Mayor Ken Laban with EDL Chief Executive Marcus Glucina (left) and Chief Technology Officer Kapish Gobindlal (proper).
Photo: RNZ / Sammy Carter
A company is testing out know-how at Lower Hutt’s Silverstream landfill which it says can destroy asbestos, making it into something safe.
The know-how designed by Environmental Decontamination Limited (EDL) was launched on Thursday, and is being trialled in New Zealand for the primary time.
Asbestos is a poisonous fibrous constructing materials used all through New Zealand earlier than it was banned in 2016.
It is a severe risk to health when the fibres change into airborne.
The know-how works through the use of steel balls at excessive speeds to interrupt down the asbestos fibres, altering the chemical construction right into a protected type that now not poses a well being and environmental danger.
The know-how makes use of balls at excessive velocity to interrupt asbestos fibers right into a powder.
Photo: RNZ / Sammy Carter
Lower Hutt mayor Ken Laban stated for many years, asbestos had been buried and left for future generations to handle.
“This trial gives us the chance to explore a safer and more sustainable alternative to simply burying asbestos waste.”
He stated it may be a major step ahead for Lower Hutt.
Hutt City Council has invested $365,000 of its yearly waste levy within the undertaking.
If the trial was profitable, Laban stated it may change asbestos waste in New Zealand and all over the world.
The objective was for the top product to be resold and reused in concrete – which may make it cheaper to get rid of asbestos as a result of it meant there was worth within the waste product.
A prototype of the total scale equipment is on the Silverstream Landfill within the Hutt.
Photo: RNZ / Sammy Carter
EDL chief government Marcus Glucina stated the undertaking was about testing the know-how on the landfill underneath managed circumstances.
“This trial is not about making big claims before the evidence is in. It is about gathering the evidence needed to understand whether this technology can work safely on a global scale.”
He stated the trial would be run by specialist engineers and scientists with asbestos dealing with expertise, with strict security controls in place.
Each tonne of asbestos value customers $398 on the Silverstream Landfill – and that was with prior approval required from the council.
At Silverstream Landfill alone, 2000 to 3000 tonnes of asbestos was disposed annually.
The closing findings from the trial would be prepared earlier than the top of the yr, the tech company stated.
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