How does SCE's treatment methodology compare to conventional stabilization and other methods using chemical additives?

1. SCE's heavy metal treatment technology is not tied to any one treatment product, methodology or means of application and therefore is not restricted to one or two heavy metals or specific site conditions. SCE's technology can be applied in a variety of ways under most site conditions addressing one, or a combination of heavy metal contaminates. Organic or inorganic constituents in soil and other media, including petroleum do not effect SCE's treatment. It also works in a wide range of pH conditions and is permanent.

2. Additives or reagents applied using SCE's technology adds marginal volumes, (1%- 5%), to the final waste volume as opposed to standard means (30%-50%). This reduces on site set up, space requirements and equipment cost, not to mention the significant reduction in off site transportation and disposal fees

3. SCE's technology is safe, simple and regulatory complaint while converting toxic heavy metals into a safer, naturally occurring state. SCE successfully performed field treatment for TCLP arsenic and chrome at one of the most regulatory restrictive sites in the Northwest. SCE's technology has been demonstrated at a number of EPA test sites and has been accepted in the US Navy's BBA program as a viable technology option for military site clean ups.

4. SCE provides substantial cost reduction opportunities saving between 30 and 60 percent over conventional stabilization costs. SCE conducts extensive laboratory testing on every waste stream prior to application in the field to provide reliable results the first time around.

5. SCE's treatment technology can meet or exceed strict EPA land disposal restrictions in the field and can interface with state and federal regulatory agencies to provide a complete, compliance oriented service package to the client.

The SCE process may be used alone or incorporated into a train of processes that treat organics or other metals. Organics contaminants do not interfere with SCE's ability to form complexed mineral and other compounds with heavy metal contaminants. Among the types of material successfully treated by this technology are:

The reagents can be blended both in-situ and ex-situ. Ex-situ treatment can allow for greater control under some conditions. Ex-situ treatment has been successfully applied to wastes amounting to only a few drums up to projects requiring very large volumes of treatment at a production rate of up to 2,000 tons per day. The system may be modified to comply with RCRA regulations on closed/contained and tank treatment systems.

Several in-situ processing techniques are available depending on topography and near surface soil conditions. Projects range from little as 300 yd3 treated to a depth of one foot to very large projects at greater depths. Current capabilities now allow treatment to take place at much greater depths and in some cases under water tables. In-situ treatment at voluntary remediation and RCRA sites have not required a Part B RCRA treatment permit and have allowed clients to significantly expedite regulator approval for onsite treatment when the alternative was excavation and offsite disposal as hazardous waste.

Cost of SCE's treatment is low to moderate. Cost-effectiveness will depend on a number of site-specific factors. These include:

• Treatability studies and determination of reagent dosage requirements
• Physical handling characteristics of contaminated material
• Treatment system sizing and material variability
• Ease of site access
• Transportation and disposal costs for treated material
• Site support requirements
• Waste quantities (economy of scale)
• Ancillary site tasks additional to treatment

The SCE product line offers highly effective, proprietary treatment chemistries that render inorganic waste streams non-hazardous by controlling the solubility of the targeted metals across a broad range of disposal environments.

SCE's chemicals are designed to combine with the targeted metals to produce insoluble compounds that do not leach when subjected to the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TLCP) or other alternative leaching tests, such as the Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure (SPLP), Multiple Extraction Procedure (MEP) or others.

• Foundry operations (i.e. iron, steel, aluminum, brass, copper)
• Battery manufacturing and recycling
• Primary and secondary smelting
• Scrap processing and recycling
• Federal and state Superfund sites - soil remediation
• RCRA soil/sludge clean-up actions
• Use in permitted TSDFs (Transport, Storage and Disposal Facilities)
• Treating EPA-listed K061 steel mill waste (electric arc furnace dust)
• Incinerator ash stabilization
• Mine tailings and leachate treatment

Soil Contamination

During the 1990s, heavy metal concentrations have been identified in the Spokane River, which empties Lake Coeur d'Alene and leads to the salmon and trout spawning grounds of the Columbia River system. Following laboratory bench scale tests a stabilization method was identified for on-site confirmation of an in-situ technique that would not damage the River's banks. Specially formulated reagents were applied and testing revealing concentrations below EPA (LDR).

Waste Stockpiles and Sediments

An EPA superfund located northern California is typical of wood treating facilities that employed CCA (Copper-Chromium-Arsenate) formulations to reduce biological degradation and insect damage in structural and decorative timber. Concentrations of leachable arsenic in excess of RCRA clean up standards were identified in several areas of the plant including the upper 2- 3 feet of soil in the "drip-line" area; sediments collected in storm water settling basins and soils around and under the pressure retorts used to force treating solutions into the timber. SCE conducted on site treatment using costumed formulated bulk reagents adding less than 2 % original waste volume. Treated wastes were then permanently deposited in a specially designed cell on site.