Waste reduction program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during CY 1990

Technical Report · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5911907

Homan, M D ^[1]; Kendrick, C M; Schultz, R M ^[2]

---

1. PAI Corp., Oak Ridge, TN (USA)
2. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multipurpose research and development facility owned and operated by the Department of Energy and managed under subcontract by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. ORNL's primary role is the support of energy technology through applied research and engineering development and scientific research in basic and physical sciences. ORNL also is a valuable resource in the quest to solve problems of national importance, such as nuclear and chemical waste management. In addition, ORNL produces useful radioactive and stable isotopes for medical and energy research that are unavailable from the private sector. These activities are conducted predominantly on small scales in over 900 individual R D laboratories at ORNL. Activities are diverse, variable, and frequently generate some type of waste material. In contrast to the typical production facility's few large-volume waste streams,'' ORNL has numerous small ones, including radioactive LLLW, liquid PW, solid radioactive waste (LLW and TRU waste), hazardous waste, industrial waste, and mixed waste (containing both hazardous and radioactive constituents). The wide diversity of waste complicates both management and compliance with reporting requirements that are designed to apply to production facilities. The reduction of all ORNL waste generation is an economically logical response to the rising costs and liabilities of waste management and disposal. Human health and the environment are best protected from all types of wastes by prevention of their generation from the start. At ORNL, efforts to minimize many wastes have been mandated by federal regulations and DOE, Energy Systems, and internal policies. Real progress has been achieved. As researchers become increasingly aware of the advantages of improving the efficiency of their procedures and as divisions launch systematic evaluations of activities with reduction potential, further reductions will be achieved. 24 refs., 8 figs., 9 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5911907
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-11780; ON: DE91009632
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALARA
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
CHEMICAL WASTES
COMPLIANCE
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LAWS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINIMIZATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORNL
PLANNING
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
PROGRESS REPORT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
SOLID WASTES
TRAINING
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES