Improvements to the Laboratory's Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Technical Area 50 clear the way for high-level radioactive liquid waste to be accepted.
The liquid waste comes to the facility from stockpile mission activities at TA-55.
Improvements to the plant include maintenance of treatment equipment in Room 60, replacement of a 2,500-gallon caustic waste holding tank, replacement of a failing retaining wall, and installation and switch over to new underground waste lines - work which was completed earlier this month.
In addition, legacy radioactive contamination was removed from numerous areas of the plant, and new and updated operation, and safety procedures and protocols have been adopted for plant operations.
"Personnel at the RLWTF are to be commended for their steady and conscientious actions to safely bring the 43-year-old plant's capability back on line to treat high-level waste while a replacement facility can be planned and constructed," said Andy Phelps, associate director for Environmental Programs (ADEP), which has responsibility for the facility.
"Successfully restoring this important capability at RLWTF allows us to sustain important stockpile stewardship activities at TA-55, which are vital to our overall success in maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent," said Glenn Mara, principal associate director for weapons programs (PADWP). "The hard work and perseverance of everyone who worked this issue is greatly appreciated."
For more information, see the news release.
