Design of solid waste treatment plants

Over the years Ecotec has conceived, designed and patented numerous processes for the treatment of solid waste and contaminated soil.

The main topics dealt with are the stabilisation and inertisation of solid waste contaminated by metals and hydrocarbons and the recovery treatment of polluted soil through the application of soil washing and solvent extraction (ENSOLVEX).

Polluted soil and solid waste treatment technologies can be applied through the installation of fixed or mobile plants.

Solid waste treatment

Solid waste such as refractory materials, spent catalysts, contaminated sands and palatable sludge can be treated in appropriate waste stabilisation plants in order to allow their disposal in authorised landfills or their reuse.

Ecotec builds completely autonomous solid waste treatment plants, consisting of: homogenisation and reconditioning section (shredding), stabilisation section (mixers, reactors) with the addition of appropriate binding and adsorbent reagents (stored in silos), gaseous effluent treatment section.

In 1987 Ecotec built the first solid waste homogenisation plant (TOR) for the treatment of solid waste produced by the AGIP refinery in Sannazzaro, Pavia (global service waste treatment).

Contaminated soil treatment

The treatment of contaminated soil is carried out through the use of soil washing and solvent extraction technologies, through which it is possible to treat polluted soil, seabed and other waste with similar characteristics, using an innovative patented technology called ENSOLVEX®, based on the extraction of pollutants with a suitable solvent (ethyl acetate).

The process consists of a first phase of soil washing and a subsequent solvent extraction, which allows the almost complete removal of the contaminants (which can be recycled) and the reuse of the treated soil, in accordance with current regulations. 

In addition, at its Research Centre Ecotec has recently built an innovative pilot plant using thermal plasma technology, with the aim of industrialising thermal plasma processes for the treatment of certain types of materials (which are difficult to treat or dispose). Thermal plasma processes make it possible to: recover metals or metal alloys from waste/materials with high metal concentrations and/or recover energy from waste with a high organic content.