A five hundred ton thermal desorption remediation trial of contaminted soil at a former gasworks site

Innova Soil Technology was engaged by the owner of a former gasworks site to undertake a five hundred ton treatment trial of heavily PAH contaminated soils. The former gasworks site was located in the Hamilton North Area of Newcastle, NSW and has a total area of approximately 7.4 hectares. Operations on the gasworks site ceased in the early 80’s. Since then, the site has undergone extensive investigation by various geotechnical and environmental consultants, with over 150 sampling points being drilled to assess the coal tar and other contamination issues, in both the soil and groundwater

Thermal desorption treatment of heavy coal tar contaminated soils: a case study

Innova Soil Technology Ltd has recently completed the remediation of a 6000 tonne hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminated soil stockpile that was located at the client’s, primary chemicals refining facility in Newcastle NSW. Remediation approvals and licensing were granted by the NSW Government to undertake the project. This case study briefly describes Innova’s thermal desorption process, the development approvals and operating licence granted by the NSW government to undertake the project, insights provided by the initial laboratory soil treatability studies, results of a 150 tonne treatment trial of the PAH contaminated soils and a summary of the final thermal desorption treatment and remediation of the 6000 tonne stockpile

Science in technology and the progression of ideas through innovation

How does science fit into technology and the progression of ideas through innovation? Science (what and why) and engineering (how) form the knowledge part of technology, alongside the skills and experience parts. Technology, the know-how that allows others to master a technique, underpins all products and services. Ideas are just a mental image in someone’s mind. To take material form through the process of innovation, those ideas have to surmount thresholds of possibility, progress and probability before they become diffused outcomes in their respective marketplaces. These thresholds require, respectively, know-how (technology), leadership and communication. Many other issues go to rate and extent of innovation diffusion. But unless the thresholds are effectively crossed, innovation diffusion is mostly highly unlikely to happen. This new insight into the mechanism of innovation was inspired by The Principle of Hope, philosopher Ernst Bloch’s magnum opus. The experience of Innova Soil Technology Pty Ltd, an Australian soil remediation business, is used as a case study. Science is thus a demonstrably necessary, but entirely insufficient, part of technology and the progression of ideas through innovation