Process for reduction of volume of contaminated soil by compaction

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:124509

Johanan, W L ^[1]

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1. EG and G Mound Applied Technologies, Miamisburg, OH (United States)

Burial costs for low-level radioactive waste are assessed by the volume of the waste. These costs are presently at $10 per cubic foot and will continue to increase with time. A reduction in waste volume can be directly converted to a reduction in burial costs. A large amount of low-level contaminated soil exists throughout the DOE complex. The Nuclear Complex Modernization Task Force has identified over 5 million cubic feet of contaminated soil for eventual clean-up at the Mound site ($50,000,000 to bury at FY 1991 costs). By using a combination of a rock separator (trommel), crusher, clay soil compactor, automatic loading system, specially designed dust enclosures, and specifically designed containers for both on-site haulage and shipment to the Nevada Test Site (NTS), the total waste volume, and burial cost, can be reduced by up to 30% by compacting the soil into high-density bricks (depending upon the compaction quality of the soil). Several tests have been performed on Mound`s cold on-site soils, with resulting densities of 131 pounds per cubic foot. When this is compared to normal LSA metal box filling of 80--90 pounds per cubic foot, one can readily see the savings.

• OSTI ID: 124509
• Report Number(s): CONF-940499--; ISBN 1-56590-014-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
BRIQUETTING
DENSITY
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MOUND LABORATORY
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SOILS
WASTE FORMS
Yucca Mountain Project