Decommissioning and Demolition of a Redundant UK Research Facility at AWE Aldermaston - 12453
- Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston (United Kingdom)
The redundant two-storey brick built research facility on the AWE Site at Aldermaston, UK is in the closing stages of decommissioning and demolition. The facility was used for a variety of purposes up to 1995 predominately involving the use of alpha-emitting isotopes. The two main areas of alpha-based contamination have been decommissioned with the removal of hot -boxes and fume cupboards on the ground floor and HEPA filter units and ventilation equipment on the first floor. Many of these activities were undertaken using both airline fed suits, (supplied via a free standing mobile unit), and full face respirators. Asbestos materials were located and cleared from the first floor by specialist contractor. All sections of active drain running from the building to the site active effluent disposal system were removed early in the program using established techniques with specialist monitoring equipment used to provide confidence in the data required for disposal of the decommissioning debris. In particular a dedicated High Resolution Gamma Spectrometer (radioactive materials scanning unit) was utilized to categorise waste drums and wrapped packages. The building has been decommissioned and the monitoring and sampling of the structure was completed in November 2011 - the results demonstrating that the building was clear of contamination in accordance with UK clearance and exemption requirements. The demolition plan was developed and implemented in December with site excavation of foundations and site clearance currently ongoing in preparation for final site backfill activities and project close. A number of useful lessons have been learnt during the operations and are set out at the rear of the main text. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22293683
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-14-WM-12453; TRN: US14V1339115207
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2012: Waste Management 2012 conference on improving the future in waste management, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 26 Feb - 1 Mar 2012; Other Information: Country of input: France; 2 refs.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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