The ECO LOGIC process: A gas-phase chemical reduction process for PCB destruction

Since 1986, ECO LOGIC has conducted research with the aim of developing a new technology for destroying aqueous organic wastes, such as contaminated harbor sediments, landfill soil and leachates, and lagoon sludges. The process described in this paper was developed with a view to avoiding the expense and technical drawbacks of incinerators, while still providing high destruction efficiencies and waste volume capabilities. A lab-scale process unit was constructed in 1988 and tested extensively. Based on the results of these tests, it was decided to construct a mobile pilot-scale unit that could be used for further testing and ultimately for small commercial waste processing operations. The pilot-scale plant was completed and commissioned in 1991. It was taken through a preliminary round of tests at Hamilton Harbor, Ontario, where the waste processed was coal-tar-contaminated harbor sediment. In 1992, the same unit was taken through a second round of tests as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Superfund Innovation Technology Evaluation (SITE) program in Bay City, Michigan. In this test program, the pilot-scale unit processed PCBs in aqueous, organic and soil matrices. This paper describes the process, the commercial-scale system under construction, and the results of demonstration testing in Canada andmore » the United States.« less