The present invention relates to a method and a plant for treating carbon-containing waste that may comprise mineral fillers and/or potential contaminants.

This method comprises: preparing a molten glass bath at a temperature between 1100 C. and 1600 C.; loading the waste to be treated into said molten glass bath; injecting an oxidizer and optionally a fuel under pressure into said molten glass bath by means of at least one hose, one end of which is immersed in said bath, said oxidizer being introduced in a molar amount less than the molar amount of the carbon-containing compounds, thus causing combustion of said waste and generation of hot synthesis gases; implementing heat exchange between a heat-transfer fluid and the hot synthesis gases in conditions allowing simultaneous recovery of at least part of their heat energy and at least part of the heat energy released by their combustion, air being injected sequentially into said gases during said heat exchange to cause self-ignition of the mixture of said gases and air, each injection increasing the degree of combustion.

The asbestos waste neutralization device (10) comprises: an acid tank (23), a vat (16) containing a diluted acid solution, in which waste containing asbestos is dipped, with this solution neutralizing the asbestos waste, a filtration unit (21) to separate, at the end of the neutralization reaction, the solid inert waste from the liquid phase of the acid solution, a regeneration unit (22) for the attacking acid solution, which adjusts the hydrogen potential of the extracted liquid phase by adding concentrated acid contained in the acid reservoir, and means for transferring the regenerated solution into the vat.

An accelerated process for the complete neutralization of acid wastes, the destruction of concrete and/or the denaturation of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) includes forming a slurry or suspension by submerging in the acid solution the concrete and/or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs); the concrete and/or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) cause the acid wastes neutralizing chemical reactions in the slurry or suspension and, at the same time, the destruction of concrete and/or the denaturation of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Simultaneously to the chemical reactions, the slurry or suspension is subjected to hydrodynamic cavitation, preferably using an apparatus capable of producing and managing three types of simultaneous controlled cavitation acting in the same space volume, accelerating the chemical reactions taking place in the slurry due also to the simultaneous presence of acid, concrete and/or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). The concrete and/or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are preferably ground and polarized prior to be submerged in the acid solution to form the slurry. The polarization take place, for the really first time, with a cold plasma torch. In addition the slurry or suspension is preferably subjected to hydrothermal treatment, preferably using a reactor which ensures the preservation of the constancy of the ideal physical parameters for the reaction in the physical chemical environment. In this reactor are additivated chemicals, hydroxyapatite and biological substances that have binder/chelating power especially on metals contained in asbestos, especially on magnesium, in order to prevent its reformation. Recovering, at the end of the process, inert secondary raw materials (SRMs) that are non-hazardous to the environment and human health. In addition, this process could be used to produce molecules that are important intermediates of the subsequent reactions/processes, leading to the formation of salts/compounds used as dietary supplements and also in important environmental remedies such as polluted water reclamation and the treatment of heavily polluted soils.

Equipment, process and techniques are shown for rehabilitating old underground pipelines, particularly asbestos pipelines, in which an old underground pipeline is replaced, as by drawing a bursting head through the old pipe to burst it and simultaneously pulling a new pipe through behind the bursting head. The invention has particular applicability to the rehabilitation of old asbestos pipelines in which the burst up debris must be contained or encapsulated in some manner. The macro-encapsulation materials shown form an in-situ layer of a temporarily fluid macro-encapsulating material which absorbs and immobilizes asbestos fibers and pipe fragments, the macro-encapsulating material being applied simultaneously as the pipe bursting operation proceeds.

A recycling disposal system is provided, the system efficiently combining the respective devices of a shredder, a carbonization furnace, and a gasification furnace to provide a new system combining low-temperature asbestos detoxification processing technology with biomass processing and recycling technology, and capable of energy-self-sufficient processing when operated in a disaster area.

An enclosure for containment and removal of hazardous material from objects is described, having a frame comprising a plurality of bars and a plurality of joints, each joint being releasably connectable to at least two bars, a flexible bag attachable to the frame, the bag being at least in part transparent, and comprising a resealable seam, and at least one adjusting device for tightening or loosening the bag on the frame. Usually, the enclosure, in use, is a negative pressure enclosure. The enclosure is particularly useful for containing and removing asbestos, especially from pipes. Also described are methods for removal of hazardous material from an object and methods for isolating an animal having an infectious and/or contagious disease using the enclosures.

Provided is a method of asbestos detoxification including: preparing asbestos which is a treatment target for detoxification and carbon dioxide; and pressing the asbestos and the carbon dioxide with a pressure of 1 to 5 GPa and treating the asbestos and the carbon dioxide at a temperature of 100 to 250 C., wherein since the asbestos is not subjected to chemical pre-treatment, as compared to the existing technologies in which the chemical pre-treatment is necessary, treatment cost may be reduced, and another concern for environmental contamination may be prevented in advance, and accordingly, the asbestos is appropriate for recycling through detoxification as well as waste treatment.

The present invention relates to a device for decontaminating surfaces such as a wall, a floor, or a ceiling of a building, or the like, having one or more toxic products, such as, asbestos, lead (Pb), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or radioactive products. The device includes at least one hydroblasting head fed by a high pressure unit and connected to a vacuum source comprising a low pressure source connected to a cyclone head mounted on a container which collects water containing toxic products and residues of the support. A filtration system having a filtering press is provided. The filtering press is fed with water containing toxic products collected in the container and whose output feeds a buffer tank wherein the water from the filtration comprises particles less than or equal to 5 m. Another objective of the invention concerns a method for decontaminating surfaces.

Provided herein are a system and method for an efficient and safe method for the removal of surfacing materials which may contain toxic components from a work surface through wet blasting. The method and apparatus provided may utilize a mixture of surfactant and water combined with abrasive media for use in a wet blasting operation in which the creation of waste in solid dust form is reduced or substantially prevented.

A device for the treatment of a surface, such as a flat and/or curved surface, the device including at least one surface treatment tool mounted onto a secondary motorized carriage capable of moving along a rail between two primary carriages that can move along tubes, preferably parallel, straight or curved. The primary carriages are mounted onto the rail, on the one hand, in such a way as to rotate around an axle that is orthogonal to the rail and, on the other hand, in such a way as to slide along the rail.