The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued Hydrodec with a permit for the storage and treatment of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated used transformer oil in the United States. The approval will allow the company to begin the re-refining of PCB-contaminated transformer oil at its plant in Canton, Ohio.
Previously used as an additive in transformer oils, PCBs are a toxic substance now banned under international regulations. The EPA permit confirms that Hydrodec is capable of operating its PCB destruction process in an effective and safe manner, and that its commercial storage meets all applicable requirements.
Hydrodec anticipates being able to process PCB-contaminated oil within the United States in September. This approval will add to the volumes of used oil available to Hydrodec in the U.S. and at a lower cost. It also will enable Hydrodec to offer a "one-stop shop" and an environmentally friendly solution for used transformer oil for utilities and other suppliers.
“The grant of a license to process PCB-contaminated oil by the EPA is a big milestone for our business in the U.S., and it endorses the Hydrodec process as a real alternative to incineration,” said Ian Smale, chief executive of Hydrodec. “The ability to handle and process PCB-contaminated oils significantly differentiates the Hydrodec cleantech offering in the United States. The full impact of this will become apparent in the next year or so.”
Hydrodec’s oil re-refining and chemical process is focused on the multi-billion-dollar market for transformer oil, which is used by the world’s electricity industry. Spent oil, including PCB-contaminated oil, is taken as the primary feedstock and processed by Hydrodec, enabling 99 percent or greater recovery of oil for reuse while also eliminating PCBs without environmentally harmful emissions.
For more information, visit www.hydrodec.com.
