Dive Brief:
- Matthew Miles, a 2014 graduate of Northern Kentucky University (NKU), has devised a machine that can effectively separate and recycle chemicals in liquid form.
- The equipment processes the chemicals, converting them into a "pure form" so that they are reusable.
- Prior to the process, by-products of the chemical waste were discarded and recycled if possible.
Dive Insight:
The machine distills the chemicals via a heating and cooling procedure. It takes about one day for the distillation process to complete.
Miles said that the substances, after being recycled into their pure form, can be put to many other uses. For example, the chemistry lab at NKU can now re-use the solvents instead of purchasing additional bottles, thus leading to increased savings for the cost of materials. In addition, the process is an environmentally-effective solution. The university enjoys additional savings by eliminating the need for hazardous disposal costs stemming from the removal of chemicals from the NKU campus.
Although the technology is in its testing stages, the university plans to create a larger scale model. The machine could potentially lower fees for larger facilities looking to reduce costs of hazardous waste disposal.
