The destruction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been the subject of a great deal of speculation, controversy, and research. The presently acceptable method is high temperature incineration, followed by scrubbing the off-gas to remove hydrogen chloride. This is reported to be 99.99% efficient. This means that if one hundred tons are "destroyed" annually, that only twenty pounds will be allowed to escape to the atmosphere in the vicinity of the incinerator--a considerable quantity! Part of the material which thus escapes can be presumed to be dioxins, which are extremely toxic, and thus a greater hazard than an equivalent quantity of PCB.
Recent publications Chemical Week, Sept. 17, 1980, and Chemical and Engineering News, Sept. 22, 1980) have publicized a liquid method which is portable, and reclaims the transformer oils which are contaminated by the PCBs.
In addition to PCBs, there are many halogenated pesticides, chemical intermediates, and side products which are filling both legal and illegal dump sites and present serious hazards to the public health. There are also millions of tons of equipment, soils and sludges which are contaminated with these materials. This invention is applicable to destruction of these materials in a safe, inexpensive manner.