The Laboratory is saving more than $18,000 a year in disposal costs by reusing a caustic solution in one of its processes at the Radioactive Liquid Treatment Facility. The solution had previously been used by Detonation Sciences and Technology (DX-1) to remove a film resist from copper cables.The Lab's Pollution Prevention Office (RRES-PP) was instrumental in finding a new use for the dilute sodium hydroxide, which is used by DX-1 when etching copper for detonator production. The sodium hydroxide solution is used to remove a film resist from the copper cables. After the resist is removed, a 3-4 percent solution of sodium hydroxide is drained from the stripper machine when it no longer meets quality control standards. Over time the solution becomes diluted and accumulates some solid particles that can clog small nozzles of the equipment and thus, must be disposed of as hazardous waste. The annual cost to dispose of about 1,200 gallons per year of this waste was more than $17,000.
RRES-PP and several waste management coordinators learned that the Radioactive Liquid Treatment Facility could possibly use the caustic solution since sodium hydroxide is routinely purchased at the facility to neutralize acidic waste. After a review to ensure this solution would work for neutralization at the treatment facility, DX-1 sent the sodium hydroxide solution to the facility as a replacement for a commercial caustic neutralization agent instead of sending it away as hazardous waste. As a result, the Radioactive Liquid Treatment Facility saves more than $1,000 annually by not having to buy as much sodium hydroxide in addition to the savings to DX-1 in disposal costs.
Additionally, since the solution is not being sent far, the plastic drums used to store and transport the solution also are reused. When the solution was treated as hazardous waste, DX-1 had to purchase about $800 worth of new drums every year. Both DX-1 and the Radioactive Liquid Treatment Facility have benefited along with helping Los Alamos reduce its overall generation of hazardous waste in compliance with its contract with the Department of Energy.
For more information about this project, write Joe Bonner at jbonner@lanl.gov by electronic mail or call 5-5053.
For more information concerning P2 Awards, pollution prevention, or waste minimization go to the RRES-PP Web page at http://emeso.lanl.gov online.