TRU waste program in new phase 4/24/2009 12:50 AM Staff Reports Staff writer
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) began a new phase of waste disposition Thursday, initiating the first shipment of Remote Handled (RH) Transuranic (TRU) waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, N.M.
These shipments complement the contact handled TRU waste shipments that have been occurring at SRS for almost a decade.
TRU waste, a result of decades of defense-related research and development activities, is a special class of radioactive material consisting of clothing, tools, rags, debris and other such items contaminated with radioactive elements, with an atomic number greater than uranium. TRU waste is primarily contaminated with plutonium, and may also be mixed with hazardous chemicals.
RH TRU waste requires special handling, shipping and disposal methods due to the waste's radiation rates.
To prepare for these RH TRU shipments, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) brought in specialized personnel to support shipping cask loading and other shipment preparations. This shipment includes six drums, or 1.26 cubic meters, of RH TRU waste.
SRS made its first shipment of TRU waste to WIPP on May 8, 2001. SRS has dispositioned 29,499 55-gallon drums of legacy TRU waste identified in storage at the Site. More than half of the nearly 12,000 cubic meters of legacy volume has been disposed out of South Carolina. SRNS is continuing to repackage, characterize and ship the remaining legacy SRS TRU wastes to WIPP. Under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, the workforce at SRS will grow significantly and shipments of the waste will nearly double.
over the course of the 30-month project. About 4,500 m3 of TRU waste will be shipped or prepared for shipment as part of the Recovery Act project.
Notice about comments:
AikenStandard.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. AikenStandard.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not AikenStandard.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
Comment Title:
"These shipments compliment the contact handled TRU waste shipments..." I believe they complement (add to) the waste shipments unless the new shipments have been bragging on the other shipments nonstop.
Posted by: Expect nothing less On: 4/24/2009
Comment Title: Proper stewardship of hazardous waste.
TRU waste handling, storage, and disposition has evolved over many decades. Rest assured SRS is in-line with the best technology and handling programs available. Would you expect or demand anything less?
2