1 - paducah environmental information center

Annual Site Environmental Report for 1999
machines that grasp and lift the cylinder with
hydraulically controlled tines.
The "mission" of the DUF 6 Cylinder
Program is to safely store the DOE-owned DUF6
inventory until its ultimate disposition. The
DUF 6 Cylinder Program Management Plan was
established to meet the program mission. The
plan ,has components (such as DUF 6 , cylinders,
cylinder yards, cylinder-handling equipment,
personnel, and financial resources) and activities
(such as operations, management processes, and
administration).
The congressional adjustment of DOE's
mission from uranium enrichment to , uranium
inventory management (storage and utilization)
has transformed the previous management plan
from design, construction, and, operation phases
to a storage or standby phase. The Program
Management Plan for which DOE is responsible
has been realigned to containment and use of a
finite inventory of DUF 6 . The various types of
construction and the subsequent deterioration of
the yards have led to substandard storage
conditions for many of the cylinders. The
variety of cylinder deSigns that have evolved
over the years and various, paint systems used
have resulted in varying corrosion rates. These
two main factors led to the need for long-term
corrosion monitoring of the cylinders.
Potential risks to people and the environment
posed by DUF 6 storage as it is ~anaged are low.
The DUF 6 is stored as a crystalline solid at less
than atmospheric pressure. When DUF 6 is
exposed to the atmosphere, hydrogen fluoride
and, uranium reaction products form. The
uranium by~products' form a hard crystalline
solid, whichi acts as a self~sealant within the
storage cylinder. The hazard potential ·of the
DliF6 .is primarily cheniical toxicity from any
released hydrogen fluoride, rather than, a
radiol~gical hazard.
, Mter;., visiting, the Paducah; Portsmouth,
and K -25. [currently identified' as East Te~nessee
Technology Park (ETTP)] sites in '1994 and
1995, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety
Board (DNFSB) issued Recommendation 95-1
and a supporting technical report. That report
addressed the improved safety of cylinders
containing DUF 6 . Recommendation 95-1 on
Depleted Uranium recommended the following:
• Start an early program to renew the
protective coating of cylinders containing
DUF 6 from the historical production of
enriched uranium.
• Explore the possibility of additional
measures to protect these cylinders from
the damaging effects of exposure to the
elements, as well as any additional
handling th~t may occur.
• Institute a study to determine
whether a more suitable chemical forin
should be selected for long-term storage
of the depleted uranium.
On June 29, 1995, DOE formally accepted
Recommendation 95-1 and emphasized five
focus areas for DOE response:
• Removing cylinders from ground
contact arid keeping cylinders from
further ground contact;
• Relocating all, cylinders into an
adequate inspection configuration (this
effort continued in 1999 as new storage
yards were constructed or as existing
yards were refurbished);
• Repainting cylinders as needed to
avoid excessive corrosion (cylinder
painting was' suspended in 1999);
• Updating handling and inspection
procedures and site-specific Safety
Analysis Reports; and
• Completing an ongoing study that
will include an analysis of alternative
,;chemical forms for the material (on April
15, 1999, DOE issued the Final
"
Environmental Program Information
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