A process for treating radioactive water-reactive wastes

Conference · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:78597

Dziewinski, J; Lussiez, G ^[1]; Munger, D ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Santa Fe Engineering, Ltd. (United States)

Los Alamos National Laboratory and other locations in the complex of experimental and production facilities operated by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) have generated an appreciable quantity of hazardous and radioactive wastes. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) enacted by the United States Congress in 1976 and subsequently amended in 1984, 1986, and 1988 requires that every hazardous waste must be rendered nonhazardous before disposal. Many of the wastes generated by the DOE complex are both hazardous and radioactive. These wastes, called mixed wastes, require applying appropriate regulations for radioactive waste disposal and the regulations under RCRA. Mixed wastes must be treated to remove the hazardous waste component before they are disposed as radioactive waste. This paper discusses the development of a treatment process for mixed wastes that exhibit the reactive hazardous characteristic. Specifically, these wastes react readily and violently with water. Wastes such as lithium hydride (LiH), sodium metal, and potassium metal are the primary wastes in this category.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 78597
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--95-254; CONF-950917--4; ON: DE95006269
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
LITHIUM
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
METALS
POTASSIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOLYSIS
SODIUM
VOLATILE MATTER