Incineration destroys most dangerous components of medical and other hazardous wastes, but even the hottest furnaces still produce nitrogen oxides, dioxins, and toxic ash. After years of industry efforts to develop a versatile noncombustion thermal alternative-one so hot that wastes are transformed into less harmful or even useful gases and glassy solids-a dual-heating system is proving commercially viable.

Developed by Integrated Environmental Technologies of Richland, WA, which is commercializing technology developed partly at MIT, the system recently hit a key milestone. Industrial-gas giant Praxair last fall decided to market the technology to the chemical industry to destroy toxic waste, and in the process create hydrogen. "It effectively eliminates off-site transfer and disposal, typically by incineration, of hazardous wastes," says Gary Storms, commercial-development manager for Praxair in Danbury, CT.