InEnTec

About InEnTec

InEnTec, initially named Integrated Environmental Technologies, was spun out of MIT in 1995. Its story began in the early 1990s at MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center, where co-founder Daniel R. Cohn sought near-term, socially beneficial applications for fusion technologies. Cohn partnered with Jeffrey E. Surma from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), who was developing a device to trap hazardous waste in molten glass. They were joined by General Electric engineer Charles H. Titus and received business assistance from Larry Dinkin to form the company. Surma, now the President and CEO, has a background in chemistry and chemical engineering and previously directed research projects at PNNL. Dinkin brought extensive experience in business startups and management to the founding team.

The company commercializes a plasma gasification technology known as the Plasma Enhanced Melter (PEM). This system processes a wide array of waste materials—including municipal solid waste, hazardous and medical waste, industrial by-products, and difficult-to-recycle plastics—by exposing them to extreme temperatures exceeding 10,000 degrees Celsius. This process breaks down waste into its elemental components without combustion or incineration. The primary output is a synthesis gas, or "syngas," which is a blend of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This syngas serves as a feedstock for producing a variety of valuable products like hydrogen, ethanol, methanol, and electricity. Inorganic materials are trapped in a non-leachable, glass-like substance called Synglass™, which can be used for building materials.

InEnTec's business model is centered on receiving payments for waste disposal, which are then converted into high-value energy and chemical products. This approach targets several markets, including waste plastic recycling, distributed hydrogen production for fuel cell vehicles, and the disposal of high-value hazardous waste. The company has established facilities that handle 25 to 150 tons of waste daily. Notable projects include a plant in Oregon converting waste into fuel cell-grade hydrogen and a partnership with Dow Corning to process hazardous chemical waste back into usable feedstocks for their manufacturing process. The company has also formed joint ventures, such as S4 Energy Solutions with Waste Management, to develop and market its plasma gasification facilities.