Lesson 6 6.12 Waste Treatment and Conditioning
MethodDescriptionApplication
IncinerationCombustion of waste for volume reduction; in use since the 1950sEffective for LLW; ash may need additional conditioning by cementation or bituminisation; additional precautions needed for alpha-emitting isotopes
CompactionCompression of compressible solid wastes; standard compactors produce 10—50 tonne forceApplied to non-combustible, segregated wastes free from biodegradable materials
SupercompactionLarge-scale compaction with compressive force of 1000—2000 tonnesFor large-volume producers; significant volume reduction