Research Opportunities for Managing the Department of Energy's Transuranic and Mixed Wastes (2002) / Chapter Skim
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2 Framing DOE's Transuranic and Mixed Waste Challenges
2 Framing DOE's Transuranic and Mixed Waste Challenges
Pages 14-34
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From page 14... ...
see Sidebar 2.1. Research challenges for managing DOE's high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuels and for remediating subsurface contamination are described elsewhere (NRC, 2000a, 2001 a, 2002a)
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From page 15... ...
is defined in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985, essentially by excluding other types of waste. Namely, LLW is not spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct material.
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Through their impact on site technolouv needs challenges arising from the diverse waste inventory, multiple evolving regulations, and publicconcernswill significantlyaffectanyresearch agenda developed by the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP)
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C h a p t e r 2 FIGURE 2. 1 Before 1970, transuranic and mixed wastes were buried in nearsurface trenches.
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In addition, DOE expects to produce ex situ waste by recovery of a portion of the more contaminated soils and sediments at some of its sites. The diversity of the TM waste inventory is described in the Mixed Waste Inventory Report (MWIR fDOE, 19951~.
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From page 19... ...
However, many unique wastes are problematic to treat and dispose, and their small volumes make them economically unattractive to site cleanup contractors.4 No information is available concerning the treatment needs for the previously buried waste. DOE's production processes did not change with the prohibition of burial in 1970, so these materials are expected to have a composition similar to retrievably stored waste.
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. Inorganic Homogeneous Solids: Particulate matter such as ash, sandblasting media, inorganic particulate absorbents, absorbed organic liquids, ion-exchange media, metal chips or turnings, glass or ceramic materials, and activated carbon Inorganic Sludges: Wastewater treatment pond, off-gas treatment, plating waste, and low-level reprocessing sludges · Other Inorganic Waste: Paint waste (chips, solids, and sludges)
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From page 21... ...
, and organic chemicals Unique Waste · Lab Packs: Organic, aqueous, and solid laboratory chemicals and scintillation cocktails · Special Wastes: Elemental mercury, elemental hazardous metals (activated and nonactivated lead, elemental cadmium) , beryllium dust, batteries (lead acid, mercury, cadmium)
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From page 22... ...
However, recent revisions to the Safety Analysis for TRUPACT-II shipping containers have reduced but not eliminated the concern about hydrogen accumulation during shipment. Under the new revision, only about 2 percent of the TRU waste inventory (about 14,200 drum equivalents)
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Approximately 2 to 4 percent of the TRU waste inventory produces enough penetrating radiation from fission product contaminants that it requires remote handling (RH-TRU) , rather than hands-on operator contact.
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The Federal Facility Compliance Act of 1992 (FFCA) requires that DOE facilities comply with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to hazardous waste.
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Containers are assayed to be sure that their heat generation and fissile material content are within Permit limitations. In addition, some homogeneous solids and soil or gravel wastes must be sampled to establish the concentrations of VOCs, semi-VOCs, and metals for hazardous waste characterization.
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of 1986, CERCLA gives EPA the authority to require remediation of hazardous waste previously disposed at DOE sites. Compliance with CERCLA may require the retrieval of some previously buried mixed wastes.
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From page 27... ...
This facility also provides some treatment capabilities, including stabilization by converting the waste to a solid material, macroencapsulation, and microencapsulation (see Chapter 3~. The State of Utah has permitting authority for low-level waste and hazardous waste using USNRC and EPA rules, respectively.
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On September 30, 1999, EPA promulgated standards to control emissions of hazardous air pollutants from incinerators, cement kilns, and lightweight aggregate kilns that burn hazardous wastes (referred to as the Phase I rule)
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The regulations also adopted alternative treatment standards for soil contaminated with hazardous waste. On May 1 1, 1999, this rule was corrected and clarified, particularly with respect to treatment residuals and point of generation both of which directly affect DOE mixed waste facilities.
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FIGURE 2.4 RCRA requirements for disposal of MLLW include use of an impermeable liner and leachate collection system to provide total containment of hazardous chemicals for at least 30 years. Here, a large box of macroencapsulated waste is being placed in a RCRA-compliant disposal facility at Hanford.
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From page 31... ...
Given EPA's broad responsibility to regulate hazardous waste, additional future regulations affecting MLLW are inevitable. Public Concerns The views and concerns of members of the public will play an important role in establishing needs for improved technologies or changing agreed-upon plans for managing TM wastes.
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From page 32... ...
of waste generated Validity of monitoring results Disposition of waste generated · Effects on worker and public health and safety . Environmental impacts · Residual effects or impacts that cannot be mitigated · Acceptability to Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Description of catastrophic failure or credible accident scenario Description of off-normal operation · Vulnerability to off-normal operation .
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From page 33... ...
Summary: Meeting TM Waste Challenges DOE's efforts are focused on removing TM wastes from its sites as rapidly as possible. Although the focus is on near-term accomplishments, in the broader perspective DOE's waste inventory is large and diverse and wastes will continue to be produced by both site cleanup and new activities.
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From page 34... ...
DOE expects this regulatory relief to help accelerate site cleanup and closure. Conversely, DOE has encountered legal, economic, and public concerns about incineration, a technology that was expected to treat a large fraction of the TM waste inventory.
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