Disposition of PUREX contaminated nitric acid the role of stakeholder involvement
What does the United States space shuttle and the Hanford PUREX facility`s contaminated nitric acid have in common. Both are reusable. The PUREX Transition Project has achieved success and, minimized project expenses and waste generation by looking at excess chemicals not as waste but as reusable substitutes for commercially available raw materials. This philosophy has helped PUREX personnel to reuse or recycle more than 2.5 million pounds of excess chemicals, a portion of which is the slightly contaminated nitric acid. After extensive public review, the first shipment of contaminated acid was made in May 1995. Removal of the acid was completed on November 6, 1995 when the fiftieth shipment left the Hanford site. This activity, which avoided dispositioning the contaminated acid as a waste, generated significantly more public input and concern than was expected. One of the lessons learned from this process is to not underestimate public perceptions regarding the reuse of contaminated materials.
- Research Organization:
- Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-87RL10930
- OSTI ID:
- 207066
- Report Number(s):
- WHC-SA-2960-FP; CONF-960212-58; ON: DE96006377; TRN: 96:009407
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `96: HLW, LLW, mixed wastes and environmental restoration - working towards a cleaner environment, Tucson, AZ (United States), 25-29 Feb 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Chemicals and excess materials disposition during facility deactivation as a means of pollution prevention
Disposition and transportation of surplus radioactive low specific activity nitric acid. Volume 1, Environmental Assessment