1 - paducah environmental information center

Paducah Site
decontamination and decommissioning project
planning for future implementation and
planning, and planning for the additional
removal and sale of surplus fluorine-generating
equipment to private industry.
DOE activities. The primary objective of the
program is to ensure that waste materials do not
migrate into the environment. Waste managed
under the program is divided into the following
seven categories:
Technological Demonstration
The Environmental Restoration Program
actively supports demonstrating new remediation
technologies that have been developed by
private industry. In 1999, two demonstrations
were conducted at the Northwest Plume
Groundwater System involving possible
improved methods for removal of 99'fc from the
groundwater. The 3M Company provided a test
system equipped with a· new, coated micropore
filter designed to remove 99'fC. The filters,
configured in an easily removable cartridge
arrangement, were tested on a groundwater side
stream in the C-612Building, Results indicated
a 99'fc removal capacity· similar to the ion
exchange resin currently· in use. At the time of
the tests, however, the filters were not available
in a size that would meet the flow requirements
of the Northwest Plume Groundwater System; A
second test was conducted on a new synthetic
ion exchange resin developed by scientists at
Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The resin is
similar in function and physical characteristics to
the commercial resin currently used for 99'fc
removal at C-612; Preliminary laboratory
studies of the synthetic resin indicated 99'fc
removal efficiencies in excess of five times that
of the commerCial resin. Results from a small test
column placed in the C-612 facility confirmed
the laboratory test results. If the synthetic resin
can be manufactured in quantities and at prices
meeting the Northwest Plume Groundwater
System needs; its use could result in a reduction
of waste for the project.
Waste Management Program
The Paducah Site Waste Management
Program directs the safe· treatment, storage, and
disposal of waste generated before July 1, 1993
(Le., legacy wastes), and waste from current
• Low-level radioactive waste -
radioactive waste not classified as highlevel
or transuranic and does not contain
any components regulated by RCRA or
TSCA.
• Hazardous waste - waste that
contains one or more of the wastes listed
under RCRA or that exhibits one or more
of the four RCRA hazardous
characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity,
reactivity, and toxicity.
• Mixed waste - waste containing both
hazardous and radioactive components.
Mixed waste is subject to RCRA, which
governs the hazardous components, and
to additional regulations that govern the
radioactive components.
• Transuranic waste - waste that
contains more than 100 nanocuries of
alpha-emitting transuranic isotopes per
gram of waste, with half-lives greater
than 20 years.
• PCB and PCB-contaminated wastes
- waste containing or contaminated with
PCBs, a class of synthetic organic
chemicals including 209 known isomers,
each with from 1 to 10 chlorine atoms on
a biphenyl ring. Under TSCA
regulations, PCB manufacturing was
prohibited after 1978. However,
continued use of PCBs is allowed
provided that the use does not pose a risk
to human health or the environment.
Disposal of all PCB materials is
regulated.
• Asbestos waste - asbestos-containing
materials from renovation and demolition
activities.
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Environmental Program Information