Techniques Turn Wastes Into a Cake That Is Buried
Kieran Bergin, engineer for the county Sanitation Districts, said the techniques that can turn hazardous wastes into bits of dry ash and rock include chemical separation and incineration.
Incineration reduces organics such as paints and solvents to ash.
Chemicals are used to separate inorganics such as chromium from waste water.
The separated inorganics are in the form of powder. The powder is filtered to squeeze any water out, producing a solid cake.
The cake is buried, as is, or is further solidified in a rock-like material similar to concrete before burial.
The waste water left over from both processes contains non-hazardous materials such as salts. This water is dumped in sewers.
These techniques can reduce the volume of waste by up to 90%. Exposing the wastes to chemicals and intense heat also reduces its toxicity.
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