
environment rise above politics; they are about saving our planet."  The
ambassadors were so impressed with the plasma technology that Startech was
invited to a "south-south" conference of Latin American, African and
Caribbean environmental diplomats to discuss installation of the process in
several developing countries.  Longo said, "It's an honor to be invited to
this conference because we are the only company from the developed nations
to attend.  We've been told that the 'Northern countries are not welcome
here because we want to address our own problems in our own ways and this is
the only way we can to it.'  However, the plasma technology has proven
itself and the doors have opened for us."

     If plasma technology can produce as well as the initial installations
have shown a new era of remediation of nuclear and manufacturing waste may
well be at hand then activists could concentrate on the constructive aspects
of developing sustainable manufacturing instead of fighting defensive
holding actions against irresponsible and unaccountable dumping contractors.


---
The EnviroNews Service              | E-Mail: newsdesk@envirolink.org
A Project of the EnviroLink Network | Phone : (412) 683-6400
General Info: info@envirolink.org   | Fax   : (412) 683-8460

To un/subscribe, send an e-mail message to: listproc@envirolink.org  with
the word: HELP as the body of the message.

Please send us your news, press releases, etc. to: newsdesk@envirolink.org

IF YOU WISH TO REPRINT ANYTHING WITHIN THESE ARTICLES, please send e-mail
to: admin@envirolink.org to request permission.  All information contained
within is Copyright (c) 1995 The EnviroLink Network unless noted otherwise.