SRS stainless steel beneficial reuse program
The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) has thousands of tons of stainless steel radioactive scrap metal (RSNI). Much of the metal is volumetrically contaminated. There is no {open_quotes}de minimis{close_quotes} free release level for volumetric material, and therefore no way to recycle the metal into the normal commercial market. If declared waste, the metal would qualify as low level radioactive waste (LLW) and ultimately be dispositioned through shallow land buried at a cost of millions of dollars. The metal however could be recycled in a {open_quotes}controlled release{close_quote} manner, in the form of containers to hold other types of radioactive waste. This form of recycle is generally referred to as {open_quotes}Beneficial Reuse{close_quotes}. Beneficial reuse reduces the amount of disposal space needed and reduces the need for virgin containers which would themselves become contaminated. Stainless steel is particularly suited for long term storage because of its resistance to corrosion. To assess the practicality of stainless steel RSM recycle the SRS Benficial Reuse Program began a demonstration in 1994, funded by the DOE Office of Science and Technology. This paper discusses the experiences gained in this program.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Tennessee Univ., Knoxville, TN (United States). Energy, Environment and Resources Center
- OSTI ID:
- 457173
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961089-; ON: DE97004100; TRN: 97:002105-0022
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Beneficial Reuse `96: 4. annual conference on the recycle and reuse of radioactive scrap metal, Knoxville, TN (United States), 22-24 Oct 1996; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Beneficial reuse `96: The fourth annual conference on the recycle and reuse of radioactive scrap metal; PB: 546 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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