PLANS FOR MANAGING HANFORD REMOTE-HANDLED TRANSURANIC WASTE

摘要

The current Hanford Site baseline and life-cycle waste forecast predicts that approximately 1,000 cubicmeters of remote-handled transuranic (RH-TRU) waste will be generated by waste management andenvironmental restoration activities at Hanford. These 1,000 cubic meters, comprised of both transuranicand mixed transuranic (TRUM) waste, represent a significant portion of the total estimated inventory ofRH-TRU to be disposed of at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).A systems engineering approach is being followed to develop a disposition plan for each RHTRU/TRUM waste stream at Hanford. A number of significant decision-making efforts are underway todevelop and finalize these disposition plans, including: development and approval of a RH-TRU/TRUMWaste Project Management Plan, revision of the Hanford Waste Management Strategic Plan, the HanfordSite Options Study (“Vision 2012”), the Canyon Disposal Initiative Record-of-Decision, and the HanfordSite Solid (Radioactive and Hazardous) Waste Program Environmental Impact Statement (SW-EIS).Disposition plans may include variations of several options, including 1) sending most RH-TRU/TRUMwastes to WIPP, 2) deferrals of waste disposal decisions in the interest of both efficiency and integrationwith other planned decision dates and 3) disposition of some materials in place consistent withDepartment of Energy Orders and the regulations in the interest of safety, risk minimization, and cost.Although finalization of disposition paths must await completion of the aforementioned decisiondocuments, significant activities in support of RH-TRU/TRUM waste disposition are proceeding,including Hanford participation in development of the RH TRU WIPP waste acceptance criteria,preparation of T Plant for interim storage of spent nuclear fuel sludge, sharing of technology informationand development activities in cooperation with the Mixed Waste Focus Area, RH-TRU technologydemonstrations and deployments, and interface with EM Integration activities.