On-site disposal of decontaminated and dismantled (D and D) materials: A management approach

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) is a federal facility located near Cincinnati, Ohio that is being remediated. Operable Unit 3 (OU3) of the FEMP consists of 232 buildings and other structures that formerly housed various uranium and thorium metallurgical and chemical processes. The buildings are constructed primarily of steel and concrete, with transite siding. The structures are being decontaminated and dismantled using an interim remedial action approach. The disposition of the debris and other waste materials generated by the interim action is being addressed by the final remedial action for the operable unit. The preferred alternative is disposal of most of the material in an engineered disposal cell located on the FEMP property. This is complicated by the fact that the FEMP is located in an environmentally sensitive area and by the complex nature of the materials. The principal aquifer located beneath the site, the Great Miami Aquifer, is designated as a sole-source aquifer under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Disposal of any wastes at the FEMP must be protective of the aquifer. Dismantlement of OU3 structures will result in a very heterogeneous waste stream, both in terms of types of materials and levels of contamination. Wastes to be managed also include contaminated production equipment and drummed materials associated with former production activities, as well as structural materials. All of these factors complicate the management of OU3 materials. This paper discusses the approach proposed by the FEMP for the management of materials resulting from the interim remedial action. The components of the management approach being used to address disposal of the heterogeneous wastes from OU3 in an environmentally sensitive manner are discussed, followed by some conclusions