Client: Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Engineering Service Center
Waste treated: Asbestos contaminated with PCBs
Project initiated: October, 1999
Project completed: December 1999

Project goal: Destroy PCBs and asbestos per TSCA regulations

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, through its Engineering Service Center (ESC) and Engineering Field Activity showed their commitment to ensure environmental excellence by funding a demonstration of ARI's thermochemical treatment technology (TCCT) on asbestos contaminated with PCBs.

The demonstration of this technology took place at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) is the result of a congressionally mandated BAA award. ARI Technologies Inc. (ARI) of Kent, Washington developed this technology and partnered with PSNS to demonstrate it for the Navy.

The TCCT mobile unit used for the demonstration was contained within two transportable trailer units, approximately 45 feet long. The operations trailer consisted of a negative air chamber vented through HEPA filters. While a secondary combustion chamber and afterburner were housed in a separate trailer. This was a first generation prototype designed to illustrate the capabilities of the mobile technology and acquire the additional data necessary to develop and construct modular units for nationwide implementation and deployment. This system was designed to process up to 10 tons of ACM per day.

The project resulted in >99.9999% destruction removal efficiency (DRE) for PCBs and neither PCBs nor dioxin was detected in the process effluents. The treated product was examined using transmission electron microscopy and was found to be 100% asbestos free. The project was closely monitored by the US EPA who subsequently awarded ARI Technologies a TSCA National Operating Permit for the TCCT based upon the results of this project.

This project was performed on time and within the budget constraints specified in the contract. Since the completion of this project, the Navy has contracted with ARI for the design, fabrication, and testing of a new, larger, modular TCCU for deployment on Department of Defense sites.

Another batch of 14,000 lb. of ACM consisting of chrysotile and amosite was brought to the system from Fort Yukon. The treatment of this second batch of ACM was performed under a separate contract with the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) that was executed to take advantage of the convenience of the system that was already in operation at PSNS. This ACM was processed successfully along with the other ACM that was treated at the site.