ATLANTA, May 27, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. (Nasdaq:PESI) today announced the successful treatment demonstration of Tritium contaminated equipment and media originating from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site located in Aiken, SC. The demonstration was accomplished at Perma-Fix's Materials & Energy Corporation Facility (M&EC) located in Oak Ridge, TN. This demonstration was necessary to prove that relatively high Tritium containing waste streams that also contain Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous components can be safely managed with minimal to no release of Tritium using non-thermal treatment processes. This was accomplished by designing a closed loop system that captures Tritium and allows it to be managed separately for disposal as low-level radioactive waste. The remaining RCRA portion of the waste was then treated to meet appropriate EPA standards.
Perma-Fix worked collaboratively with DOE Savannah River Site's prime contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) personnel to design the appropriate containment and process equipment that allowed for this successful demonstration. Perma-Fix/M&EC completed design, construction, and installation of the new process equipment in March 2010. Additional Tritium contaminated equipment is stored at the Savannah River Site and could be dispositioned using Perma-Fix's new treatment capability at the Company's M&EC Facility.
Dr. Louis F. Centofanti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This latest treatment demonstration offers DOE new capabilities to address wastes that have been in long term storage with no clear disposition path. Our new Tritium treatment capability further supports footprint reduction at DOE sites that is a primary goal of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). We provide these services while meeting the complex regulatory requirements in a safe and effective manner."
About Perma-Fix Environmental Services
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc., a national environmental services company, provides unique mixed waste and industrial waste management services. The Company's increased focus on nuclear services includes radioactive and mixed waste treatment services for hospitals, research labs and institutions, federal agencies, including DOE, DOD, and nuclear utilities. The Company's industrial services treat hazardous and non-hazardous waste for a variety of customers including, Fortune 500 companies, federal, state and local agencies and thousands of other clients. Nationwide, the Company operates seven major waste treatment facilities.
The Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7172
This press release contains "forward‑looking statements" which are based largely on the Company's expectations and are subject to various business risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements generally are identifiable by use of the words such as "believe", "expects", "intends", "anticipate", "estimates", "projects", and similar expressions. Forward‑looking statements include, but are not limited to: Additional Tritium contaminated equipment is stored at the Savannah River Site and could be dispositioned using Perm-Fix's new treatment capability at the Company's M&EC Facility. These forward‑looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While the Company believes the expectations reflected in this news release are reasonable, it can give no assurance such expectations will prove to be correct. There are a variety of factors which could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those described in this release, including, without limitation, future economic conditions; industry conditions; competitive pressures; our ability to apply and market our technologies; that neither the federal government nor any other party to a subcontract involving the federal government terminates or renegotiates any material contract granted to us prior to expiration of the term of the contract, as such contracts are generally terminable or renegotiable on 30 day notice, at the government's option; or the government or such other party to a contract granted to us fails to abide by or comply with the contract or to deliver waste as anticipated under the contract; that Congress provides continuing funding for the Department of Defense's and Department of Energy's remediation projects; and the additional factors referred to under "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" of our 2009 Form 10-K and our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company makes no commitment to disclose any revisions to forward‑looking statements, or any facts, events or circumstances after the date hereof that bear upon forward‑looking statements.
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