Securing Containerized Hazardous Wastes with Polyethylene Resin and Fiberglass Encapsulates

摘要

This study investigates the fabrication and use of polyethylene resin and fiberglass to encapsulate and secure containerized hazardous wastes. Laboratory-scale encapsulates of composite structure were made from powdered, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and epoxy-resin-wetted fiberglass. Methods are described for fabricating encapsulates with seamless polyethylene walls backed by fiberglass, and a demonstration is given of their high performance under severe leaching and mechanical stresses. The objective of the study was to develop a method for securing hazardous wastes held either in small, corroding containers or in large ones such as 55-gal drums. The drums would be encapsulated on an as-is basis (i.e., their contents would not be emptied). Encapsulation would make them safe to transport and to deposit within a final disposal site such as a landfill. This study is a companion to two other documents investigating the use of plastics for the encapsulation of corroding containers of hazardous wastes: Securing Containerized Hazardous Wastes with Welded Polyethylene Encapsulates (PB81-231292) and Securing Containerized Hazardous Wastes by Encapsulation with Spray-on/Brush-on Resins.