Recycling part of desert decommissioning task

Sweden/Israel – Specialists from Swedish companies Swedecraft and SAKAB, in partnership with Israeli firm Tabib, have undertaken a seven-day project in southern Israel involving the decommissioning of electric power equipment potentially contaminated with high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

At a desert-based industrial facility, the team of experts replaced and stored 11 high-voltage transformers produced at the end of 1960s. According to team manager Fredric Rysjö, temperatures were around 30 degC and so Swedecraft staff started their working day before sunrise at 5.30am. The waste equipment was sent to Sweden for final disposal; but before packaging, the PCB oil was pumped out in an environmentally safe manner since Swedecraft’s technology allows for recovery of metals before destruction. According to Swedecraft, a joint venture involving Finland-based Kuusakoski, the materials were handled in accordance with high safety and environmental requirements.