Chemical Composiiton Analysis of INEEL Phase 3 Glasses: Task Technical and QA Plan

Abstract

For about four decades radioactive wastes have been collected and calcined from nuclear fuels reprocessing at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). Over this time span, secondary radioactive waste from decontamination, laboratory activities and fuels storage activities have also been collected and stored as liquid. These liquid high-activity wastes (HAW) are collectively called Sodium Bearing Wastes (SBW). Currently about 5.7 million liters of these wastes are temporarily stored in stainless steel tanks at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Vitrification is being considered as a treatment option for SBW. The resulting glass can be sent to either the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, as remote handled transuranic waste (RH-TRU) or to the federal geologic repository for final disposal. In addition to the SBW, roughly 4,000 m3 of calcined high-level wastes (HLW) are currently being stored at INEEL in stainless steel bin sets. These calcined HLW may also be vitrified, either with or without a dissolution and separation process, and sent to the federal geologic repository for final disposal.