An innovative approach to multimedia waste reduction: Measuring performance for environmental cleanup projects

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10144975· OSTI ID:10144975

Phifer, Jr, B E; George, S M ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States)

One of the greatest challenges we now face in environmental cleanup is measuring the progress of minimizing multimedia transfer releases and achieving waste reduction. Briefly, multimedia transfer refers to the air, land, and water where pollution is not controlled, concentrated, and moved from one medium to another. An example of multimedia transfer would be heavy metals in wastewater sludges moved from water to land disposal. Over $2 billion has been budgeted for environmental restoration site cleanups by the Department of Energy (DOE) for FY 1994. Unless we reduce the huge waste volumes projected to be generated in the near future, then we will devote more and more resources to the management and disposal of these wastes. To meet this challenge, the Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge Environmental Restoration (ER) Program has explored the value of a multimedia approach by designing an innovative Pollution Prevention Life-Cycle Model. The model consists of several fundamental elements (Fig. 1) and addresses the two major objectives of data gathering and establishing performance measures. Because the majority of projects are in the remedial investigation phase, the focus is on the prevention of unnecessary generation of investigation-derived waste and multimedia transfers at the source. A state-of-the-art tool developed to support the life-cycle model for meeting these objectives is the Numerical Scoring System (NSS), which is a computerized, user-friendly data base system for information management, designed to measure the effectiveness of pollution prevention activities in each phase of the ER Program. This report contains a discussion of the development of the Pollution Prevention Life-Cycle Model and the role the NSS will play in the pollution prevention programs in the remedial investigation phase of the ER Program at facilities managed by Energy Systems for DOE.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge K-25 Site, TN (United States); Weston (Roy F.), Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 10144975
• Report Number(s): ES/ER/TM--55; ON: DE93011693
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540250
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
GROUND DISPOSAL
GROUND WATER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MINIMIZATION
ORNL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REMEDIAL ACTION
SEDIMENTS
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES
SLUDGES
SOILS
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WASTE WATER