ABSTRACT
Although incineration is the historical precedent for thermal waste destruction, incineration is no longer broadly applicable. New thermal alternatives are required to address applications for which incineration is not acceptable as a result of:
Tighter regulatory controls
Unacceptable risks of incineration (e.g., the generation of dioxins and furans)
Negative public response to incineration of hazardous and mixed wastes during the permit phase of new projects
As another example of incinerator regulatory and liability management issues, treating small-generator radioactive wastes via continuous operations (e.g., large throughput incinerators) commingles isotopes between customer batches, cross-contaminating the final ash residue and prohibiting process-and-return for clients that have limited or restricted access to disposal. Steam reforming offers a permittable, costeffective alternative that meets the needs of process-and-return customers.
