The webinar, hosted by Tetronics, looked at the challenges surrounding hazardous waste management. Tetronics’ technical director Dr David Deegan said that more material was being classified as hazardous and consequently, the number of hazardous waste producers was rising.

Faced with a reduction in landfill availability and less opportunity to transport and export hazardous waste, Deegan warned that the pressure to treat this challenging material stream in a sustainable manner was greater than ever.

“We are typically now seeing disposal costs of £150-200 per tonne for hazardous waste and this cost will only rise in the future,” he said.

Deegan talked about a recovery solution Tetronics can offer – plasma arc technology which can treat hazardous waste so it meets inert waste acceptance criteria.

The technology has various applications, but is particularly suited to treatment of air pollution control residues such as incinerator fly ash, clinical waste, and asbestos.

The resulting output is Plasmarok, a vitrified, mechanically strong and environmentally stable product which can be used as a raw material in the construction industry.

Deegan said such treatment technology can help overcome hurdles in the licensing process for new energy-from-waste plants such as incinerators. He added it was financially attractive with a payback period of five to eight years, depending on waste type.

Tetronics is already supplying a plasma system to Peterborough Renewable Energy Ltd, the UK’s first green energy park, which will process mixed waste to recovery energy.

Maxine Perella

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