Eurotech has announced that the Florida International University’s Hemispheric Center for Environmental Technology (HCET) has completed the initial application system design, engineering diagrams and technical documents for the penetrating coating form of EKOR. HCET partnered with Eurotech to complete three basic product forms for EKOR including penetrating coating, encapsulant formulation and dense foam to be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2001.
HCET reports that besides important radiation, fire and chemical resistance attributes of EKOR, the capability of formulating EKOR in different product forms should make EKOR an attractive encapsulant for a broad spectrum of product applications in nuclear waste containment, transportation, storage and disposal.
EKOR has been successfully used to encapsulate high level waste at the Chernobyl 4 bubble pool. Chernobyl Shelter Agency’s (Shelter) periodic monitoring indicates no loss in EKOR’s effectiveness. The Shelter’s management reports that products with EKOR’s application flexibility and performance longevity were not previously available.
Jeff Stephen, Eurotech’s chief operating officer, reported that among the nuclear debris inside the sarcophagus is an estimated 40 plus tons of radioactive dust. While dust represents a potential environmental threat, it also represents an engineering challenge during Chernobyl’s stabilisation and decontamination. Eurotech believes that EKOR has many potential uses at Chernobyl.
Eurotech has recently formed a new business unit, the nuclear and environmental division, to capitalise on EKOR’s global market opportunities.
