United  States
                                     Environmental  Protection
                                     Agency
                              Solid Waste and
                              Emergency Response
                              (OS-1 10W)
                   EPA/542/N-93/005
                   May  1993

 The Applied Technologies  Journal for  Superfund  Removals and  Remedial Actions and RCRA Corrective Actions
 Border Crossing
 Sites
 Both Jfee tf & H*A a«J Environ-
 men* Canada hav«pre^rairB that:
 sttppcutt emerging; innovative tecfe-
 nology d«ve!0f»ae'tf and technkal
 evaltagon demonstrations. BPA's
 Superfend Innovative Technology
Thermal   Desorption   System
Treats  Wide  Variety
of  Solid  Wastes
by Paul  R.  dePercin, Risk  Reduction  Engineering Laboratory
                                                                                                 Organic)
                                                                                                 M«rcury
                    -«   ] Thermal
                     ^(J physical
                         Solid
                         wastes
 *nem aria ttemoftstralkxxof Site
 #>i8Rf} Program am described
 tte Speck! Insert to thia issue trf
                   _
               ^ the SITE and
. DBSRt programs |oi» K^efter
 froa* &ȣ toting in evaluating in-
 novative technologies. Don't miss
 the artieleoi* the Ecft t£g*C system
 tive effort belweentw SITE awi
 DESRI pst^iens.
The X*TRAX™ Model 200 Thermal
Desorption System developed by
Chemical Waste Management, Inc.,
is a low-temperature process de-
signed to separate organic contami-
nants  from soils, sludges and other
solid media. The system is a ther-
mal and physical separation process
that does not involve incineration.  It
is fully transportable and  requires
an area of about 125 feet by 145 feet.
  The XTRAX™ system  was
evaluated under the EPA  s Super-
fund Innovative Technology
Evaluation (SITE) program at the
Re-Solve Superfund Site in North
Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Approxi-
mately 35,000 tons of soils and sedi-
ments at the site are contaminated
with PCBs in concentrations
       SITE  Program  Technologies   in  ATTIC
                         Bioremediation
                            14%
Solidification/
 Stabilization
    13%
                                            Mixed Waste
                                                3%
            Thermal Treatment
                 23%
                              Physical  Treatment
                                  28%
  Of 177 technologies reported, source documents include Demonstrations Bulletins,
  Technology Profiles, Technology Evaluation Reports and Applications Analysis Reports.
ranging from 181 to 515 milligrams
per kilogram (mg/kg). The
XTRAX   successfully removed
PCBs at an average removal effi-
ciency of 99.9%. PCB concentrations
in all treated soil samples were less
than 1.0 mg/kg; and, the  average
concentration was 0.25 mg/kg.
Tetrachloroethene, total recoverable
petroleum hydrocarbons  and oil
and grease, present in concentra-
tions of 365 micrograms per kilo-
gram (ng/kg), 893 mg/kg and
913 mg/kg,  respectively, were all
reduced to below detectable levels
in treated  soil.
   During  the SITE demonstration,
about 215 tons of soil were treated at
an average feed rate of 4.9  tons per
hour for 2  hours with an average
treated soil temperature of 732 de-
grees Fahrenheit First, contaminated
solids were fed into an externally
heated rotary dryer where tempera-
tures ranged from 750 to 950 degrees.
Evaporated contaminants  were re-
moved by  a recirculating nitrogen
carrier gas that was maintained at
less than 4% oxygen to prevent com-
bustion.  Solids leaving the  dryer were
sprayed  with treated cooling water to
help reduce dust when the treated
soilids were returned to their original
location  to be compacted in place.
The nitrogen carrier gas was treated
to remove  and recover dust particles,
organic vapors and water  vapors.
              (see X*TRAX™ page 2)
                                                                             Printed with Soy/Canofa ink on paper that contains
                                                                             at least 50% post-consumer recycled fiber

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                                                                                             ATTIC
Canadians  in   the  ATTIC
Not all Alternative  Treatment
Technology  Information Center
(ATTIC) users are from the United
States. Of the more than 2,900  regis-
tered users to the ATTIC online in-
formation retrieval system,  5% are
Canadians. Canadians share a  need
to easily access accurate, up-to-date,
hazardous waste cleanup informa-
tion.
   Richard  Glue, Regional Coord-
inator for Environment Canada s
National Contaminated Sites
Remediation Program (NCSRP) in
the Pacific and Yukon Region in
North Vancouver, British Columbia,
is a frequent user of  ATTIC. He
manages remediation projects  in the
region and works with contractors
and  local governments to evaluate
appropriate actions  for hazardous
waste sites.
   Mr. Glue, like many ATTIC users,
has limited time and resources to re-
search data on new technologies. He
uses ATTIC to quickly identify sites
where new technologies have been
demonstrated. For example, he is
able to search the ATTIC database
using the keywords  PCBs,   soil,
and  SITE Program  to find 24 re-
ports describing Superfund Innova-
tive  Technology Evaluation (SITE)
Program projects that involved soil
contaminated by polychlorinated
biphenyls. The case  studies and
reports found in ATTIC are helpful
in evaluating the technologies
recommended by contractors for
remediation of  various Canadian
sites. Mr. Glue  explained that  Ca-
nadians use ATTIC because it is a
well established system with a large
amount of cleanup data that can  be
easily searched. The U.S. EPA has
been involved in site clean up for a
long time; and,  the NCSRP is willing
to take advantage of the  knowledge
and expertise gained from EPA s ex-
periences.
  The international border crossing
is not a one way ticket. ATTIC pro-
vides detailed information on a
wide range of alternative treatment
technologies,  not only in the U.S.
but abroad as well. For example,
30 of the 2,900 abstracts currently in
the ATTIC database describe Cana-
dian sites. ATTIC can help users to
share information and encourage
technology transfer between nations
and among environmental profes-
sionals.
   For information about ATTIC,
contact the ATTIC Program  Man-
ager, Joyce Perdek at 908-321-4380.
On-line access to ATTIC is available
by dialing 301-670-3808.
X*TRAX™ from page 1

   An eductor scrubber removed dust particles and
10 to 30% of the organic contaminants from the carrier
gas.  Scrubber liquid collected in a phase separator  from
which sludge and organic liquid phases were pumped
to a filter press, producing filter cake and filtrate. The
filtrate was then separated into organic liquid and  wa-
ter phases. Most contaminants removed from the feed
solids were transferred to  the organic liquids or the fil-
ter cake. The filter cake was blended with feed solids
into batches and reprocessed in the  system, while the
concentrated organic liquids were treated or disposed
of off site.
   Carrier gas exiting the  scrubber passed through  two
condensers in series, where it was cooled to less  than
40 degrees F. The condensers separated most of the
remaining water and organic vapors from the gas
stream.  Organic vapors were recovered as organic  liq-
uids; water was treated by carbon adsorption.  (The wa-
ter could be used to cool and reduce dusting from
treated  solids, or  either could be treated and dis-
charged.) About 5 to 10%  of the gas exited the system
through a process vent, passing through a particle  filter
and carbon adsorption system before being discharged
                  to the atmosphere. The volume of gas released by the
                  X*TRAX™ system is about 100 to 200 times less than the
                  amount released by an equivalent capacity incinerator.
                  At Re-Solve, organic air emissions were negligible
                  (0.4 grams per day); and, no PCBs were detected in vent
                  gases. Polychlorinated  dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlo-
                  rinated  dibenzofurans were not formed within the sys-
                  tem. Metals concentrations and soil physical properties
                  were not altered by the XTRAX™ system.
                     Bench,  pilot and full-scale X*TRAX™ systems have
                  been used to treat solids  contaminated with the follow-
                  ing wastes: PCBs; halogenated and  nonhalogenated  sol-
                  vents; semivolatile organic compounds; polynuclear
                  aromatic hydrocarbons; pesticides; herbicides;  fuel oils;
                  BTEX (benzene,  toluene,  ethylbenzene and xylenes); and
                  mercury.  The system has also treated Resource Conser-
                  vation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous wastes to
                  meet  Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) treatment stan-
                  dards. RCRA wastes treated include petroleum refinery
                  wastes (K048 through KO52) and multisource leachate
                  treatment  residues (FO39).
                     For more information, call Paul dePercin at EPA s
                  Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory at 513-569-7797
                  (FAX:  513-569-7620).

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                              Crossing  the   Border
                                             1*1
                     Environment
                     Canada
Canada's  DESRT  Program  Funds  Innovative Technology from  the
Beaker  into  the  Marketplace
by  Ginny Hardy and  David  Hutchinson,
Technology Development  Branch, Environment Canada
I n 1989 the Canadian government
established a five-year program to
work with industry to stimulate the
development and demonstration of
new and innovative remediation
technologies for sites containing
soils, sediments, ground water or
surface water and wastes contami-
nated  by hazardous substances. This
program, known as  DESRT (Devel-
opment and Demonstration of Site
Remediation Technology), has been
funded at $50 million over five
years,  beginning in 1990.

Objectives
   DESRT focuses primarily on tech-
nologies, processes, methods  and
procedures in the areas of site char-
acterization and  assessment, reme-
diation and compliance monitoring.
A second objective of the program is
to enhance the scientific knowledge
base in Canada and the develop-
ment of opportunities to market
Canadian expertise and technology
internationally.  (Although prefer-
ence is given to Canadian compa-
rues, United States companies can
apply to the program for support.)

Priorities
  Similar to EPA s SITE program,
the  first priority of the program is to
encourage the demonstration of
promising new technologies that
have been developed to the pilot
plant stage. The second priority,
similar to EPA s Emerging Tech-
nologies program, is to encourage
the  advancement of technologies
that are in the laboratory stage of
development in order to offer alter-
native technologies for site remedia-
tion. DESRT also encourages
technologies that are in the stages
leading up to, but not including,
commercialization.

Demonstration
  The demonstration component of
the DESRT program evaluates op-
eration, cost and reliability of the in-
novative technology under actual
field conditions so that it can be as-
sessed as an alternative to other
remediation technologies. The
DESRT program will share costs of
an approved demonstration project
with industry, developers of tech-
nology, owners of contaminated
sites and other collaborators for the
initial field application of a pilot or
prototype. Allowable costs in dem-
onstration projects include engineer-
ing and consulting services,
equipment, installation,  start-up,
monitoring and evaluation,  equip-
ment dismantling and clean-up,
                                                                                 (see DESRT pjye 5-0

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                                                                                           May 1993
EPA's  SITE   Program  Supports  Emerging  Innovative  Technology
Development  and  Technical   Evaluation   Demonstrations
by  John  Martin,  Risk Reduction Engineering  Laboratory
The Superfund Innovative Technol-
ogy Evaluation (SITE)  Program,
now in its eighth year,  is an integral
part of EPA s development of alter-
native cleanup methods for hazard-
ous waste sites around the United
States. The SITE program was au-
thorized by the Superfund Amend-
ments and Reauthorization act of
1986 with the goal of identifying
technologies, other than land dis-
posal, that are suitable for treating
Superfund wastes. The program  is
administered by the Risk Reduction
Engineering Laboratory (RREL) in
Cincinnati, Ohio.

Objectives and Priorities
   The program provides an oppor-
tunity for technology vendors to de-
velop and demonstrate their
innovative technologies  capability
to successfully process and
remediate Super-fund waste. EPA
evaluates the  technology and pro-
vides an assessment of potential  for
future use for Superfund cleanup
actions. The SITE program consists
of four related components: (1) the
Demonstration Program, (2) the
Emerging Technology  Program,
(3) the Monitoring and Measure-
ment Technologies  Program and
(4) Technology Transfer activities
that disseminate  information from
the other three programs and pro-
vide technical support to EPA
Regions, other Federal agencies,
States and Superfund  contractors.
Demonstration
  Through field demonstrations of
pilot or full-scale technologies, the
SITE Demonstration Program de-
velops reliable engineering, perfor-
mance and cost data on innovative,
alternative technologies so that po-
tential users can evaluate a
technology s applicability for a spe-
cific waste site. EPA works with de-
velopers to match the technologies
with appropriate sites, based on
several considerations: the
developer s waste and location
preferences, relevance of the tech-
nology to the site cleanup and Re-
gional needs. Cooperative
agreements between EPA and the
developer  set forth responsibilities.
Developers are  responsible for op-
erating their systems at the site, and
are expected to  pay the costs to
transport the  equipment to the site,
operate the equipment on site dur-
ing the demonstration and remove
the equipment from the site. EPA is
responsible for protect planning,
sampling and analysis, quality as-
surance and quality control, prepar-
ing reports and disseminating
information.

Emerging Technology
  The Emerging Technology Pro-
gram (ETP) provides a funding
framework to encourage bench-
and pilot-scale testing and evalua-
tion of technologies that, at a mini-
mum, have proven conceptual and
bench-scale feasibility. Through a
cooperative cost sharing agreement
between EPA and the technology
developer, EPA may fund up to
$150,000 for one year, with an addi-
tional year of funding ($300,000
maximum for the two years) for
projects that show significant
progress. After the second year or
significant progress,  emerging tech-
nologies may be considered for the
SITE Demonstration  program. Fed-
eral agencies, as well as private de-
velopers, can participate in the ETP.

Monitoring  and  Measurement
Technologies Program
  The Monitoring and Measure-
ment Technologies Program
(MMTP) tests the ability of ad-
vanced technologies  to assess the
nature and extent of contamination
and evaluate cleanup levels. The
MMTP is looking for new or modi-
fied technologies that can detect,
monitor and measure hazardous
and toxic substances in the subsur-
face  (saturated and vadose zones);
air, biological tissues, wastes, and
surface waters, as well as technolo-
gies that characterize the physical
properties of sites. The MMTP is
particularly interested in chemical
sensors for in situ measurements,
ground water sampling devices, soil
and core sampling devices, soil gas
sampling devices, fluid  sampling
devices for the vadose zone, in situ
         (see SITE Program pj^'e S-;'

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                                                                         »
                                                                      A Supplement to Tech Trends
                                                                      , '*,,V;'V IK .',,./'
 SITE Program from page 5-2

and field-portable analytical meth-
ods and expert systems that support
field sampling or data acquisition
and analysis. Funding by EPA is
generally not provided to develop-
ers under this program.

Solicitation
   Annual  solicitations for the SITE
Demonstration  program are adver-
tised in the Commerce Business Doily
in January. Annual solicitations for
the ETP are advertised in the Com-
merce Business Doily in July. The
identification of candidate technolo-
gies for the MMTP is ongoing;
therefore, technology developers are
encouraged to submit unsolicited
new and updated information at
any time.

EPA Contacts and Additional
Information
   More detailed information on the
SITE program, with an extensive list
of EPA contacts  is contained in The
Superfund Innovative Technology
Evaluation  Program: Technology Pro-
files Fifth Edition (Document No.
EPA/540/R-92/077). This publica-
tion further describes the program
and profiles 156 demonstration,
emerging and monitoring and mea-
surement technologies being evalu-
ated under the SITE program. Each
profile describes the technology;
discusses its applicability to various
wastes; discusses its development
or  demonstration status and  demon-
strations results, if available; and
provides demonstration and  tech-
nology contacts. This publication
can be ordered from EPA s Center
 for Environmental Research Infor-
 mation (CERI) at 26 West Martin
 Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio
 45268; please refer to the document
 number noted above when placing
 an order.
   The SITE contacts in the EPA s
 Risk  Reduction Engineering Labora-
 tory are John Martin (513-569-7758)
 for the Demonstration Program and
 Norma Lewis (513-569-7665) for the
 Emerging Technology Program;
 John  and Norma s address is United
 States Environmental Protection
 Agency, Risk Reduction  Engineering
 Laboratory, 26 West Martin Luther
King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268.
The contact for the SITE Monitoring
and Measurement Technologies
Program is Lary Jack (702-798-2373);
Lary s address is United States
Environmental  Protection  Agency,
Environmental  Monitoring Systems
Laboratory, P.O. Box 93478, Las
Vegas, NV 89193-3478. The EPA
Headquarters contact for innovative
technology development is John
Quander (703-308-8845); John s ad-
dress is  United States Environmen-
tal Protection Agency,  Technology
Innovation Office (OS-HOW),  401  M
Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460.
DESRT from page S-/


data quality assurance and quality
control, economic assessment and
report preparation.

Research & Development
  The research and development
(R&D) component of the DESRT
program supports the evolution of
promising new or innovative tech-
nologies through the laboratory and
small pilot  stages of development
up to the point of field testing. The
program provides financial assis-
tance for a portion of the salary
costs of scientific, engineering and
technical personnel working on spe-
cific processes or products for
which accelerated development is
warranted.  Subcontracts to universi-
ties,  government and other research
institutions collaborating in the
project may be included as an eli-
gible direct cost. In the case of gov-
ernment research  institutions,
incremental costs only are eligible;
salary and related overhead costs
are not. The program may make a fi-
nancial  contribution  toward the  pur-
chase of specialized  equipment
necessary for completion of a re-
search project.

Solicitation
   Two  approaches are used to ini-
tiate DESRT proposals: unsolicited
proposals and requests for propos-
als. Unsolicited proposals are those
submitted by an organization on its
own initiative, to satisfy the technol-
ogy development  and demonstra-
tion objectives of the DESRT

              (see DESRT page  5-4)

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DESRT from page 5-3

program. DESERT requests  propos-
als when development and demon-
stration needs arise which are not
otherwise  being addressed.

Eligibility
  Those eligible for the DESRT pro-
gram are incorporated companies,
universities, municipalities,  trade
and  research organizations and con-
sulting firms with demonstrated
competance in the field of environ-
mental technology. For individual
projects, preference will be given to
applicants that are, or are working
in close collaboration with, the
owners(s)  of a contaminated site(s)
or parties designated  responsible
for the remediation of contaminated
sites. All projects must be directed
toward new and improved tech-
nologies that reduce or eliminate
threats posed to the human health
or the environment by contami-
nated sites.  The  technology must be
unique, or  used uniquely, and must
have the potential for wide applica-
tion  across Canada or must relate to
a serious problem identified  in an
area within Canada. The project
must involve considerable techno-
logical risk in achieving commer-
cialization of the technology and
should be designed to  lead, ulti-
mately, to commercialization of the
technology. Eligible proposals  for
either type of project are distributed
for review and  recommendation
within the  federal government and
within the pertinent provincial or
territorial  government. As DESRT
involves joint funding by both levels
of government, both levels of gov-
ernment must approve a project.
Funding Arrangements
   DESRT funding must bring incre-
mental value to the project; if it
would otherwise proceed at the
same level of effort without DESRT
assistance, the project is ineligible.
Decision on the DESRT share of
funding is negotiated on a case-by-
case basis. The level of financial as-
sistance and the starting date for
financial assistance  are confirmed in
a formal contract or other financial
agreement between the applicant
and the designated  federal or pro-
vincial agency representing the
DESRT program. The process is
competitive  and subject to availabil-
ity of funds.

Ownership  Rights
   Technology ownership rights are
among the topics negotiated in
reaching a  contractual agreement
under the DESRT program. Since
the primary interest of the Canadian
government is to provide new de-
velopments  to assist in remediation
of high risk contaminated sites in
Canada,  the foremost consideration
in negotiations of ownership rights
will be the potential for successful
commercialization  and replication
of the new technology. Additionally,
the government considers factors
such as  funding history of the
project, the capacity of the propo-
nent to exploit the new technology
and the contribution made by the
proponent.

Canadian Contacts
   For a more complete description
of the DESRT program and for
additional information on the
guidelines for application, egligibil-
ity and  selection criteria,  please
contact either Ginny Hardy
(telephone: 819-953-0962) or David
J. Hutchison  (telephone: 819-953-
5228) at Environment Canada s
DESRT Office. Their Fax number is:
819-953-9029.  Their  address is:

   DESRT Office
   Technology Development Branch
   Conservation and Protection
   Environment Canada
   Fourth Floor, Place Cartier
   425 St. Joseph Blvd.
   Hull, Quebec
   CANADA  KIA OH3

   For your information, the Cana-
dian government also has a pro-
gram that specifically promotes
research on innovative  ways to
clean up  ground water and soil con-
taminated with petroleum hydro-
carbons. The  Groundwater and Soil
Remediation  Program  (GASReP),
established as a joint government/
industry venture focuses on basic/
applied research and /or technology
development. For a fuller summary
of GASReP, see the  March 1993 is-
sue of EPA s  Ground Water Currents
(EPA Document No. EPA/542/N-
93/003), which can  be  ordered from
NCEPI by referring to  the EPA
Document Number  by fax (513-891-
6685) or by mail addressed to
NCEPI, 11029 Kenwood Road,
Building  5, Cincinnati,  OH 45242.
For detailed  information, contact
Alex Lye, the CASReP  Manager at:

   Environmental Technology  Office  '
   Canada Centre for Inland Waters
   P.O. Box 5050
   867 Lakeshore Road
   Burlington, Ontario
   CANADA  L7R 4A6
   Telephone: 416-336-6438
   Fax: 416-336-4858

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                                                                           SITE Subjects
Chemical  Reduction   of  PCBs
by Gordon  M.  Evans,  Risk  Reduction  Engineering  Laboratory
EPA s Superfund Innovative Tech-
nology Evaluation (SITE) program
and its Environment Canada
equivalent, the Development and
Demonstration of Site Remediation
Technology (DESRT) program, have
coordinated on a SITE evaluation of
the patented Eco Logic system. The
Eco Logic system is a gas-phase
thermo-chemical process which em-
ploys a reduction reaction of hydro-
gen with organic and chlorinated
organic compounds at elevated tem-
peratures. The reduction reaction
breaks the large-chain molecules
into less problematic hydrocarbons.
Approximately 95% of the reformed
gaseous product is recirculated back
to the reactor, with the remaining
5% used to co-fire a propane fired
preheat boiler. The boiler  stack
emissions are not significant.
   The system, as tested, consists of
a process reactor (6 ft. in diameter
and 10 ft. tall, capable of handling
25 tons of material per day), a scrub-
ber, a propane-fired pre-heater and
a heat exchanger. The unit is housed
on two flat bed hailers and is de-
signed to handle aqueous and oily
waste streams, as well as harbor
sediments. The presence of water
enhances the reduction reaction,
thus eliminating the need for dewa-
tering.
  The  SITE demonstration took
place last fail in Bay City, Michigan
where the unit was used to destroy
PCB contaminated water and oils
drawn  from beneath a landfill
owned by the city. The polychlori-
nated biphenyl (PCB) concentration
in the oily waste was approximately
40%. A known quantity of
perchlorethylene (PCE) was added
to the waste stream as a control;
PCE is known as a reliable surrogate
measure for PCBs. The reactor test
program consisted of two distinct
test conditions; a nigh oil/low water
feed and a low oil/high water feed.
Three separate test  runs were con-
ducted for each test condition. In
addition, the unit was put through a
controlled 72-hour engineering per-
formance run.
  Although a number of tests were
conducted during the SITE demon-
stration, the three primary objec-
tives are summarized. The  primary
                                                       I V*VJ thermocheir
test objective was
to determine the destruction and re-
moval efficiency (DRE) for PCBs at
the propane boiler stack The system
successfully achieved 99.9999% DRE
for ail six runs conducted under
both test conditions.  The second test
objective was to determine the de-
struction efficiency (DE) for  PCE
the system  successfully  achieved
99.99%  DE for all six runs con-
ducted  under  both test conditions.
The third test  objective was to ex-
amine the fate of dioxin and furan
compounds which are fed into the
system.  The demonstration showed
that for  each run under both test
conditions, the system was a net de-
structor of dioxin and furan com-
pounds.
   A SITE Application Analysis Re-
port and the Technical Evaluation
Report will be available in the sum-
mer of 1993. Additional information
is available  from Gordon M. Evans,
Site Project  Manager, at EPA's Risk
Reduction Engineering Laboratory
at 513-569-7684. Gordon's fax is:
513-569-7620.
Recycling  Superfund  Lead  Waste
Proves  Cost-Effective   Alternative
to Treatment  and  Land  Disposal
by  Mick  Gilbert,  U.S. Environmental  Protection Agency, Region  2
You may want to consider sending
lead contaminated drums and other
lead bearing waste at your site to a
recycling facility rather than to a
Subtitle C landfill or an incinerator.
EPA s Region II has discovered that
recycling can be a viable and cost ef-
fective alternative. In 1992, Pat
Augustin of EPA s Emerging Tech-
nology program worked with the
Center for Hazardous Materials Re-
search, Exide Corporation (a lead
smelter and battery manufacturer)
and EPA's Region II to assess the
feasibility of lead recycling for the
various lead bearing materials re-
maining at  the NL Industries, Inc.
Superfund Site in Pedricktown,
New Jersey.
                                                       ^•WVMM      ^^
   The NL Industries site is a 42
acre former secondary lead smelting
facility. The facility operated from
1972 to 1984. At the facility, used
batteries were broken, drained of
acid and processed through a rotary
furnace to reclaim the lead. Other
lend bearing materials were also
processed  through the furnace.
                  (see Lead page 4)

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Lead from page 3

When  the company went bankrupt
in 1984, the facility ceased opera-
tions, leaving large amounts of lead
bearing materials on the  site. These
materials  included lead drosses,
baghouse bags, broken battery cas-
ings, lead-contaminated  steel
drums, pallets and debris.
   In assessing recycling  for the site,
a treatability study was conducted
on the various lead bearing materi-
als remaining on the site. The  mate-
nals were initially  processed
through the  secondary lead smelter
at Exide on a test bum basis to de-
termine the feasibility and econom-
ics of processing these types of
materials. This test  determined that
much of the material could be pro-
cessed through the furnace in  an
economically  and environmentally
sound manner.
   Next,  the consortium  developed
plans to  process larger amounts of
the materials to further evaluate if
the smelting industry would be able
to handle and process various lead
bearing materials from Superfund
sites. Over the next several months,
approximately 2.7 million pounds of
lead bearing materials from the site
were recycled at the Exide facility.
Material was processed through the
furnace at a ratio of approximately
40% of material from the NL Indus-
tries site to  60% of Exide s regular
feed stock. The  study found that re-
cycling can  cost less than land dis-
posal and alternative treatments.
Initial cost estimates for processing
various types of material are pre-
sented below. (Note that the esti-
mates assume that the  refined lead
from recycling would sell at the
then prevailing  market price of
$0.35 per pound; lower lead prices
imply a higher cost to recycle.)
   Incineration of debris  containing
lead (i.e., pallets, paper, personal
protective equipment) runs from
$250 to $500 per ton; by comparison,
recycling costs less at $200 to $250
per ton. Land disposal  of steel
drums and  debris costs approxi-
mately $300 per ton compared to re-
cycling which costs $200 per ton.
Land disposal of rubber battery
cases runs from $250 per cubic yard
compared to recycling at $150 per
cubic yard. Incineration of paint
residues is $350 per ton compared
to recycling at $200 to $225 per ton.
Treatment and disposal of lead
laden soil runs $300 per ton for soils
containing more than 25% lead com-
pared to $250 per ton through recy-
cling. Land disposal of baghouse
bags  (Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act listed waste KO69) is
prohibited by land disposal restric-
tions. Recycling of baghouse bags
runs between $200 to $250 per cubic
yard. Costs for lead drosses are:
$300 per ton for land disposal of
50% or more lead content compared
to recycling at $50 to $150 per ton;
$300 per ton for land disposal of
25% to 50% lead compared to recy-
cling at $150 to $200 per ton.
   For more information, call Mick
Gilbert, Remedial  Project  Manager
in EPA s Region 2 at 212-264-6418.
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