TEHRAN, july 28, irna -- two research projects conducted by the energy research center and the power generation and transmission organization (tavanir) with an aim of annihilating ascarel oil by microwave electromagnetic waves and optimizing its efficiency was submitted to anti-chemical weapons convention in the hague.

the said projects were drawn up following the call for research in this respect by the convention in 2000.

all research companies and institutes worldwide were called upon to submit their proposals on how to clear the environment from all chemical weapons and compounds such as ascarels.

according to a report released by the energy research center, the first phase of iran's proposed projects, which were approved by the convention, was dispatched to the convention center in the hague by its local representative stationed at iran's ministry of foreign affairs.

the hard currency budget required to implement the project will be extended to the energy research center.

given that iran's electricity industry is quite ageing, ascarel oil is still used in a considerable amount of tranformers and capacitors which had been procured before 1977.

once the high risk of ascarel oil was revealed in some industries and power stations, the contaminated equipment was replaced by new ones and in most cases their oil was replaced by new one. ascarels are currently kept at special places and they are quite safe and standard.

since 1981, the ministry of energy has been concerned about the exploitation of the equipment running on ascarel and their storage.

on the other hand, the companies which had obtained the permit to annihilate ascarel oil and the contaminating equipment from the un and its environmental commission, have been identified by the energy research center over the past two years through extensive surveys.

meanwhile, the energy research center negotiated with the identified german, dutch and french companies.

ascarel is the brand name for a series of insulating oil containing pcb compounds. given its proper technical specifications, specially its high safety factor against the fire risk, it found its application as electrical insulator in transformers and electrical devices.

now that ascarel's negative effects on the environment has been revealed, international institutions, such as the world health organization (who), have launched a campaign to annihilate it.