Grantee Research Project Results
Encapsulating Waste Disposal Methods
EPA Contract Number: EPD13028Title: Encapsulating Waste Disposal Methods
Investigators: France, Brian
Small Business: TDA Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 15, 2013 through November 14, 2013
Project Amount: $80,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2013) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Homeland Security
Description:
The release of chemical and biological agents on a large-scale urban environment would be devastating. The amount of waste generated during such an event would be comparable to a tornado ripping through a town. Building materials, furniture, office materials, building insulation and wood structures could become contaminated to a level that they could not be decontaminated without their destruction. Tons of waste would be generated during the cleanup and remediation of even the smallest event. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the lead federal agency for the remediation of public areas contaminated with chemical and biological threat agents.
Transportation and disposal of waste generated in a chemical or biological event is known to be a potential cost driver for the remediation process. TDA proposes to develop an encapsulation method that will seal in chemical and biological agent contamination on solid wastes that are designated for removal from the site. This barrier will benefit the mitigation effort in three ways: first, it will improve the safety of personnel by protecting them from both vapor/aerosol and contact hazards; second, it can lower the transportation costs because the contaminants are sealed with impermeable polymer matrix; and third, it can lower the cost of ultimate disposal in a landfill or by incineration or gasification. In this Phase I project, TDA will demonstrate the feasibility of an encapsulation approach to allow safe transport and disposal of these materials.
Supplemental Keywords:
encapsulation, waste disposal, chemical and biological agentsProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.