Thermoselect: Energy and Raw Material Recovery through Thermal Chemical Transformation in a Closed-loop System

The authors have presented a unique theory. I firmly be­ lieve that the public wants a system such as the authors have described; the perfect system would take garbage in, and produce several streams of valuable byproducts while emit­ ting little, if any, pollution streams. The authors cite some prototype testing at Fondotoce, Italy. However, the paper gives the impression that perhaps not all of the suggested processing is a part of the present prototype operation. If this is the case, the reader should be clearly informed as to which of the suggested byproduct pro­ cessing systems is presently operational at Fondotoce, and which are thought to be possible. Even though all of the sug­ gested processing systems may be in use in other plants and other facilities, to have them all efficiently operating in co­ ordination at one interconnected facility will be a sizable un­ dertaking. For those that are operational, it would be good to include details of the actual prototype operation. The authors state in their opening paragraphs that the continued addition of more efficient pollution control equip­ ment "will be the only route open to allow (open combus­ tion) systems to meet increasingly more stringent regula­ tions." This is offered without defense. Are we to believe that the public is never to be satisfied at any level of envi­ ronmental protection? Most professionals in this field of waste combustion agree that the most recent round of more stringent regulations will produce "environmental improvements" that are undetectable with any modern in­ strumentation at ground level. I say the authors have an