Record of decision: Stabilization of plutonium solutions stored in the F-Canyon facility at the Savannah River Site, Aiken, SC

摘要

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared and issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (DOE/EIS-0219, December 30, 1994), to assess the potential environmental impacts of stabilizing approximately 80,000 gallons of plutonium solutions currently stored in tanks in the F-Canyon chemical separations-facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. As long as the plutonium remains in solution there is a risk of releases and subsequent radiation exposure to workers, the public, and the environment from accidental criticality incidents, leaks, and disruptions of engineered systems from earthquakes. The Department has evaluated the impacts of alternative methods that would achieve stabilization of the solutions. The analysis reveals that the potential environmental impacts of implementing alternatives that would eliminate the risk inherent in storing plutonium in liquid form are small. Further, the impacts differ little among the alternatives. DOE currently has available the capability to process the plutonium solutions to a metal form. Given this existing capability, the potential for environmental releases that exists as a result of storing the plutonium in liquid form, and the relative lack of environmental advantages to implementing other options, DOE has decided to process the plutonium solutions to metal form using the F-Canyon and FB-Line facilities at the SRS. DOE has committed that this plutonium metal will not be used for nuclear explosive purposes and intends to offer it for inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.