Process

Pre-acceptance characterization

Laboratory analysis defines required safety and treatment steps. A waste profile is established to determine the precise chemical and physical properties of the material. These are then used to determine acceptability, specific treatment processes and necessary safety measures for reception of the material.

Physical treatment

The form in which waste is received may not be well suited for the chemical treatment process. Consequently, some wastes may require crushing and/or shredding to reduce their size. This process helps the release of contaminants, thus enabling the chemical reactants to work more efficiently.

Chemical treatment

Once the waste has been physically sized, Stablex applies one of various chemical treatments (oxidation, reduction, neutralization) to produce a more stable product and decrease the mobility of the contaminants.

Precipitation

An integral part of Stablex processes is to reduce the toxicity and leachability of the waste through chemical precipitation, which results in an insoluble product. The new product's insolubility is critical to the success of the subsequent stabilization/fixation phase.

Stabilization and fixation

Stablex fixation reagents bind contaminants into mixed silicates, and trap insoluble precipitates produced during treatment within a three-dimensional silicate lattice, resulting in an environmentally stable compound, called the stablex product.

Placement and solidification

The transformed neutralized material is placed in fully engineered and monitored disposal cells to minimize the possibility of environmental contamination. The stablex product cures to a compressive strenght comparable to that of a lean concrete, then the placement cell is capped to increase environmental protection.

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