Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Overview

Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:5771751

Trego, A L ^[1]

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1. Westinghouse Wastte Isolation Div., Carlsbad, NM (United States)

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a US Department of Energy research and development facility designed to demonstrate the safe, environmentally sound, permanent disposal of transuranic (TRU) nuclear waste that has been generated by US defense programs over the past 40 years. The WIPP facility is situated 26 miles southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico. The WIPP underground repository is located in the middle of a 3,000-ft-thick bedded salt formation, 2,150 ft below the surface of the Chihuahuan Desert in the Permian Basin. The salt formation is extremely stable and has been in place for 225 million years. The bedded salt formation was selected as the most promising medium for a TRU waste repository. In 1991, the secretary of energy will make a decision on when the WIPP will begin receiving TRU waste shipments to support an initial experimental 5-yr Test Phase. This decision will be made on the basis of operational readiness, environmental documentation, and public acceptance of the WIPP.

• OSTI ID: 5771751
• Report Number(s): CONF-910603--
• Journal Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States), Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Vol. 63; ISSN TANSA; ISSN 0003-018X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CLOTHING
DECISION MAKING
DEMONSTRATION PROGRAMS
DESIGN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DOCUMENTATION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION VI
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PILOT PLANTS
PLANNING
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
PUBLIC OPINION
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SAFETY
SOILS
SOLID WASTES
STORAGE
TRANSPORT
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
US DOE
US EPA
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WIPP