Revolutionary waste management system promises lower pollution and costs
A small research company in Hungary employing only 25 people has developed a revolutionary waste management system which promises to be cheaper and less polluting than conventional techniques. Its inventor, Edward Someus, claims his device offers a solution to some of Europe's environmental problems. 'In the year 2000 new EU legislation will enforce strict technical requirements to stop global environmental pollution. Existing technology will not be able to meet these demands, but my thermal desorption technology could significantly reduce emissions to a level below the new guidelines.' The secret of Mr Someus' thermal desorption technology recycle-reduce-reuse (TDT-3R) is pyrolysis. Instead of the highly polluting incineration process, waste material is introduced into a reductive environment where it is partially vaporised. This material is fed into the TDT-3R reactor where it is directly combusted and fast cooled. Heat from its flue gas is then recovered, and the remaining gases are cleansed. The process is continuous, saving energy that is normally lost in the cooling down periods, and the technology is not over-complicated. It is also carried out at a lower temperature and with lower gas volume than current methods. The benefits are threefold. 'Firstly,' says Mr Someus, 'the key element of this technology is that the contaminating dioxin and furan gases are not created in a reductive environment because we do not oxidise the gases and we separate the heavy metals from the halogens, and so the pyrolysis gas-vapour phase does not contain dioxin-furan gases. 'Secondly the process is much safer because of lower emissions values, and thirdly the treatment costs per cubic metre are less.' The process is suitable for recycling, treating and stabilising solid waste streams through thermal desorption, and recycling of organic waste and clean coal through low temperature carbonisation. The TDT-3R is now entering its commercialisation phase, and firms from Hungary, the UK and the US (notably the US Department of Defense) have already shown a degree of interest and commitment. Dr Tore Feuk, whose company United European Environment Controls is a shareholder in a plant which is developing TDT-3R for use in the recycling of tyres, claims the TDT-3R is the advanced answer for environmental challenges beyond the year 2000 when stricter controls in the EU and US kick in. 'Presently they get rid of tyres by incinerating them in old cement factories. This is highly polluting and they will no longer be allowed to do this after the year 2000. 'I have been convinced by Someus' technology, and I hope his is the one that wins the race.'