Former fusion researcher and entrpreneur Dr. Ben Eastlund has developed three patents that describe plasma processing techniques, using fusion-level plasma parameters, to separate the elements in radioactive waste into toxic and benign portions. Eastlund says the techniques can be applied to the problems of disposal of commercial nuclear power plant wastes and tank wastes left over from the DOE nuclear weapons program. He notes that DOE estimates it will cost over $60 billion to cleanup these wastes using conventional storage techniques. He says his techniques, similar to the "fusion torch" concept he originated with W. C. Gough in 1968, would "lower the processing cost and greatly diminish the volume of waste to be stored." Eastlund dubs the version the "Fusion Torch/Large Volume Plasma Processor (LVPP)."

The LVPP uses an ultra-high temperature plasma to convert any material into an ionized gas and then uses magnetic fields to guide the elements to appropriate collection points. It allows for efficient extraction of the radioactive components from bulk waste products with a "dry" process, as opposed to conventional technologies that utilize acids or molten metals to dissolve waste. Eastlund says that "Proliferation issues are minimized because all species can be monitored and tracked by computers." He says that a prototype could be in operation within two years.

Eastlund was co-founder of the highly successful Fusion Systems Corporation in 1971. Fusion Systems commercialized a plasma-generated ultraviolet light system to rapidly dry inks and varnishes.

More information on the LVPP can be obtained at the following web site: http://www.Eastlundscience.com