Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program
Abstract
The program to treat and dispose of the highly radioactive wastes stored in underground tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site has been studied. A strategy/management approach to achieve an acceptable (technically sound) end state for these wastes has been developed in this study. This approach is based on assessment of the actual risks and costs to the public, workers, and the environment associated with the wastes and storage tanks. Close attention should be given to the technical merits of available waste treatment and stabilization methodologies, and application of realistic risk reduction goals and methodologies to establish appropriate tank farm cleanup milestones. Increased research and development to reduce the mass of non-radioactive materials in the tanks requiring sophisticated treatment is highly desirable. The actual cleanup activities and milestones, while maintaining acceptable safety standards, could be more focused on a risk-to-benefit cost effectiveness, as agreed to by the involved stakeholders and in accordance with existing regulatory requirements. If existing safety standards can be maintained at significant cost savings under alternative plans but with a change in the Tri-Party Agreement (a regulatory requirement), those plans should be carried out. The proposed strategy would also take advantage of the lessons learnedmore »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; DEC Enterprises, Richland, Washington; ANSTO, Menai, Australia (US)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- none (US)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 828657
- Resource Type:
- Conference
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste Management 2002 Symposium, Tucson, AZ (US), 02/24/2002--02/28/2002; Other Information: PBD: 26 Feb 2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; SAFETY STANDARDS; STABILIZATION; STORAGE; STORAGE FACILITIES; TANKS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTES
Citation Formats
Parker, F L, Clark, D E, and Morcos, N. Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program. United States: N. p., 2002.
Web.
Parker, F L, Clark, D E, & Morcos, N. Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program. United States.
Parker, F L, Clark, D E, and Morcos, N. 2002.
"Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/828657.
@article{osti_828657,
title = {Rethinking the Hanford Tank Waste Program},
author = {Parker, F L and Clark, D E and Morcos, N},
abstractNote = {The program to treat and dispose of the highly radioactive wastes stored in underground tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site has been studied. A strategy/management approach to achieve an acceptable (technically sound) end state for these wastes has been developed in this study. This approach is based on assessment of the actual risks and costs to the public, workers, and the environment associated with the wastes and storage tanks. Close attention should be given to the technical merits of available waste treatment and stabilization methodologies, and application of realistic risk reduction goals and methodologies to establish appropriate tank farm cleanup milestones. Increased research and development to reduce the mass of non-radioactive materials in the tanks requiring sophisticated treatment is highly desirable. The actual cleanup activities and milestones, while maintaining acceptable safety standards, could be more focused on a risk-to-benefit cost effectiveness, as agreed to by the involved stakeholders and in accordance with existing regulatory requirements. If existing safety standards can be maintained at significant cost savings under alternative plans but with a change in the Tri-Party Agreement (a regulatory requirement), those plans should be carried out. The proposed strategy would also take advantage of the lessons learned from the activities and efforts in the first phase of the two-phased cleanup of the Hanford waste tank farms.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/828657},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}