Innovative technologies for asbestos removal, treatment and recycle
- DOE Federal Energy Technology Center, Morgantown, WV (United States)
- Waste Policy Institute, Morgantown, WV (United States)
This paper will provide an overview of the Office of Science and Technology`s Decontamination and Decommissioning (D & D) Focus Area`s investment in development and demonstration of innovative technologies for asbestos treatment, removal and recycle. The paper will cover the market opportunities for asbestos abatement, major regulations covering asbestos abatement, baseline technologies used by DOE for removal of asbestos, asbestos-related technology needs submitted by DOE`s Site Technology Coordinating Groups, and asbestos development and demonstration projects supported by the D & D Focus Area and other organizations. Based on the Environmental Management Integrated Database, there are about five million cubic feet of asbestos within the DOE Weapons Complex that will be abated by 2030. DOE has three main forms of asbestos: transite used in building construction, thermal pipe insulation, and floor tile. The D & D Focus Area has or is supporting three projects in asbestos removal, and three projects on destruction of asbestos fibers by chemical and thermal treatment. In asbestos removal, the D & D Focus Area is investigating a robot which removes asbestos insulation from pipes; a laser cutting technology which melts asbestos fibers while cutting insulated pipes; and a vacuum system which removes thermal insulation sandwiched between panels of transite. For destruction of asbestos fibers, the D & D Focus Area is supporting development and demonstration of a trailer-mounted process which destroys asbestos fibers by a combination of thermal and chemical treatment; a three-step process which removes organic and radioactive contaminants from the asbestos prior to decomposing the asbestos fibers by acid attack; and an in situ chemical treatment process to convert asbestos fibers into a non-regulated material.
- OSTI ID:
- 598177
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970830-; TRN: 98:004764
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Beneficial Reuse `97: 5. annual conference on the recycle and reuse of radioactive scrap metal, Knoxville, TN (United States), 5-7 Aug 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Beneficial reuse `97; PB: 565 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
In-depth survey report: Evaluation of a custom-fabricated negative air glove bag during the removal of asbestos-containing pipe lagging, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Electromagnetic mixed waste processing system for asbestos decontamination