The CerOx Corporation of Sunnyvale, Calif., has implemented environmentally safe waste treatment systems based on patented technology developed at the Battelle-managed Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The technology, which treats hazardous organic wastes, mixed wastes, pesticides, etc., will be sold and leased under the name CerOx Systems to those who ship wastes offsite for incineration. Larger, plant-sized systems are targeted for the captive incineration market, populated by the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. CerOx Systems will eliminate customers’ waste generation liability, lower customers’ expenses and provide a method of treatment that will meet all current and future Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. Battelle has issued an exclusive worldwide license to CerOx for the basic process patent, and holds a joint process patent with CerOx on the reactor systems.

The CerOx process oxidizes organics completely to CO2 and water. The company estimates that there will be no viable competitors with non-thermal incineration alternatives in this marketplace for many decades. The U.S. market potential is tremendous: $6.2 billion from universities, medical, pharmaceutical and chemical labs; and $8.3 billion from predominately chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers. There are also significant international opportunities that will potentially exceed those in the United States. In all cases, the basic market drivers are economics and reduction of liability. Additional drivers include the discontinuation of transportation from sites and the ability to comply with new standards.

Since its inception, Battelle has been committed to “putting technology to work.” The System, placed at the University of Nevada in 1997, has allowed the university to reduce its costs, defray neighbors’ concerns over treatment practices and better control risk.

The current Clean Air Act standards place enormous pressure on existing incinerators and will result in the closure of many captive incinerators. CerOx Systems offers a valuable alternative that does not require a federal permit in most states. The System, placed at the University of Nevada in 1997, has allowed the university to reduce its costs, defray neighbors’ concerns over treatment practices and better control risk. Systems are also being considered for destroying PCBs, dioxins and pesticides as well as standard laboratory wastes and chemical wastes. The U.S. Navy is experimenting with a pilot system for the destruction of energetics and explosives, a program first initiated at PNNL.

CerOx is in various stages of the marketing process with the University of California at San Francisco, Dow Chemical Company, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Stanford University, Agilent Technologies, Genentech, and others. The commercialization of this technology is consistent with Battelle’s mission to “put technology to work.” Battelle pushes technology out of its laboratories and into the marketplace. In addition, Battelle’s Environmental Technology Commercialization Center (www.etc2.org) works to commercialize EPA-developed technologies. More information about CerOx Systems may be obtained at www.cerox.com.

Environment Home Page

Fall 2000 Home Page