Environmental Management at the Nevada Test Site Year 2001 Current Status

Conference · Tue Feb 26 04:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:833331

Becker, B D; Gertz, C P; Clayton, W A; Carilli, J T; DiSanza, E F; Wycoff, R C; Crowe, B M

The performance objectives of the U. S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office Low-level Radioactive Waste (LLW) disposal facilities located at the Nevada Test Site transcend those of any other radioactive waste disposal site in the United States. Situated at the southern end of the Great Basin, 244 meters (800 feet) above the water table, the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) has utilized a combination of engineered shallow land disposal cells and deep augured shafts to dispose a variety of waste streams. These include high volume low-activity waste, classified material, and high-specific-activity special case waste. Fifteen miles north of Area 5 is the Area 3 RWMS. Here bulk LLW disposal takes place in subsidence craters formed from underground testing of nuclear weapons. Earliest records indicate that documented LLW disposal activities have occurred at the Area 5 and Area 3 RWMSs since 1961 and 1968, respectively. However, these activities have only been managed under a formal program since 1978. This paper describes the technical attributes of the facilities, present and future capacities and capabilities, and provides a description of the process from waste approval to final disposition. The paper also summarizes the current status of the waste disposal operations. Additionally, the Nevada Operations Office Environmental Restoration Division is responsible for identifying the nature and extent of contamination; determining its potential risk to the public and the environment; and performing the necessary corrective actions in compliance with guidelines and requirements. This paper summarizes just a few of the successes of the Nevada Operations Office projects.

• Research Organization: Bechtel Nevada P.O. Box 98521 Las Vegas, Nevada (US); United States Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Operations Office P.O. Box 98518 Las Vegas, Nevada (US); Los Alamos National Laboratory P. O. Box 98518, Las Vegas, Nevada (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) (US)
• OSTI ID: 833331
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
COMPLIANCE
CONTAMINATION
GREAT BASIN
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
METERS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SECURITY
TESTING
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER TABLES