Environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and response to comments. Sold residue treatment, repackaging, and storage

摘要

From its founding in 1952 through the cessation of production in 1989, the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) Rocky Flats Plant (now the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the Site)) produced components for nuclear weapons. Some of those components were made of plutonium. As a result of the processes used to recover and purify plutonium and manufacture the components, a variety of materials became contaminated with plutonium. If the level of contamination were low, the material was considered waste. However, if the concentration of plutonium in the material exceeded the 'economic discard limit', the materials were classified as 'residue' rather than 'Waste' and were stored for later recovery of the plutonium. While large quantities of residues were processed, others, primarily those more difficult to process, accumulated at the Site in storage. Two important events regarding residues have occurred at the Site since production activities ceased. One event was the end of the Cold War in 1991, which made the return to production of nuclear weapons, with their Rocky Flats-made components, unnecessary. This event led to DOE's decision to permanently cease production at the Site, clean up and remove radioactive and chemical contamination at the Site, and find alternative uses for the Site. This document describes methods for processing of the wastes for safe interim storage. Environmental impacts from the processing and storage are discussed.