Disposal of SNL-designed electronics assemblies associated with the nuclear weapons program: Challenges and progress
One of the common waste streams generated throughout the nuclear weapon complex is hardware'' originating from the nuclear weapons program. The activities associated with this hardware at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) include design and development, environmental testing, reliability and stockpile surveillance testing, and military liaison training. SNL-designed electronic assemblies include radars, arming/fusing/firing systems, power sources, and use-control and safety systems. Waste stream characterization using process knowledge is difficult due to the age of some components and lack of design information oriented towards hazardous constituent identification. Chemical analysis methods such as the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) are complicated by the inhomogeneous character of these components and the fact that many assemblies have aluminum or stainless steel cases, with the electronics encapsulated in a foam or epoxy matrix. In addition, some components may contain explosives, radioactive materials, toxic substances (PCBs, asbestos), and other regulated or personnel hazards which must be identified prior to handling and disposal. In spite of the above difficulties, we have succeeded in characterizing a limited number of weapon components using a combination of process knowledge and chemical analysis. For these components, we have shown that if the material is regulated as RCRA hazardous waste, it is because the waste exhibits one or more hazardous characteristics; primarily reactivity and/or toxicity (Pb, Cd).
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5637532
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-92-0233C; CONF-920307-37; ON: DE92008522
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management '92, Tucson, AZ (United States), 1-5 Mar 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REACTIVITY
SANDIA LABORATORIES
TOXICITY
EQUIPMENT
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WEAPONS
052000* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Management
450200 - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives