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.

Provided is a molding material for a material of a molded article including: a biomass material obtained from a water-containing organic matter; and a thermoplastic or a thermosetting resin, the biomass material having a moisture content of 20% or less, a bacterial count of mesophilic aerobic bacteria of 10.sup.5/g or less, and a maximum exothermic peak by a differential thermal analysis method of 300° C. or higher.

Provided is a molding material for a material of a molded article including: a biomass material obtained from a water-containing organic matter; and a thermoplastic or a thermosetting resin, the biomass material having a moisture content of 20% or less, a bacterial count of mesophilic aerobic bacteria of 10.sup.5/g or less, and a maximum exothermic peak by a differential thermal analysis method of 300° C. or higher.

A method of recycling tires comprising the comprising the steps of: placing tires and/or pieces of tires within a casing or mold, applying a binder (e.g. adhesives and/or pining with screws, nails, nuts and bolts, pins, wire and steel or nylon bands etc) to the tires and/or pieces of tires so that the tires are bound together; applying a reinforcing means to the tires and/or pieces of tires (e.g. fitting the reinforcing means around, in between and/or through the tires etc); and melting or pouring an encapsulating means over the top of the tires and reinforcing means to encapsulate them inside the casing or mold and the encapsulating means; and causing or allowing the encapsulating means to set such that a recycled product is formed.

A modularized system for processing, storing and/or disposing of a hazardous waste material is described. In one exemplary embodiment, the modularized system includes a container configured to sealingly contain hazardous waste material; a first cell, the first cell comprising a first area for manipulating the container; and a second cell, the second cell comprising a second area for manipulating the container. The second cell is isolated from the first cell. The first cell is held at a first pressure and the second cell held at a second pressure, the first pressure being less than the second pressure. An interlock couples the first cell to the second cell. The first cell, second cell and interlock are configured to allow the container to be transferred from the first cell to the second cell while maintaining at least one seal between the first cell and the second cell.

The efficiency of roasting black dross can be improved by pre-processing the black dross before roasting. Black dross can be crushed and reconstituted into pellets having internal channels. The internal channels can be filled with additives designed to fully oxidize during a dross roasting process, enabling the internal channels to be open and gas to flow therethrough during a dross roasting process. The crushed black dross can be crushed to pieces below 10 mm and screened for larger pieces prior to pelletizing to ensure consistent pellets. Optionally, an eddy current separator can remove some metallic aluminum from the crushed black dross prior to pelletizing.

The efficiency of roasting black dross can be improved by pre-processing the black dross before roasting. Black dross can be crushed and reconstituted into pellets having internal channels. The internal channels can be filled with additives designed to fully oxidize during a dross roasting process, enabling the internal channels to be open and gas to flow therethrough during a dross roasting process. The crushed black dross can be crushed to pieces below 10 mm and screened for larger pieces prior to pelletizing to ensure consistent pellets. Optionally, an eddy current separator can remove some metallic aluminum from the crushed black dross prior to pelletizing.

A basket for incinerating waste inside an incinerator for a duration longer than fifteen minutes with no need for waste to be molten earlier, particularly when waste is introduced inside the incinerator. The basket includes mainly of a glass fiber envelope: it is preferably stiffened by a lightweight metal structure located inside or outside the envelope or built into it. A gripping handle is installed on top of the assembly that is stiffened at the top by a metal tube to which a lightweight metal structure is fixed and by a base formed from a drip pan fixed to the base of the lightweight metal structure.

The present invention relates to a process and a facility for the continuous vitrification treatment of fibrous materials, and in particular of asbestos and/or of asbestos-containing materials.

According to the invention, this process comprises the following steps: a bath of molten glass at a temperature of 1300° C. to 1600° C. is prepared; introduced into said bath of molten glass are said fibrous materials and optionally melting additives chosen so that said bath has, after addition of these fibrous materials and melting additives, the following composition: SiO.sub.2: between 30% and 55% by weight; FeO: between 25% and 45% by weight; alkali and alkaline-earth metal oxides: between 15% and 25% by weight; an oxidizer and a fuel are injected under pressure into said molten bath by means of at least one lance, one end of which is immersed in said bath; said oxidizer being introduced in a molar amount greater than or equal to the molar amount of fuel needed to maintain the temperature of the bath between 1300° C. and 1600° C.; and the temperature of at least one portion of the molten glass is lowered so as to render it solid.

A process for manufacturing an article made of recovered rubber crumb is provided. According to the process:

a) crumb particles are mixed with particles of a solute;

b) a molded article is produced by molding the mixture from step a) in a closed mold under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions; and

c) the molded article is brought into contact with a solvent so as to dissolve at least one portion of the particles of said solute.