Development of chemical profiles for U.S. Department of Energy low-level mixed wastes

Abstract

Chemical and radiological profiles of waste streams from US Department of Energy (DOE) low-level mixed wastes (LLMWs) have been developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to provide technical support information for evaluating waste management alternatives in the Office of Environmental Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EM PEIS). The chemical profiles were developed for LLMW generated from both Waste Management (WM) operations and from Environmental Restoration (ER) activities at DOE facilities. Information summarized in the 1994 DOE Mixed Waste Inventory Report (MWIR-2), the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) Automated Remedial Assessment Methodology (ARAM), and associated PNL supporting data on ER secondary waste streams that will be treated in WM treatment facilities were used as the sources for developing chemical profiles. The methodology for developing the LLMW chemical profiles is discussed, and the chemical profiles developed from data for contact-handled (CH) non-alpha LLMW are presented in this paper. The hazardous chemical composition of remote-handled (RH) LLMW and alpha LLMW follow the chemical profiles developed for CH non-alpha LLMW.