131 LA UR 03 5862 - National Nuclear Security Administration ...

Table 2.13-1. Radiochemistry Buildings with Nuclear Hazard ClassificationabcdeBUILDING DESCRIPTIONSWEISRODDOE1998 a DOE2000 b LANL2001 c LANL2001 d LANL2002 eTA-48-0001 Radiochemistry and Hot Cell 3 3 3 3 3 3DOE/LANL list of Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Facilities (DOE 1998a)DOE/LANL list of Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Facilities (DOE 2000a)DOE/LANL list of Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Facilities (LANL 2001a)DOE/LANL list of Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Facilities (LANL 2001b)DOE/LANL list of Los Alamos National Laboratory Nuclear Facilities (LANL 2002a)During 1999, only minor maintenance activities occurred and the facility’s remaining outfall, 03A-045,was eliminated from the Laboratory’s NPDES permit on December 6, 1999 (DOE 1996f). Only minormaintenance activities occurred during 2000 and 2001 with the exception of the refurbishment of theDiagnostic Instrumentation and Development Building (48-45; LANL 2001q, DOE 1996g) because of theCerro Grande Fire and upgrading some of the basement ductwork in the Radiochemistry laboratory (Building48-01).During 2002, funds were available to do more than minor maintenance activities at the RadiochemistryFacility. In the summer of 2002, pollution prevention funds were used to replace the refrigerants in twochillers with environmentally friendly refrigerants. Additionally, Building 48-01 underwent severalimprovements and repairs: the HVAC was improved in part of the building; the roof was repaired; thelightning protection was upgraded; and life safety was improved. The machine shop in the basement ofBuilding 48-01 was moved to Building 48-08. Additionally, an acid neutralization system was installedin Building 48-45. The 50-year-old Building 48-31 was removed and replaced with Building 48-210, atransportable with office space. The machine shop in the basement of Building 48-01 was moved to Building48-08. Table 2.13.1-1 provides details.2.13.2 Operations at the Radiochemistry FacilityThe SWEIS identified ten capabilities for the Radiochemistry Key Facility. No new capabilities have beenadded, and none has been deleted. The primary measure of activity for this Key Facility is the number ofpersonnel conducting research. In 2002, approximately 170 chemists and scientists were employed, far belowthe 250 projected by the SWEIS ROD. 6 As seen in Table 2.13.2-1, only two capabilities were active at levelsprojected by the SWEIS ROD: Radionuclide Transport Studies, Actinide and TRU Chemistry, and SampleCounting.2.13.3 Operations Data for the Radiochemistry FacilityThe overall level of activity at the Radiochemistry Facility has been below that projected by the SWEISROD. Two of the ten capabilities at this Key Facility were conducted at levels projected by the SWEIS ROD;the others were at or below activity levels identified during preparation of the SWEIS. As a result, for themost part, operations data were also below those projected by the SWEIS ROD, as shown in Table 2.13.3-1.An exception occurred during 2000 through 2002 when a large quantity of chemical wastes categorized asindustrial solid wastes was generated. 7 These industrial solid wastes are nonhazardous, may be disposed incounty landfills, and do not present a threat to the local environs. The quantities of TRU and MLLW generatedduring 2002 result from the plans to transition TA-48-1 from a nuclear facility to a radiological facility. Thewastes generated were shipped to TA-54.6 The 170 chemists and scientists listed cannot be directly compared to the FTEs shown in Table 2.13.3-1, because the two numbers represent twodifferent populations of individuals. The 170 chemists and scientists listed include temporary staff, students, and visiting scientists, whereas, the 124FTEs only includes full-time and part-time regular LANL staff.7 In the SWEIS, the term “industrial solid waste” was used for construction debris, chemical waste, and sensitive paper records.2-136SWEIS Yearbook—2002