Long-range plan for buried transuranic waste studies at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6361462

Berreth, P D; Fischer, D K; Suckel, R A

This document presents a plan to perform detailed studies of alternatives considered for the long-term management of buried transuranic waste at the INEL. The studies will provide the technical basis for DOE to make a decision on the future management of that waste. Although the waste is currently being handled in an acceptable manner, new solutions are continually being researched to improve handling techniques. Three alternatives are being considered: (a) leave the waste as is; (b) improve in situ confinement of the waste; (c) retrieve, process, and certify the waste for disposal at a federal repository. Fifteen studies are described in this plan for the latter two alternatives. The leave-as-is alternative involves continuing present procedures for managing the buried waste. An ongoing environmental surveillance program, a low-level-waste stabilization program, and enhanced subsurface migration studies begun in FY-1984 at the INEL will provide data for the decision-making process for INEL buried TRU waste. These ongoing studies for the leave-as-is alternative are summarized in this plan in limited detail. The improved-confinement alternative involves leaving the waste in place, but providing additional protection against wind water penetration, erosion, and plant and animal intrusion. Several studies proposed will examine special techniques to immobilize or encapsulate the buried waste. Studies of the third alternative will investigate improved retrieval, processing and certification techniques. New equipment, such as industrial manipulators and excavating machinery, will be tested in the retrieval studies. Processing and certification studies will examine rapidly changing or new technologies. 19 references, 8 figures, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 6361462
• Report Number(s): EGG-2350; ON: DE85002861
• 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
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
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WASTES