The role of Tetronics plasma vitrification technology in the management and conditioning of nuclear waste

Plasma Arc Technology is finding wider application in the treatment of hazardous waste materials an area which has a lot of synergy with radioactive waste management. It is being stimulated by the increasing demands of regulatory and economic drivers; currently, within the Integrated Waste Management (IWM) sector, there is a climate of rising costs, limited numbers of technological solutions, restricted access to traditional disposal based solutions and a significant levels of market consolidation. Traditionally, the IWM sector has operated with basic mixing technology solutions: e.g. physiochemical consolidation, physiochemical separation, neutralisation and basic material bulking, with ultimate reliance on landfill, cement based encapsulation and high temperature incineration (HTI). The impact of national statutes, the value of national liabilities and infra-structural deficiencies is demanding constant technological advancement for continued regulatory compliance. This paper presents information on Tetronics' plasma based solution, for the treatment of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) and Plutonium Containing Material (PCM). (authors)