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At least 919 records · Page 51
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Processing and properties of a solid energy fuel from municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycled plastics

Highlights: • Briquetting was used to produce solid fuels from municipal solid waste and recycled plastics. • Optimal drying, processing temperature and pressure were found to produce stable briquettes. • Addition of waste plastics yielded heating values comparable with typical coal feedstocks. • This processing method improves utilization of paper and plastic diverted from landfills. - Abstract: Diversion of waste streams such as plastics, woods, papers and other solid trash from municipal landfills and extraction of useful materials from landfills is an area of increasing interest especially in densely populated areas. One promising technology for recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) is to burn the high-energy-content components in standard coal power plant. This research aims to reform wastes into briquettes that are compatible with typical coal combustion processes. In order to comply with the standards of coal-fired power plants, the feedstock must be mechanically robust, free of hazardous contaminants, and moisture resistant, while retaining high fuel value. This study aims to investigate the effects of processing conditions and added recyclable plastics on the properties of MSW solid fuels. A well-sorted waste stream high in paper and fiber content was combined with controlled levels of recyclable plastics PE, PP, PET and PS and formed into briquettes using a compression molding technique. The effect of added plastics and moisture content on binding attraction and energy efficiency were investigated. The stability of the briquettes to moisture exposure, the fuel composition by proximate analysis, briquette mechanical strength, and burning efficiency were evaluated. It was found that high processing temperature ensures better properties of the product addition of milled mixed plastic waste leads to better encapsulation as well as to greater calorific value. Also some moisture removal (but not complete) improves the compacting process and results in higher heating value. Analysis of the post-processing water uptake and compressive strength showed a correlation between density and stability to both mechanical stress and humid environment. Proximate analysis indicated heating values comparable to coal. The results showed that mechanical and moisture uptake stability were improved when the moisture and air contents were optimized. Moreover, the briquette sample composition was similar to biomass fuels but had significant advantages due to addition of waste plastics that have high energy content compared to other waste types. Addition of PP and HDPE presented better benefits than addition of PET due to lower softening temperature and lower oxygen content. It should be noted that while harmful emissions such as dioxins, furans and mercury can result from burning plastics, WTE facilities have been able to control these emissions to meet US EPA standards. This research provides a drop-in coal replacement that reduces demand on landfill space and replaces a significant fraction of fossil-derived fuel with a renewable alternative.

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DOE OSTI2017

Optimization and characterization of hydrochar produced from microwave hydrothermal carbonization of fish waste

Highlights: • Microwave hydrothermal carbonization (MHTC) converts fish waste to hydrochar. • MHTC of fish waste at ∼200 °C for ∼119 min produces maximal hydrochar yield (∼34%). • Based on MHTC conditions, hydrochar has ∼25–57% atomic carbon, and ∼20–28% ash. • Microsphere-rich hydrochar has energy value that ranges from 19 to 24.5 MJ/kg. • MHTC can convert pure non-lignocellulosic fish waste to good quality hydrochar. - Abstract: Fish processing results in large amounts of solid and liquid wastes that are unsustainably dumped into oceans and landfills. Alternative sustainable technologies that completely utilize seafood wastes are needed. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) that converts moisture-rich biomass into hydrochar is mostly employed for pure lignocellulosic biowaste. However, the suitability of HTC for pure non-lignocellulosic waste is unknown. Here, for the first time, a response surface design guided optimization of microwave hydrothermal carbonization (MHTC) process parameters, holding temperature (150–210 °C) and time (90–120 min), showed that a temperature of approximately 200 °C and a time of approximately 119 min yielded maximal hydrochar (∼34%). The atomic carbon and ash content, and calorific value of hydrochar were approximately 25–57%, 20–28%, and 19–24.5 MJ/kg respectively, depending on the MHTC operating conditions. Taken together, these results confirm that MHTC produces hydrochar from fish waste of quality comparable to one produced from certain lignocellulosic, sewage and municipal wastes. Therefore, this strategy presents an exciting alternative technology that can be used either independently or in combination with other valorization techniques to completely utilize fish wastes irrespective of their quality.

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DOE OSTI2013

NRC Perspectives on Waste Incidental to Reprocessing Consultations and Monitoring - 13398

Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to consult with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for certain non-high level waste (HLW) determinations. The NDAA also requires NRC to monitor DOE's disposal actions related to those determinations to assess compliance with NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C. The NDAA applies to DOE activities that will remain within the States of South Carolina and Idaho. DOE has chosen to, under DOE Order 435.1, engage in consultation with NRC for similar activities in the State of Washington and New York, however, the NRC has no monitoring responsibilities. In 2007, the NRC developed a draft Final Report for Interim Use entitled, NUREG-1854: NRC Staff Guidance for Activities Related to U.S. Department of Energy Waste Determinations. Since the law was enacted, the DOE and NRC have consulted on three waste determinations within the affected States: (1) the Saltstone Disposal Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) within the State of South Carolina in 2005, (2) the INTEC Tank Farm at the Idaho National Laboratory within the State of Idaho in 2006, and (3) the F Tank Farm at SRS in 2011. After the end of consultation and issuance by DOE of the final waste determination, monitoring began at each of these sites, including the development of monitoring plans. In addition to the NDAA sites, DOE has requested NRC consultation support on both individual tanks and the entire C Tank Farm at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the State of Washington. DOE also requested consultation of waste determinations performed on the melter and related feed tanks at the West Valley site in New York that would be disposed offsite. In the next few years, NRC and DOE will consult on the last of the NDAA waste determinations for a while, the H Tank Farm waste determination at SRS. DOE may identify other activities in the future but largely NRC's role will change from doing both consultation and monitoring to being focused on monitoring activities within NDAA. DOE has identified other activities at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation that would continue consultation activities but outside of the NDAA in the future. During the past seven years of consultations and monitoring a number of lessons learned about the process, communication issues, and technical guidance have been identified. With the change in focus from reviewing initial performance assessments and draft waste determinations to long-term monitoring (e.g., individual waste tank closure, at F Tank Farm or complete tank farm closure at INTEC expected in the near future), the NRC is going to revise and update its guidance over the next few years to reflect the lessons learned and the change in focus. In addition to the lessons learned, improvements in the guidance will have to account possible rule and guidance changes underway within Part 61. This paper will discuss the initial plans, approaches, and time lines to revise the guidance within NUREG-1854, including opportunities for public involvement. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2013

GeoMelt{sup R} ICV{sup TM} Treatment of Sellafield Pond Solids Waste - 13414

Kurion, Inc., in partnership with AMEC Ltd., is demonstrating its GeoMelt{sup R} In-Container Vitrification (ICV){sup TM} Technology to Sellafield Ltd. (SL). SL is evaluating the proposition of directly converting a container (skip/box/drum) of raw solid ILW into an immobilized waste form using thermal treatment, such that the resulting product is suitable for interim storage at Sellafield and subsequent disposal at a future Geological Disposal Facility. Potential SL feed streams include sludges, ion-exchange media, sand, plutonium contaminated material, concrete, uranium, fuel cladding, soils, metals, and decommissioning wastes. The solid wastes have significant proportions of metallic constituents in the form of containers, plant equipment, structural material and swarf arising from the nuclear operations at Sellafield. GeoMelt's proprietary ICV process was selected for demonstration, with the focus being high and reactive metal wastes arising from solid ILW material. A composite surrogate recipe was used to demonstrate the technology towards treating waste forms of diverse types and shapes, as well as those considered difficult to process; all the while requiring few (if any) pre-treatment activities. Key strategic objectives, along with their success criterion, were established by SL for this testing, namely: 1. Passivate and stabilize the raw waste simulant, as demonstrated by the entire quantity of material being vitrified, 2. Immobilize the radiological and chemo-toxic species, as demonstrated via indicative mass balance using elemental analyses from an array of samples, 3. Production of an inert and durable product as evidenced by transformation of reactive metals to their inert oxide forms and satisfactory leachability results using PCT testing. Two tests were performed using the GeoMelt Demonstration Unit located at AMEC's Birchwood Park Facilities in the UK. Post-melt examination of the first test indicated some of the waste simulant had not fully processed, due to insufficient processing time and melt temperature. A second test, incorporating operational experience from the first test, was performed and resulted in all of the 138 kg of feed material being treated. The waste simulant portion, at 41 kg, constituted 30 wt% of the total feed mass, with over 90% of this being made up of various reactive and non-reactive metals. The 95 liters of staged material was volume reduced to 41 liters, providing a 57% overall feed to product volume reduction in a fully passivated two-phase glass/metal product. The GeoMelt equipment operated as designed, vitrifying the entire batch of waste simulant. Post-melt analytical testing verified that 91-99+% of the radiological tracer metals were uniformly distributed within the glass/cast refractory/metal product, and the remaining fraction was captured in the offgas filtration systems. PCT testing of the glass and inner refractory liner showed leachability results that outperform the DOE regulatory limit of 2 g/m{sup 2} for the radiological species of interest (Sr, Ru, Cs, Eu, Re), and by more than an order of magnitude better for standard reference analytes (B, Na, Si). (authors)

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DOE OSTI2013

Targeted Health Assessment for Wastes Contained at the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Guide Planning for Remedial Action Alternatives - 13428

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is evaluating potential remedial alternatives at the 191-acre Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) in Lewiston, New York, under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) brought radioactive wastes to the site during the 1940's and 1950's, and the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) consolidated these wastes into a 10-acre interim waste containment structure (IWCS) in the southwest portion of the site during the 1980's. The USACE is evaluating remedial alternatives for radioactive waste contained within the IWCS at the NFSS under the Feasibility Study phase of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. A preliminary evaluation of the IWCS has been conducted to assess potential airborne releases associated with uncovered wastes, particularly during waste excavation, as well as direct exposures to uncovered wastes. Key technical issues for this assessment include: (1) limitations in waste characterization data; (2) representative receptors and exposure routes; (3) estimates of contaminant emissions at an early stage of the evaluation process; (4) consideration of candidate meteorological data and air dispersion modeling approaches; and (5) estimates of health effects from potential exposures to both radionuclides and chemicals that account for recent updates of exposure and toxicity factors. Results of this preliminary health risk assessment indicate if the wastes were uncovered and someone stayed at the IWCS for a number of days to weeks, substantial doses and serious health effects could be incurred. Current controls prevent such exposures, and the controls that would be applied to protect onsite workers during remedial action at the IWCS would also effectively protect the public nearby. This evaluation provides framing context for the upcoming development and detailed evaluation of remedial alternatives for the IWCS. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2013

Performance Assessment Program for the Savannah River Site Liquid Waste Facilities - 13610

The Liquid Waste facilities at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) are operated by Liquid Waste Operations contractor Savannah River Remediation LLC (SRR). A separate Performance Assessment (PA) is prepared to support disposal operations at the Saltstone Disposal Facility and closure evaluations for the two liquid waste tank farm facilities at SRS, F-Tank Farm and H-Tank Farm. A PA provides the technical basis and results to be used in subsequent documents to demonstrate compliance with the pertinent requirements identified in operations and closure regulatory guidance. The Saltstone Disposal Facility is subject to a State of South Carolina industrial solid waste landfill permit and the tank farms are subject to a state industrial waste water permit. The three Liquid Waste facilities are also subject to a Federal Facility Agreement approved by the State, DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Due to the regulatory structure, a PA is a key technical document reviewed by the DOE, the State of South Carolina and the EPA. As the waste material disposed of in the Saltstone Disposal Facility and the residual material in the closed tank farms is also subject to reclassification prior to closure via a waste determination pursuant to Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2005, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is also a reviewing agency for the PAs. Pursuant to the Act, the NRC also has a continuing role to monitor disposal actions to assess compliance with stated performance objectives. The Liquid Waste PA program at SRS represents a continual process over the life of the disposal and closure operations. When the need for a PA or PA revision is identified, the first step is to develop a conceptual model to best represent the facility conditions. The conceptual model will include physical dimensions of the closed system, both the engineered and natural system, and modeling input parameters associated with the modeled features, both initial values (at the time of facility closure) and degradation rates/values. During the development of the PA, evaluations are conducted to reflect not only the results associated with the best available information at the time but also to evaluate potential uncertainties and sensitivities associated with the modeled system. While the PA will reflect the modeled system results from the best available information, it will also identify areas for future work to reduce overall PA uncertainties moving forward. DOE requires a PA Maintenance Program such that work continues to reduce model uncertainties, thus bolstering confidence in PA results that support regulatory decisions. This maintenance work may include new Research and Development activities or modeling as informed by previous PA results and other new information that becomes available. As new information becomes available, it is evaluated against previous PAs and appropriate actions are taken to ensure continued confidence in the regulatory decisions. Therefore, the PA program is a continual process that is not just the development of a PA but seeks to incorporate new information to reduce overall model uncertainty and provide continuing confidence in regulatory decisions. (author)

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DOE OSTI2017

Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste: First Feed Flowsheet - 17108

In support of hot commissioning of the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) and the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) LAW facility, the First Feed Flowsheet was initiated to project process stream characteristics and unit operation performance. The First Feed Flowsheet uses flowsheet models to simulate the preparation of the first feed campaign in Tank Farms and the subsequent feeding of the waste to the Low-Activity Waste Pretreatment System (LAWPS) and the WTP LAW facility. Three different models were used: a chemistry model of waste transfers developed in the Environmental Simulation Program (ESP), Washington River Protection Solutions' (WRPS') dynamic gPROMS{sup TM} LAWPS flowsheet model, and WTP's Dynamic G2 flowsheet model. Information from all three models showed favorable comparison of the waste feeds and secondary liquid wastes against waste compatibility assessment and waste acceptance criteria at multiple stages in the flowsheet. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2017

Innovative Solutions To Solve Complex Radioactive Waste Management Problems In The U.S. - 2017 Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award - 17609

Ever since Wilhelm Roentgen, Henri Becquerel, and Marie Curie discovered x-rays, radioactivity, and radium, respectively, at the turn of the nineteenth century, nuclear technologies have continued to evolve and significantly enrich the quality of life for mankind. The evolution of such technologies has enabled our society to diagnose medical illnesses without the need for invasive surgeries, treat cancers, conduct research, develop new kinds of pharmaceuticals, preserve our food supply, and generate over 20% of our nation's electricity from commercial nuclear power plants. While these life-changing technologies have significantly enriched our quality of life and advanced our understanding of the sciences, they also generate radioactive waste that must be managed responsibly in a manner that protects public health. Over the past several decades, decision makers have developed a patchwork of policies to safely manage radioactive wastes-policies that are not necessarily based on the risk posed to public health, but more often on the origins of the waste and the manner in which they are defined in federal legislation. However, in the past several years, much progress has been made to better risk-inform the practices of managing Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) in the United States. In 2012, the nation's first regional commercial facility for disposing of Class A, B, and C LLW since the U.S. Congress enacted the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980, as amended in 1985, was opened in Andrews County, Texas. Since then, other innovative LLW management solutions have emerged, ranging from cost-effective disposal options for wastes with very low levels of radioactivity to depleted uranium, and perhaps ultimately, for waste exceeding the concentration-based limits for Class C LLW (i.e., Greater Than Class C LLW) as specified in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), chap. 61.55. Most recently, a license application for a consolidated interim storage facility for Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) is currently under review by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Should the NRC approve the license application, SNF currently located at 12 shutdown and decommissioned nuclear reactors could be placed into interim storage in Texas. Approval of this license application would facilitate the complete decommissioning of nuclear power plants, returning them to green-fields, and allowing the local communities to re-purpose the lands for further economic development. Over the next decade, many of these waste management challenges that once seemed insurmountable may soon be transformed into a reality. As will be discussed at the award lecture, achieving such possibilities clearly aligns with the vision of creating innovative radioactive waste management solutions for our nation that were championed by the late physician and statesman, Dr. Richard S. Hodes. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Waste minimization efforts at the H-Canyon nuclear materials processing facility located at the Savannah River Site - 15535

During the last decade, the H-Canyon at the Savannah River Site (SRS) has employed various means to minimize liquid waste generation and/or to segregate liquid waste that favors generation of low level vs high level wastes. The primary drivers were cost reduction and support of SRS liquid waste tank farm feed to the SRS's Defense Waste Processing Facility. Recent High Level Waste (HLW) volume restrictions (transfers of liquid waste from the H-Canyon to the SRS's Liquid Waste System) imposed on H-Canyon have renewed waste minimization efforts. For the next several years, H-Canyon is faced with a HLW transfer reduction of approximately 65% (reduced from approximately 300,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons). This comes at a time when H-Canyon (and a companion facility named HB-Line) are about to begin executing two high profile missions. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

Progress updates for the Hanford waste treatment and immobilization plant project - 15593

The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Project is vital to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) mission to clean up radioactive waste at the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The overall WTP Project objective is to design, build, and commission the facilities and systems that will treat and immobilize approximately 211 983 m{sup 3} (56 million gallons) of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground storage tanks. The combination of technologies in the WTP makes it a first-of-a-kind facility at a scale larger than ever built for radioactive waste processing. In recent years, the project has encountered issues that affected project design completion, especially in the Pretreatment and High-Level Waste Facilities. These included technical issues, changes in requirements, changes in funding, weaknesses in the nuclear supply chain, identification of new hazards, and new information about the tank waste. The combination of these issues led to a suspension of construction of the Pretreatment Facility and a partial suspension of construction of the High-Level Waste Facility in mid-2012. Since then, the WTP Project has made significant progress in establishing and implementing a strategy for resolving these issues. This strategy focuses on resuming full production work in a sequence that fully supports the DOE plan for a phased approach for starting treatment of the Hanford tank waste, beginning with the low-activity waste streams. Concurrent with the technical and programmatic issues, the DOE Office of River Protection has made numerous changes in the processes it uses to manage and oversee the WTP Project. These changes have had a beneficial impact on the progress the project has made in establishing a path forward for resuming production activities, and on planning for the necessary contract and baseline changes needed to complete the project. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2015

OECD NEA radioactive waste repository metadata management (RepMet) initiative (2014-2018) - 15614

The OECD/NEA Radioactive Waste Repository Metadata Management (RepMet) initiative aims to bring about a better understanding of the identification and administration of metadata - a key aspect of data management - to support national programmes in managing their radioactive waste repository data, information and records in a way that is both harmonised internationally and suitable for long-term management and use. At this point in the project, the main focus lies on 'waste packages at their storage sites ready for geological disposal' but excluding spent fuel and high level waste (HLW). Later work will deal with metadata collected on spent fuel and HLW as well as with different phases of repository development: design and construction, and operation. In order to develop metadata, RepMet members have provided lists of data items they currently collect and manage for packaged waste. The lists, albeit it non comprehensive, suggest that the number and type of data items varies importantly from organisation to organisation. At term, RepMet plans to generate a comprehensive list of such data items and their metadata. In parallel, RepMet is developing a document which examines a selected number of existing metadata standards. Because of the specialist nature of radioactive waste management, including waste processing facilities, disposal facilities and waste packages, existing metadata standards do not seem to be transferable as defined. Rather, RepMet will explore such standards to identify relevant principles for possible adaptation to the radioactive waste management community. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Initial Testing of Off-Gas Recycle Condensate Liquid from the WTP Low Activity Waste Vitrification Process - 16432

The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) under construction at the Hanford site is designed to treat and immobilize the inventory of High-Level Waste stored in the 177 underground storage tanks. The WTP process flow was designed to pre-treat this waste, separating it into High Level Waste (HLW) and Low Activity Waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification. Vitrification of the waste generates a condensate stream from the off-gas processes originating from two off-gas treatment unit operations, the Submerged Bed Scrubber (SBS) and the Wet Electrostatic Precipitator (WESP). The baseline plan for disposition of the stream from the LAW melter is to recycle it to the Pretreatment facility where it gets evaporated and processed through the LAW melter again. If the Pretreatment facility is unavailable, this baseline disposition pathway is not viable. Additionally, chloride, fluoride, and sulfate are partially volatile in the melter, accumulating to high concentrations while recycling and impacting the glass waste loading and facility throughput. The primary radionuclide that volatizes and accumulates is {sup 99}Tc. The long half-life and environmental mobility of {sup 99}Tc complicates disposal options for this secondary aqueous waste stream. This task is investigating {sup 99}Tc removal to examine the potential for diverting this stream to an alternate disposition path and avoiding impacting the glass waste loading. Separation methods for {sup 99}Tc have focused on using inorganic precipitation agents that can remove it by reducing it from soluble pertechnetate ion, with a +7 oxidation state, to insoluble technetium dioxide in the +4 oxidation state. Stannous chloride (SnCl{sub 2}) has been found highly effective at causing the reduction and precipitating {sup 99}Tc for removal, but it also precipitates other components. The primary competitor that precipitates is chromium, which consumes the redox activity of the Sn(II), causing addition of more of the SnCl{sub 2}. Research has examined the optimum quantity of SnCl{sub 2}, mixing time, and the impact of other redox-active species. It is also important to know the stability of the precipitated {sup 99}Tc in process conditions, since it is expected it will eventually be re-oxidized by oxygen and dissolve. This work is expected to determine if a {sup 99}Tc removal step could be used to decontaminate the bulk of this stream, and make it suitable for other disposal paths so that the chloride, fluoride, and sulfate can be diverted away from the glass melter. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2016

Direct Feed Low Activity Waste Integrated Permitting - 16642

An overall Hanford permitting strategy for the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) is being developed to support the Direct Feed Low- Activity Waste (DFLAW) Program. The strategy identifies new permits and modifications of existing permits, as well as major regulatory approvals to support the startup and operation of nuclear systems necessary to feed low activity tank waste, pretreat the waste, operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Low Activity Waste (LAW) facility to treat tank waste, and dispose of waste streams. Types of permits include hazardous waste, toxic air, and radiological air licenses. Four different Contractors manage operations at Tank Farms, WTP, Utilities/Infrastructure, and Waste Disposal. Due to this complexity and the number of interfaces required, the need to have a strategic overview of all permits was evident. Approximately 25 permits and 4 major regulatory approvals are identified to implement DFLAW. The strategy will help guide integrated planning, scheduling and sequencing of permits and regulatory approvals to support DOE ORP's overall schedule for construction, commissioning and operation of DFLAW. Development of the strategy included extensive collaboration and coordination of an Integrated Permitting Team with staff and management representation from DOE, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Contractor (CHPRC), Washington River Protection Solutions LLC (WRPS), and Bechtel National Inc. (BNI). Information sessions and briefings have been conducted with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in the development of this overall strategy. Additionally, interface meetings are held with Ecology and DOH on specific projects early in the design phase to validate the permitting approach, identify key issues and information, and discuss requirements and assumptions. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2020

Panel Session 36: Hot Topics in US Commercial Low-Level Waste Management

This panel focused on emerging issues in commercial LLW management in the US from the perspective of active members of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Forum, Inc. State, compact, federal and industry officials shared their views on a variety of timely and significant topics related to low-level radioactive waste management, disposal and related issues. Session no. 36 Co-Chairs, Patricia Holahan and Daniel Shrum, introduced the panelists and provided a summary of the purpose of the session. This Panel Session focused on several current and emerging issues impacting the commercial Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) management in the US from the perspective of active members of the Low-Level Waste Forum, Inc., States, Compact, as well as Federal and nuclear industries. The panelists provided different perspectives on number of key issues such as: LLW disposal facility status and updates (e.g.; in terms of disposal capacity, plans, and waste acceptance conditions). The panelists also addressed waste disposal rates and potential impacts of ongoing regulatory developments by the NRC and the concerned States. Other timely topics pertaining to the revision of 10CFR Part 61, the Greater-than-Class C (GTCC) and Transuranic (TRU) waste, and Very Low-Level Waste (VLLW) disposal issues were also addressed at this Session. Panelists with presentations: Hot Topics in US Commercial LLW Management (Joe Weismann); Texas LLRW Compact (David Carlson); Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission (John Salsman); Barnwell LLRW Disposal Facility (Benjamin Smith, Bill Carver)

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DOE OSTI2020

OPTIMUS{sup TM} Packaging for Intermediate Level Wastes and Spent Fuel - 20129

NAC's OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging is a family of Type B(U)F transportation packages designed for maximum flexibility and cost-efficiency to support shipment of a wide range of challenging wastes and materials. They are small, modular packaging designs meeting DOT weight limits for road transport. OPTIMUS{sup TM} contents include low level waste, mixed low-level waste, irradiated fuel waste and intermediate level waste. Contents can also include aerosol cans with compressed gas and liquefied gas propellants and standard DOT 3E lecture bottles for shipment to treatment facilities. OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging provides a cost-effective solution for challenging and unique waste contents combined with design simplicity and operational flexibility meeting the requirements of both SSR-6 and 10 CFR 71 for Type B(U)F packaging. The modular design of the packaging components combined with the flexibility to add modified internals for enhanced packaging performance makes OPTIMUS{sup TM} the preferred solution for many radioactive material transportation needs. The OPTIMUS{sup TM} product line currently includes two packaging designs; OPTIMUS{sup TM}-L and OPTIMUS{sup TM}-H. OPTIMUS{sup TM}-L is a lightweight transportation packaging intended for low-activity wastes, whereas OPTIMUS{sup TM}-H is a larger, heavier package intended for high-activities wastes. Due to its small size and weight, six (6) to ten (10) OPTIMUS{sup TM}-L packages can be accommodated on a single legal-weight truck shipment, depending on the weight of the contents. For typical payloads, two (2) OPTIMUS{sup TM}-H packages can be accommodated on a single legal-weight truck shipment. The OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging share the same cask containment vessel (CCV) in the OPTIMUS{sup TM}-H and OPTIMUS{sup TM}-L. The large cavity size of the CCV, which can accommodate a 416-liter (110-gallon) drum, combined with the small size, low weight and modularity of the OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging provides unmatched flexibility. In this paper, NAC provides a technical overview of the OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging and identifies the design features and technology advancements making the OPTIMUS{sup TM} a readily adaptable and flexible solution for packaging processing facilities, reactor and decommissioning wastes. Optimized shielding performance through the addition of internal shielding components and alternative shipping configurations are discussed. In addition, an overview of the first major deployment of the OPTIMUS{sup TM} packaging for the Whiteshell Laboratories Closure Project (WLCP) is discussed. (authors)

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DOE OSTI2020

Modeling Interfaces to Support Low-Level Waste Disposal System Performance Assessments - 20366

In low-level waste (LLW) disposal sites, interfaces between cementitious materials, used as waste forms and/or engineered barriers, and the surrounding soil or backfill material are often encountered. Reactions across these interfaces may lead to chemical and structural alteration of the cementitious and backfill materials that may ultimately affect long-term performance. For example, the ingress of carbon dioxide from soil gas into a waste tank concrete shell at the Hanford Site or Savannah River Site (SRS) or a low-level waste disposal vault at SRS leads to carbonation of cement hydration products (e.g. portlandite, calcium-silicate hydrate or C-S-H, and ettringite). The result of carbonation is a decrease in pH in the cement paste portion of the tank wall or vault concrete structure that could ultimately lead to de-passivation of the embedded structural steel and, eventually, to cracking. Cracking can lead to increased ingress of water into the structure, corresponding increased release of constituents of concern, and to subsequent increased transport of these constituents to the surrounding environment. The mobility of trace constituents (e.g., radionuclides of concern) in waste forms may increase in response to changes in pH, pore structure, and mineralogical gradients. Depletion of portlandite results in subsequent decalcification of C-S-H that leads to changes in the cement strength and may lead to structural failure. At the boundary between waste forms and concrete vaults, the migration of sulfate ions from the salt waste form (e.g., the saltstone waste form used for LLW disposal at the Savannah River Site in Saltstone Disposal Units, or SDUs) into the barrier or vault concrete has been predicted to result in expansive mineral phase formation (or 'sulfate attack'). Expansive mineral formation could result in cracking and potential loss of structural integrity in the vault concrete. In the performance assessment (PA) for the SRS SDUs, prediction of both the carbonation and sulfate attack fronts are critical to assessing the long-term performance of these LLW disposal vaults. A general purpose geochemical reactive transport model has been developed in LeachXS/ORCHESTRA to evaluate typical interfaces for LLW disposal environments, including SDUs at SRS. The model may be used to predict the long-term performance of interfaces between cementitious materials and saltstone or backfill materials with respect to primary phases by considering mass transport, cement chemistry, geochemical speciation, and multi-ionic diffusion over interfaces between different materials. The present study compares the performance and interactions between vault concrete and saltstone waste form for a representative SDU scenario. The materials were characterized using pH-dependence leaching test (EPA 1313) and semi-dynamic transport tests (EPA 1315) with test results used to parameterize the interface model. The development of a credible inter model provides an important basis for supporting future PAs where carbonation and sulfate attack are important aging and degradation mechanisms. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Test Bed: Treatability of Hanford Tank Waste - 18501

In an effort to advance the Low Activity Waste Pretreatment System technology readiness level at the Hanford Site, the effectiveness of a critical technology element, sRF ion-exchange resin, was demonstrated in the selective removal of Cs-137 from 11.5 L of composited Hanford supernate tank waste. Prior to ion-exchange, solids filtration was performed on the tank waste composite. Between the time of filtrate collection and filtrate processing on the ion-exchange columns, additional solids had formed. These secondary solids resulted from the combination of supernates high in fluoride content with supernates high in phosphate content and the relatively short blend time. Samples were collected before, during and after the ion-exchange process for characterization of a full suite of constituents (inorganic, organic, and radionuclides) to aid in the classification of the cesium-removed waste for shipping, receiving, treatment, and disposal determinations. Following chemical analysis, the remaining 10.8 L (2.9 gal) of cesium-depleted waste was shipped to an off-site vendor for grout-encapsulation and eventual disposal at the Waste Control Specialists Federal Waste Disposal Facility in Andrews, Texas as low-level waste. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗
DOE OSTI2018

Impact of informal electronic waste recycling on metal concentrations in soils and dusts

Highlights: • Metal concentrations at e-waste sites exceeded concentrations at control sites. • Burning as an e-waste activity has the most negative environmental impact. • The type of activity at the sites is the main factor that influences metal concentrations. • E-waste recycling is a major source of metal pollution in Nigeria. • There is need to develop strategies to enforce existing e-waste regulations. Electronic and electrical equipment contains over 1000 different substances, including metals. During informal e-waste recycling some of these substances such as metals, are released into the environment causing environmental pollution. This study assessed the impact of different informal e-waste recycling activities (burning, dismantling, and repairing) on metal concentrations in top soils and various dust. A comparative cross-sectional study design was adopted to assess metal concentrations in top soils and in various dust samples from multiple e-waste recycling sites. Metal concentrations at e-waste recycling sites were compared to the concentrations at control sites in three study locations in Nigeria (Lagos, Ibadan, and Aba). In the three study locations, mean metal concentrations at the e-waste recycling sites exceeded the concentrations at the control sites and the Nigerian standard guideline values by 100 s to 1000 s times. Burning sites showed the highest pollution level, followed by dismantling sites, then repair sites. Our findings show serious environmental and public health concerns. The metal concentrations were also higher than levels reported in other studies at the same locations in Nigeria, indicating that the situation is worsening. This study provides scientific evidence for an urgent need to develop effective strategies to strengthen enforcement of existing e-waste regulations in Nigeria.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗