The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is faced with a massive cleanup task in resolving the legacy of environmental problems from years of manufacturing nuclear weapons. One of the major activities within this task is the treatment and disposal of the extremely large amount of high-level radioactive (HLW) waste stored at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington. The current planning for the method of choice for accomplishing this task is to vitrify (glassify) this waste for disposal in a geologic repository. This paper describes the results of the DOE-chartered independent review of alternatives for solidification of Hanford HLW that could achieve major cost reductions with reasonable long-term risks, including recommendations on a path forward for advanced melter and waste form material research and development. The potential for improved cost performance was considered to depend largely on increased waste loading (fewer high-level waste canisters for disposal), higher throughput, or decreased vitrification facility size.

In the framework of the preparation for the decommissioning of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) an Industrial Complex for Solid Radwaste Management (ICSRM) will be built under the EC TACIS Program in the vicinity of ChNPP. The paper will present the proposed concepts and their integration into existing buildings and installations. Further, the paper will consider the safety cases, as well as the integration of Western and Ukrainian Organizations into a cohesive project team and the requirement to guarantee the fulfillment of both Western standards and Ukrainian regulations and licensing requirements. The paper will provide information on the status of the interim design and the effects of value engineering on the output of basic design phase. The paper therefor summarizes the design results of the involved design engineers of the Design and Process Providers BNFL (LOT 1), RWE NUKEM GmbH (LOT 2 and General) and INITEC (LOT 3).

Characterization, packaging, transport, handling and disposal of remotely handled transuranic (RH TRU) waste at WIPP will be different than similar operations with contact handled transuranic (CH TRU) waste. This paper presents results of technical evaluations associated with the planned disposal of remotely handled transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

The radioactive waste management system at Cernavoda Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Romania was designed to maintain acceptable levels of safety for workers and to protect human health and the environment from exposure to unacceptable levels of radiation. In accordance with terminology of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), this system consists of the ''pretreatment'' of solid and organic liquid radioactive waste, which may include part or all of the following activities: collection, handling, volume reduction (by an in-drum compactor, if appropriate), and storage. Gaseous and aqueous liquid wastes are managed according to the ''dilute and discharge'' strategy. Taking into account the fact that treatment/conditioning and disposal technologies are still not established, waste minimization at the source is a priority environmental management objective, while waste minimization at the disposal stage is presently just a theoretical requirement for future adopted technologies . The necessary operational and maintenance procedures are in place at Cernavoda to minimize the production and contamination of waste. Administrative and technical measures are established to minimize waste volumes. Thus, an annual environmental target of a maximum 30 m3 of radioactive waste volume arising from operation and maintenance has been established. Within the first five years of operations at …

This paper presents the results of an ongoing research and development project conducted by Russian institutions in Moscow and Snezhinsk, supported by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma. The joint study focuses on developing and applying analytical tools to effectively characterize contaminant transport and assess risks associated with migration of radionuclides and heavy metals in the water column and sediments of large reservoirs or lakes. The analysis focuses on the development and evaluation of theoretical-computational models that describe the distribution of radioactive wastewater within a reservoir and characterize the associated radiation field as well as estimate doses received from radiation exposure. The analysis focuses on the development and evaluation of Monte Carlo-based, theoretical-computational methods that are applied to increase the precision of results and to reduce computing time for estimating the characteristics the radiation field emitted from the contaminated wastewater layer. The calculated migration of radionuclides is used to estimate distributions of radiation doses that could be received by an exposed population based on exposure to radionuclides from specified volumes of discrete aqueous sources. The calculated dose distributions can be used to support near-term and long-term decisions about priorities for environmental remediation …

Over the past two years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations Office (RL) has formulated a focused, outcomes-based vision for accelerated cleanup of the Hanford Site. The primary elements, or outcomes, of this vision are to (1) accelerate restoration of the Columbia River Corridor, (2) transition the Central Plateau to long-term waste management, thereby shrinking the footprint of active site cleanup and operations, and (3) prepare for the future. The third outcome includes operation of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a key element of the foundation for Hanford's future; leveraging DOE's assets; and working with the community to understand their vision and reflect it as appropriate in the execution of the Hanford 2012 Vision. The purpose of these three outcomes is to provide a near term focus, aimed at achieving definitive end points over the next decade, while not precluding any long-term end-state associated with the completion of the Environmental Management (EM) mission at Hanford. The sheer expanse of the Hanford Site, the inherent hazards associated with the significant inventory of nuclear materials and wastes, the large number of aging contaminated facilities, the diverse nature and extent of environmental contamination, and the proximity to the Columbia River …

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Coordinated research program ''Improvement of Safety Assessment Methodologies for Near Surface Disposal Facilities'' (ISAM) has developed improved safety assessment methodology for near surface disposal facilities. The program has been underway for three years and has included around 75 active participants from 40 countries. It has also provided examples for application to three safety cases--vault, Radon type and borehole radioactive waste disposal facilities. The program has served as an excellent forum for exchange of information and good practices on safety assessment approaches and methodologies used worldwide. It also provided an opportunity for reaching broad consensus on the safety assessment methodologies to be applied to near surface low and intermediate level waste repositories. The methodology has found widespread acceptance and the need for its application on real waste disposal facilities has been clearly identified. The ISAM was finalized by the end of 2000, working material documents are available and an IAEA report will be published in 2002 summarizing the work performed during the three years of the program. The outcome of the ISAM program provides a sound basis for moving forward to a new IAEA program, which will focus on practical application of the safety assessment …

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The performance objectives of the U. S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office Low-level Radioactive Waste (LLW) disposal facilities located at the Nevada Test Site transcend those of any other radioactive waste disposal site in the United States. Situated at the southern end of the Great Basin, 244 meters (800 feet) above the water table, the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) has utilized a combination of engineered shallow land disposal cells and deep augured shafts to dispose a variety of waste streams. These include high volume low-activity waste, classified material, and high-specific-activity special case waste. Fifteen miles north of Area 5 is the Area 3 RWMS. Here bulk LLW disposal takes place in subsidence craters formed from underground testing of nuclear weapons. Earliest records indicate that documented LLW disposal activities have occurred at the Area 5 and Area 3 RWMSs since 1961 and 1968, respectively. However, these activities have only been managed under a formal program since 1978. This paper describes the technical attributes of the facilities, present and future capacities and capabilities, and provides a description of the process from waste approval to final disposition. The paper also summarizes the current status of …

Since the early eighties, several studies have been carried out in Belgium with respect to a repository for the final disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLW). In 1998, the Belgian Government decided to restrict future investigations to the four existing nuclear sites in Belgium or sites that might show interest. So far, only two existing nuclear sites have been thoroughly investigated from a geological and hydrogeological point of view. These sites are located in the North-East (Mol-Dessel) and in the mid part (Fleurus-Farciennes) of the country. Both sites have the disadvantage of presenting poor geological and hydrogeological conditions, which are rather unfavorable to accommodate a surface disposal facility for LLW. The underground of the Mol-Dessel site consists of neogene sand layers of about 180 m thick which cover a 100 meters thick clay layer. These neogene sands contain, at 20 m depth, a thin clayey layer. The groundwater level is quite close to the surface (0-2m) and finally, the topography is almost totally flat. The upper layer of the Fleurus-Farciennes site consists of 10 m silt with poor geomechanical characteristics, overlying sands (only a few meters thick) and Westphalian shales between 15 and 20 m depth. The Westphalian shales are …

The first remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) waste is expected to be permanently disposed of at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) during Fiscal Year (FY) 2003. The first RH-TRU waste shipments are scheduled from the Battelle Columbus Laboratories (BCL) to WIPP in order to facilitate compliance with BCL Decommissioning Project (BCLDP) milestones. Milestones requiring RH-TRU waste containerization and removal from the site by 2004 in order to meet a 2006 site closure goal, established by Congress in the Defense Facilities Closure Projects account, necessitated the establishment and implementation of a site-specific program to direct the packaging of BCLDP RH-TRU waste prior to the finalization of WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization requirements. The program was designed to collect waste data, including audio and videotape records of waste packaging, such that upon completion of waste packaging, comprehensive data records exist from which compliance with final WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization requirements can be demonstrated. With the BCLDP data records generated to date and the development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) of preliminary documents proposing the WIPP RH-TRU waste characterization program, it is possible to evaluate the adequacy of the BCLDP program with respect to meeting proposed characterization objectives. The BCLDP …

The Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Program has made significant progress in planning disposition of its excess nuclear materials and has recently completed several noteworthy studies. Since establishment in 1997, the EM Nuclear Material Stewardship Program has developed disposition plans for excess nuclear materials to support facility deactivation. All nuclear materials have been removed from the Miamisburg Environmental Management Project (Mound), and disposition planning is nearing completion for the Fernald Environmental Management Project and the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. Only a few issues remain for materials at the Hanford and Idaho sites. Recent trade studies include the Savannah River Site Canyons Nuclear Materials Identification Study, a Cesium/Strontium Management Alternatives Trade Study, a Liquid Technical Standards Trade Study, an Irradiated Beryllium Reflectors with Tritium study, a Special Performance Assessment Required Trade Study, a Neutron Source Trade Study, and development of discard criteria for uranium. A Small Sites Workshop was also held. Potential and planned future activities include updating the Plutonium-239 storage study, developing additional packaging standards, developing a Nuclear Material Disposition Handbook, determining how to recover or dispose of Pu-244 and U-233, and working with additional sites to define disposition plans for their nuclear materials.

Used spent fuel baskets have been stored in the La Hague North-West concrete-lined pits until decommissioning. In 1998, COGEMA decided to retrieve, cut and condition these spent fuel baskets. This paper describes the experience gained, since the start up of this operation in 1999, discusses resulting dosimetry and waste produced, during retrieving and remotely cutting of LL activity large metallic structures. This process result in significantly lower exposures to workers in the D and D operations. In addition the work was carried out in an environmentally safe manner with reasonable financial costs.

Within the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (EM), the Office of Science and Technology (OST) identifies and develops innovative technologies that accelerate cleanup of high-priority environmental contamination problems and enable EM closure sites to meet closure schedules. OST manages an integrated research and development program that is essential to completing timely and cost-effective cleanup and stewardship of DOE sites. While innovative technologies can make significant contributions to the cleanup process, in some cases, EM has encountered unexpected barriers to their implementation. Technical obstacles are expected, but administrative challenges-such as regulatory, organizational, and stakeholder issues-must also be addressed. OST has found that collaborative needs identification and problem solving are essential components in overcoming these barriers. Collaboration helps EM meet its cleanup goals, close sites, and reduce the overall cost of cleanup at DOE sites nationwide. This paper presents examples of OST's collaboration efforts that expedite site closure and solve specific cleanup problems at EM sites.

In 1997, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office awarded the Management and Integration (M&I) contract for all five of their Oak Ridge Operations facilities to Bechtel Jacobs Company, LLC (BJC). This paper will focus on the success and challenges of several of the M&I projects at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The initial goals for BJC were to transition up to 93% of their staff to the subcontract community as they moved away from operations to ''integration.'' The perspectives of BJC and one of their Remedial Action/Decontamination & Decommissioning (RADD) subcontractors will be combined in this paper to share with others how ''partnering'' together was essential for success. Projects completed by Safety and Ecology Corporation (SEC) under their RADD subcontract will be used to illustrate the process and the challenges/successes to completion. These projects will include pond remediation, tank remediation, and building cleanup for reuse. All these projects were ''fixed price'' with defined milestones keyed into award fee for BJC and regulatory milestones for DOE. By working together to form integrated teams focused on site remediation without sacrificing safety, all milestones were met. This paper will discuss the following items associated with the …

Environmental restoration of the Gunite and Associated Tanks (GAAT) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was a priority to the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) because of their age and deteriorating structure. These eight tanks ranging up to 170,000 gallons in capacity were constructed in 1943 of a Gunite or ''sprayed concrete material'' as part of the Manhattan Project. The tanks initially received highly radioactive waste from the Graphite Reactor and associated chemical processing facilities. The waste was temporarily stored in these tanks to allow for radioactive decay prior to dilution and release into surface waters. Over time, additional wastes from ongoing ORNL operations (e.g., isotope separation and materials research) were discharged to the tanks for storage and treatment. These tanks were taken out of service in the 1970s. Based on the structure integrity of GAAT evaluated in 1995, the worst-case scenario for the tanks, even assuming they are in good condition, is to remain empty. A recently completed interim action conducted from April 1997 through September 2000 removed the tank liquids and residual solids to the extent practical. Interior video surveys of the tanks indicated signs of degradation of the Gunite material. The tanks continued to receive …

Building 7602 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was constructed in 1963 as a Reactor Service Building for the Experimental Gas-Cooled Reactor; the reactor was never fueled or operated, and the project was terminated in 1965. Significant building modifications were performed during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Beginning in 1984, separation processes and equipment development and testing were initiated for the Consolidated Fuel Reprocessing Program (CFRP). The principal materials used in the processes were depleted and natural uranium, nitric acid, and organic solvents. CFRP operations continued until 1994 when the program was discontinued and the facility declared surplus to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Systems and equipment were shut down; feed and waste materials were removed; and process fluids, chemicals, and uranium were drained and flushed from systems. This paper will present an overview of the Building 7602 D&D activities, final radiological survey , facility modifications, and project interfaces.

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The Double Shell Tanks (DSTs) play a critical role in the Hanford High-Level Waste Treatment Complex, and therefore activities are underway to protect and better understand these tanks. The DST Life Extension Program is focused on both tank life extension and on evaluation of tank integrity. Tank life extension activities focus on understanding tank failure modes and have produced key chemistry and operations controls to minimize tank corrosion and extend useful tank life. Tank integrity program activities have developed and applied key technologies to evaluate the condition of the tank structure and predict useful tank life. Program results to date indicate that DST useful life can be extended well beyond the original design life and allow the existing tanks to fill a critical function within the Hanford High-Level Waste Treatment Complex. In addition the tank life may now be more reliably predicted, facilitating improved planning for the use and possible future replacement of these tanks.

Three samples of {sup 239}Pu-{sup 241}Am-doped ceramics obtained from previous research were used for alteration experiments simulating corrosion of waste forms in ion-saturated solutions. These were ceramics based on: pyrochlore, (Ca,Hf,Pu,U,Gd){sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}, containing 10 wt.% Pu and 0.1 wt.% Am; zircon, (Zr,Pu)SiO{sub 4}, containing 5-6 wt.% Pu and 0.05 wt.% Am; cubic zirconia, (Zr,Gd,Pu)O{sub 2}, containing 10 wt.% Pu and 0.1 wt.% Am. All these samples were milled in an agate mortar to obtain powder with particle sizes less than 30 micron. Sample of granite taken from the depth 500-503 m was studied and then used for preparing ion-saturated water solutions. A rock sample was ground, washed and classified. A fraction with particle size 0.10-0.25 mm was selected for alteration experiments. Powdered ceramic samples were separately placed into deionized water together with ground granite (approximately 1gram granite per 12-ml water) in special Teflon{trademark} vessels and set at 90 C in the oven for 3 months. After alteration experiments, the ceramic powders were studied by precise XRD analysis. Aqueous solutions and granite grains were analyzed for Am and Pu contents. The results show that alteration did not cause significant phase transformation in all ceramic samples. For all altered samples, …

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The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's), Office of River Protection (ORP) located at Hanford Washington has established a contract (1) to design, construct, and commission a new Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) that will treat and immobilize the Hanford tank wastes for ultimate disposal. The WTP is comprised of four major elements, pretreatment, LAW immobilization, HLW immobilization, and balance of plant facilities. This paper describes the technologies selected for pretreatment of the LAW and HLW tank wastes, how these technologies were selected, and identifies the major technology testing activities being conducted to finalize the design of the WTP.