Incorporation of pollution prevention and waste minimization practices during the decommissioning of Building 310 at Argonne National Laboratory-East

The decommissioning of radiologically contaminated buildings at Department of Energy (DOE) sites provides a major opportunity to include pollution prevention and waste minimization (P2/WMin) practices to minimize waste using authorized release opportunities, and recycle and reuse (R2) activities on a complex-wide basis. The ``P2/WMin Users Guide for Decommissioning Projects`` (a.k.a. Users Guide or Guide) will be used to incorporate P2/WMin practices into the decommissioning and dismantlement (D and D) of Building 310 retention tanks at Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E). The Building 310 service floor retention-tank facility contains ten isolated retention tanks that served to store excess radioactive liquids generated during process operations. The building consists of three rooms containing three tanks each and a larger room containing one tank. Due to a concern that the deteriorating facility could expose personnel working in the vicinity to radioactive contamination, a decision was made to decommission the building. The Users Guide, a document prepared under the auspices of the Office of Pollution Prevention (EM-77), details a step-by-step approach for incorporating P2/WMin options into a project`s documentation and subsequent decommissioning activities. It is a compilation of lessons learned and strategic P2/WMin initiatives from across the DOE complex. The benefits derived from using P2/WMin initiatives for the D and D of Building 310 include an accelerated decommissioning schedule, reduction in health risk, and the elimination of six release sites from the DOE EM-40 list. The benefits derived from implementation of P2/WMin initiatives into this project include cost savings, reduction in long-term liability, and deployment of technologies without impacting scope or schedule for the project