New reactor can destroy asbestos waste A consortium of universities and businesses has designed, built and tested a reactor for the safe and sustainable disposal of asbestos. Health © Thinkstock Asbestos is a significant health and environmental hazard, responsible for thousands of new asbestosis, mesothelioma (a type of cancer) and lung cancer cases every year. Despite the risks, asbestos waste is still being disposed of in landfills. The EU-funded AMIANTE project aimed to develop an affordable and energy-efficient reactor that would destroy asbestos contained in building wastes. The project tested a wide range of reactor systems and settled on a 'horizontal microwave' reactor called ATON HR. This reactor proved successful in destroying all traces of asbestos fibre in various building materials tested. It also appears to have no negative impact on the environment or on human health. It is a closed system, and the output is an inert substance that can be reused as a building material. AMIANTE's final product is a commercially available reactor housed in a standard container for portability. The invention represents a major step towards the eradication of asbestos fibres from the environment. Keywords Asbestos, waste, health, environmental hazard, cancer, building waste, microwave reactor, building materials
