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Title: Waste reduction program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during CY 1989

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6843009· OSTI ID:6843009

Hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes are generated at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The State of Tennessee has requested that ORNL organize the waste streams into approximately 30 generic categories for the CY 1989 report so the information is more manageable. The wide diversity of waste complicates both management and compliance with reporting requirements that are designed to apply to production facilities. In recent years, increased effort has been devoted to the minimization of hazardous and radioactive wastes at ORNL. Policy statements supporting such efforts have been issued by both Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., and ORNL management. Motivation is found in federal regulations, DOE policies and guidelines, increased costs and liabilities associated with the management of wastes, and limited disposal options and facility capacities. ORNL's waste minimization efforts have achieved some success. However, because of the diversity and predominantly nonroutine nature of ORNL's containerized wastes, goals for their reduction are difficult to establish. Efforts continue to establish goals that account separately for wastes generated from laboratory cleanouts, to avoid a waste minimization penalty'' for this good housekeeping practice. Generator evaluations to prioritize hazardous waste streams for waste minimization opportunities are planned for FY 1990. These are important first steps to enable the waste reduction program to assign realistic goals. 22 refs., 13 figs., 10 tabs.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/ER
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
6843009
Report Number(s):
ORNL/TM-11504; ON: DE90012591; TRN: 90-020035
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English