This section describes the baseline conditions and specific waste management operations at Pantex. As part of its normal operation, Pantex generates low-level, mixed low-level, hazardous, and nonhazardous wastes. Tables H.2.4-1 and H.2.4-2 present a detailed description of treatment and storage facilities and their estimated capacities.
| Treatment Unit | Treatment Method(s) | Input Capability | Output Capability | Total Capacity13 (m3/yr) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batch Master Hazardous Waste Tank System (Bldg. 12-68) | Filtration, neutralization, and precipitation | Bldg. 12-5C metal cleaning bath, plating process waste, sodium hydroxide radiator cleaner, and spent electrolyte solutions | Metal precipitates to Hazardous Waste Storage Pad and effluent to wastewater treatment plant | Process as needed | Nonoperational due to pending closure |
| Building 11-15A | Immobilization | Mixed LLW | To be determined | 185 | Planned |
| Building 11-9 | Immobilization | Mixed LLW | To be determined | 185 | Planned |
| Building 11-9S | Stabilization and macroencapsulation | Mixed LLW and hazardous waste | Sent to hazardous waste treatment and processing facility when completed | 2 m3/treatment | Also used as 90-day accumulation area for hazardous and mixed LLW |
| Building 11-50 (Wastewater Treatment Facility) | Filtration of organics and undissolved HE particles | HE machining operations | Playa 2 | 684 | |
| Building 12-43 (HE Filtration Facility) | Filtration of HE and carbon | Explosive machining operations in Building 12-24 | Playa 1 | 180 | Sock filter and carbon filter |
| Building 12-73 | Settlement and filtration | HE-contaminated water | Sanitary sewage system | Variable | Settling tank and fabric filter system |
| Burning Ground: one cage, one tray, and one pan | Open burning or detonation | Solid mixed LLW and hazardous waste | Ash to 11-71X storage pad | 909 | Design capacity. Interim permit until April 2001. |
| Closed-loop decon system | Reduction | Contaminated lead (solid mixed LLW) | Acid bath (liquid mixed LLW) to offsite commercial vendor | Campaign | One process per year. Standby mode. |
| Compactor (Bldg. 12-42) | Hydraulic ram compactor-in-drum compaction | Solid LLW (gloves, kim wipes, paper) | Compacted LLW in 17H 55-gallon drums to storage igloo 4-56 | Process as needed | No TRU waste, waste greater than Class C, mixed waste, free liquids, or gases |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment & Processing Facility | Immobilization repackaging, neutralization compaction, shredding, sorting, and solidification | Liquid and solid LLW, mixed LLW and hazardous waste | To be determined. May be stabilized solids | 500 | Available for treating mixed waste by 1998 |
| Sanitary Sewage Treatment System | Aeration and anaerobic microbial action | Sanitary sewage and industrial waste | Lagoon (chlorine pretreatment) | 2,460,000 L/day | Permitted flow. Operational flow about 1,310,000 L/day. |
| Storage Unit | Input Capability | Total Capacity (m3)14 | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings 4-46, 4-72 and 4-74 | Liquid and solid mixed LLW | 187 | Permitted capacity pending permit modification. Operating capacity is 120 m3. |
| Buildings 11-7A and 11-7B | Liquid and solid mixed LLW | 402 | Permitted and operating storage capacity. |
| Building 11-7N Pad | Various liquid/solid hazardous waste, mixed LLW, and LLW | 125 | Interim permit dated April 19, 1990. Permitted and operating capacity. |
| Building 11-9N Pad | Various liquid and solid hazardous wastes | 379 | Permit dated March 1994. Permitted capacity. Operating capacity is 252 m3. |
| Conex containers WM-1 to WM-8 | Containerized solid mixed low-level and silver photo wastes | 575 | Permit dated April 1, 1991. Permitted capacity. Operating capacity is 120 m3. |
| Conex containers WM-1A, WM-1B,WM-3A, WM-5A, WM-5B | Containerized liquid and solid LLW | 377 | No plans to receive offsite waste. Permitted capacity pending permit modification. Operating capacity is 75 m3. |
| Conex containers (25) | Solid/liquid LLW | 1,800 | Each Conex can store 72 55-gal drums (15 m3) for an operating capacity of 375 m3. |
| Magazine 4-50 | Liquid/solid mixed LLW, hazardous waste, and LLW | 421 | Final permit dated April 24, 1992. Permitted capacity. Operating capacity is 40 m3. |
| Magazine 4-56 | Liquid and solid LLW | 421 | Temporary storage before shipment to NTS. Operating capacity is 40 m3. |
| RCRA Hazardous Staging Facility (Bldg. 16-16) | Containerized liquid/solid LLW and mixed LLW | 1,050 | Permitted capacity. Operating capacity is 333 m3. Currently under construction. |
Pollution Prevention. The Pantex Waste Minimization Program was formed to define an effective waste minimization system for the site. A committee provides awareness of the program, identifies tasks, and provides a liaison between the site and outside entities. Some of this program's accomplishments are listed below:
Transuranic Waste. No TRU waste or mixed TRU waste is currently generated at Pantex during normal operation. However, there is potential for an off-normal event to generate small amounts of contact-handled TRU waste or mixed TRU waste during a weapon dismantlement activity. Three drums of TRU waste were generated several years ago from an incident during weapon dismantlement. Ultimately, Pantex plans to ship its TRU waste to a DOE-approved storage site when one is available. In the interim, approximately 1 m3 of TRU waste is temporarily stored in Building 12-42 (DOE 1995gg).
Low-Level Waste. The waste streams for LLW have the following options available for management consideration:
Solid LLW consists of contaminated parts from weapons A/D functions and waste materials associated with these functions, such as protective clothing, cleaning materials, filters, and other similar materials. The compactible portions of this waste are processed at the Pantex Solid Waste Compaction Facility and staged along with the noncompactible portions for shipment to a DOE-approved disposal site. Table H.2.4-3 lists Pantex's primary LLW streams, how they are generated, primary radioactive constituents, and method of storage or disposal. Table H.2.4-4 presents the inventory of LLW at Pantex as of December 2, 1994. A 5-year projection is also given.
Mixed Low-Level Waste. The waste streams for mixed LLW have the following options available for management consideration:
Pantex generates solid mixed LLW during weapons component testing. These wastes consist primarily of depleted uranium and beryllium residue and fragments from explosives components tests, contaminated gravel, cleaning materials, and protective clothing associated with these operations. Other mixed LLW streams include cleaning materials from weapons A/D operations. Table H.2.4-5 lists Pantex's primary mixed waste streams, composition, method of process, and treatment alternatives. Pantex will manage mixed waste in accordance with the Pantex Plant Federal Facility Compliance Act Compliance Plan. Pantex currently has a contract with a commercial facility for mixed waste treatment and/or disposal. Table H.2.4-6 lists organic liquid mixed LLW waste streams that are being evaluated for commercial treatment and/or disposal. Table H.2.4-7 lists the mixed waste storage inventory as of September 1995. Projections for the following 5 years are also included.
Mixed LLW (HE contaminates only) is currently treated at the Burning Ground which has a permitted capacity of 180 m3/yr (236 yd3/yr) (DOE 1995gg). The Hazardous Waste Treatment and Processing Facility is being planned to house mixed waste mobile treatment units.
Hazardous Waste. The waste streams for hazardous waste have the following options available for management consideration:
Table H.2.4-8 presents the inventory and 5-year projection for hazardous waste at Pantex as of December 2, 1994. Two facilities treat hazardous waste: the Burning Ground Facility and the Hazardous Waste Treatment Processing Facility. The Burning Ground is an open-burning area where explosives, explosives-contaminated waste, and explosives-contaminated spent solvents are burned, resulting in a large reduction in volume. The Hazardous Waste Treatment and Processing Facility will house liquid-phase and solid-phase hazardous, low-level, and mixed waste processing facilities. The facility has been planned and approved and should be available in 1998 (DOE 1995gg).
Not all of the hazardous waste is treated at Pantex. Table H.2.4-9 shows the amount of hazardous waste shipped offsite in 1994. There are several separate storage facilities for hazardous wastes. At the Hazardous Waste Drum Storage Area, all drums containing liquid are placed in spill-containment pans. The facility is inspected weekly for leaking drums. Small lab samples of hazardous waste are stored in two chemical storage containers in this area. The materials stored there include asbestos, mercury-contaminated wastes, Burning Ground ash, and electroplating sludge. At Building 16-1, used crank case oil is stored underground until sufficient quantities are generated for offsite processing.
| Sources | Waste Description | Radioactive Constituents | Primary Materials | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly/dismantlement operations | Debris from demilitarization and sanitization operations | Thorium, U-238, tritium | Generally noncompactible crushed/granulated plastic and metal debris | Disposed of at DOE- approved offsite facility |
| Assembly/dismantlement/ stockpile surveillance | Compactible material from normal assembly/dismantlement/stockpile surveillance | U-238, tritium, thorium, and plutonium | Lab wipes and other support materials | Disposed of at DOE- approved offsite facility |
| Assembly/dismantlement and stockpile surveillance operations | Radiological materials from normal operations associated with weapons assembly, dismantlement, facility surveillance, container monitoring and routine sample counting operations | U-238, tritium, thorium, and plutonium | Protective clothing, wipes, swipes, tape, plastic and other material in the radiation protection program | Disposed of at DOE- approved offsite facility |
| Weapon component testing and evaluation | Debris generated during past testing of mock devices associated with any known waste stream | Depleted U-238 residue | Contaminated soil and gravel, additional miscellaneous materials | Stored onsite pending eventual shipment to DOE-approved disposal site |
| Decontamination products | Materials generated during the decontamination of a concrete assembly work cell (one time generation) | Tritium | Protective clothing, concrete rubble, solidified liquids, tools, equipment, plastic and paper products containing tritium | Stored onsite pending eventual shipment to DOE-approved disposal site |
| PX DOE 1995i. | ||||
| Waste Stream Name | Inventory as of December 2, 1994(m3) | Total GenerationFive-Year Projection (m3) |
|---|---|---|
| Beryllium waste, radioactive | 114 | 015 |
| Tritium contaminated waste (solid/liquid) | 55 | 179 |
| Lab packs, nonregulated radioactive (solid) | 1 | 1 |
| Contaminated soil | 8 | 0 |
| Waste water | 7 | 9 |
| Contaminated metal, radioactive | 2 | 0.02 |
| Desiccant, radioactive | 0.2 | 22 |
| Plant refuse (paper, foam, rags, cardboard) | 105 | 711 |
| Miscellaneous ash, radioactive | 9 | 0 |
| Total | 301 | 922 |
| Treatability Group | Waste Stream Name | Composition16 | Process Description | Treatment Alternatives |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organic liquids | Paint waste - organic liquids | Paint and solvent | Stripping, surface preparation, and repainting | Planning packed bed reactor (Mobile Treatment Unit) |
| Spent solvents | Freon, methyl ethyl ketone, High Explosive (HE), and dimethyl sulfoxide | Cleaning dissolution of HE | Planning hydrothermal oxidation (Mobile Treatment Unit or offsite commercial vendor) | |
| Contaminated liquid | Mercury-contaminated oil | Vacuum pump oil change | Planning packed bed reactor (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Aqueous liquids | Wastewater | Water, HE, chromium, lead | Water-let and thermal shock activities | Planning evaporation oxidation and stabilization (Mobile Treatment Unit) |
| Alodine solution | Chromic acid, fluoride salt and iron cyanide | Surface preparation before paint removal | Planning plating waste treatment (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Metal cleaning waste | Water, alodine, nitric acid, U, Th, cadmium, Cr, Lead, and Hg | Etching and cleaning of metals | Planning plating waste treatment (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Homogeneous solids | Wastewater sludge from explosives | Explosive-contaminated solids, dimethyl sulfoxide | Filtering of wastewater with HE | Open-air burning |
| Burning Ground ash | Inorganic ash residue, metals, and some unburned organic material | Burning of HE and HE-contaminated materials | Planning stabilization/barium sulfate (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Process residues | Residues resulting from treatment of mixed waste | Waste not generated until onsite mixed waste treatment commences in 2000. | Planning stabilization (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Soils/gravels | ER potential mixed waste (soils) | Contaminated soils from solid waste management units, spill cleanup, drill cuttings, sample wastes, etc. | ER program site contaminated soils | Planning thermal desorption and stabilization |
| Debris waste | Solvent-contaminated solid material | Alcohol, kimwipes, filters, rags, leads, solvents | Weapon dismantlement and maintenance | Planning macroencapsulation |
| Contaminated scrap metal | Contaminated scrap metal from demilitarized and sanitized weapons parts | Demilitarized and sanitation activities | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Lead-contaminated waste, solid | Seals and tape intermixed with gloves and paper | Demilitarization and sanitization activities | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Mercury-contaminated solids | Glass bulbs, mercury- contaminated solids | Maintenance of lighting | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Heterogeneous debris- metal contaminated waste | Metals, alodine, light ballasts, beryllium | Maintenance and special activities | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Heterogeneous debris | Solid wipes, gloves, and anti-C suits | Painting, paint removal, maintenance testing, and disarmament activities | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Plutonium-contaminated solids | Personnel protective equipment, epoxy, floor sweepings, paint, and paint thinner | Dismantlement operations in Building 12-98 | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Contaminated explosives and contaminated support materials | Support materials with explosive residue, mercury, and solvents | Assembly/disassembly process | Planning macroencapsulation | |
| Lab packs | Lab packs | Epoxy, uranium, acid, lead, thorium nitrate crystals | Disposal of chemicals from testing labs | Proposed radiation surveying followed by separation and onsite treatment if unable to reclassify as hazardous |
| Miscellaneous organic liquids | Halogenated and nonhalogenated solvents | Paints, solvents, and special product materials storage | Planning hydrothermal oxidation (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Scintillation fluids | Scintillation fluids packaged with vermiculite | Radioactivity testing | Commercial treatment. Fluids need to be bulked first. | |
| Special wastes | Used batteries | Nickel, cadmium, lead, silver, mercury, and asbestos | Dismantlement activities | Decontaminate and recategorize as hazardous waste |
| Lead waste | Portion of lead drum liners | Removal of lead liners | Planning treatment utilizing decontamination. If not successful, then macroencapsulation (Mobile Treatment Unit) | |
| Aerosol containers | Discarded spray paint cans | General maintenance | Decontamination |
| Waste Stream | Quantities of Waste (L) | Treatable Volume(L) | Composition17 | Process Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lab packs18 | 4,030 | 988 | Scintillation vials packed in cardboard boxes in vermiculite | Laboratory waste packages |
| Organic debris; solvent-contaminated | 163 | 163 | Joint test assembly cleanup water, oil, water | Support material |
| Spent solvent | 3,920 | 1,740 | Scintillation vials packed in cardboard boxes in vermiculite; joint test assembly cleanup water; freon with HE | Spent solvents |
| Mercury-contaminated liquids | 492 | 492 | Oil contaminated with mercury | Discarded oil from vacuum pumps in laboratory equipment; source of mercury contamination from samples analyzed in lab equipment |
| Total | 8,605 | 3,383 |
| Treatability Group | Number of Waste Streams | Inventory as ofMarch 1995 (m3) | Total Generation Five-Year Projection (m3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqueous liquids/slurries | 3 | 2 | 22 |
| Organic liquids | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Homogeneous solids | 3 | 19 | 29 |
| Soils | 1 | None | 190 |
| Debris waste | 8 | 97 | 714 |
| Lab packs | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Special wastes | 3 | <1 | 1 |
| Total | 24 | 128 | 963 |
| DOE 1995gg. | |||
| Waste Stream Name | Inventory as ofDecember 2, 1994 (m3) | Total Generation Five-Year Projection (m3) |
|---|---|---|
| Explosive-contaminated solid waste | 4 | 23 |
| Burning Ground waste from thermal treatment | 1 | 7 |
| Lab packs (solid) | 0.4 | 6 |
| Photographic film | 0 | 0.7 |
| Lead waste | 0.7 | 0.08 |
| Spent halogenated and nonhalogenated solvents and mixtures | 2 | 34 |
| Heavy metal contaminated parts | 0 | 0.8 |
| Contaminated soil19 | 0 | 14,800 |
| Sodium hydroxide waste (solid) | 0 | 8 |
| Paint sludge | 2 | 3 |
| Wastewater from operations and monitoring Contaminated soil19 | 0.4 | 34 |
| Metal cleaner and photographic waste | 0.05 | 13 |
| Recyclable and nonrecyclable used batteries | 0.4 | 197 |
| Solvent-contaminated solids | 3 | 29 |
| Mercury (solid/liquid) | 0 | 0.01 |
| Sandblasting waste | 0.6 | 1 |
| Lead-contaminated waste | 0 | 0.7 |
| Miscellaneous organics(solid/liquid) | 0.4 | 15 |
| Contaminated engine oil | 0.1 | 2 |
| Oil filter waste | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| Miscellaneous discards contaminated with heavy metals | 23 | 356 |
| Empty organic compressed gas cylinders | 0.3 | 24 |
| Recyclable scrap metal with precious metals | 0.2 | 1 |
| Total | 39 | 15,556 20 |
| Description | Number of Shipments Containing Description | Quantity(kg) | Estimated Volume 21 (m3) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazardous waste, solid, n.o.s. | 9 | 14,200 | 9 |
| Corrosive liquids, n.o.s. | 2 | 538 | 0.5 |
| Flammable liquids, n.o.s. | 1 | 202 | 0.2 |
| Hazardous waste, liquid, n.o.s. | 2 | 149 | 0.2 |
| Oxidizing substances, solid, corrosive, n.o.s. | 1 | 166 | 0.1 |
| Oxidizing substances, solid, poisonous, n.o.s. | 1 | 6 | <0.1 |
| Poisonous liquids, n.o.s. | 1 | 28 | <0.1 |
Class 1 non-RCRA hazardous waste includes waters that contain asbestos, PCBs with a concentration greater than 50 parts per million (ppm), and oils with a total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration greater than 1,500 ppm. Table H.2.4-10 presents the Class 1 non-RCRA hazardous waste streams, current inventories as of December 2, 1994, and projected generation volumes. Medical waste is defined as any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosing, treating, or immunizing of human beings or animals, in research, or in producing or testing biologicals. This waste includes cultures and stocks, pathological wastes, human blood and blood products, sharps, animal waste, and isolation wastes. Pantex currently generates approximately two boxes of medical waste per week, each with a capacity of 0.142 m3
(0.186 yd3). The annual generation rate of medical waste at Pantex is approximately 15 m3
(19 yd3) (PX DOE 1995i:
14-15).
Nonhazardous Waste.
The Sewage Treatment Quality Upgrade is a project for 1996 at Pantex. This project would upgrade Pantex's sanitary system to ensure that wastewater standards are met through secondary/tertiary treatment. This project includes upgrading the existing treatment lagoon to treat sewage, repairing and replacing existing deteriorated sewer lines, constructing a closed system to eliminate the use of open ditches for conveyance of industrial wastewater discharges, and implementing a plant stormwater management system.
Class 2 nonhazardous waste (general refuse) is collected at each building from trash cans and placed in dumpsters. This includes cardboard, computer paper, white paper, colored paper, mixed steel, steel and aluminum cans, mixed metal, mixed plastic, foam rubber, and glass. Currently, telephone directories, paper, certain plastics, and some steel and aluminum cans are being recycled. The weights of Class 2 nonhazardous waste disposed of from 1989 to 1994 and the estimated volumes for 1995 through 1999 are given in table H.2.4-11.
13
For those facilities already in use this is a normal operating capacity; whereas, for facilities under design or construction this is a design capacity. Schedules and capacities for facilities under design or construction are subject to changes such as availability funds and permit issuance.
DOE 1993h; DOE 1994n; DOE 1995gg; PX DOE 1995i; PX DOE 1996b.
14
Schedules and capacities for facilities under design or construction are subject to changes such as availability of funds and permit issuance.
DOE 1994n; PX DOE 1995i; PX DOE 1996b.
15
One-time event, no further generation is expected.
PX DOE 1995i.
16
Typical radionuclides that may be present in the mixed waste include uranium, thorium, and tritium.
ER - environmental restoration.
DOE 1994k; DOE 1995gg.
17
Mixed LLW stream may include uranium, thorium, tritium, and plutonium.
18
Cardboard boxes and vermiculite used to pack scintillation vials will be recontainerized and treated as separate sampling lots.
PX DOE 1995i.
19
These waste streams are primarily associated with environmental restoration activities.
20
Of this total, about 550 m3 is directly from weapons activities.
PX DOE 1995i.
21
For those shipments in which only a mass quantity was provided, a volume estimate was made based on density factors of 1,000 kg/m
3
for liquids and 1,500 kg/m
3
for solids.
n.o.s. - not otherwise specified.
DOE 1995h.
22
These waste streams are primarily associated with environmental restoration activities.
PX DOE 1995i.
23
Contract for disposal began in 1989 and included approximately 3 months.
24
In midyear, recycling was stopped because of low cost effectiveness.
25
Waste minimization efforts are expected to provide an average reduction of 4 percent each year.
PX DOE 1995i.
DOE 1994k.
Table H.2.4-10 Class 1 Non-Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Hazardous Waste Inventory at Pantex Plant
Waste Stream Inventory as of December, 1994 (m3)
Total Generation Five-Year Projection (m3)
Beryllium waste 0 740 Empty Containers 142 985 PCB-contaminated solids 0.05 0.05 Crank case oil
1
260
Asbestos solids
13
24
PCB-contaminated oil
0
0.06
Paint residue
3
53
Contaminated soil22
5
2,350
Metal cleaning waste (solid)
0
0.3
Wastewater
Contaminated soil22
24
1,600
Recyclable and nonrecyclable photographic waste
0.02
0.3
Contaminated metal
0.1
0.7
Antifreeze and engine coolants
0.3
337
Desiccant
0
4
Plant refuse, such as paper, foam, rags, and cardboard
51
543
Used oil filters generated during maintenance
3
23
Miscellaneous ash
4
5
Resins, tar, or tarry sludge (excess material from laboratories)
3
36
Total
249
6,961
Table H.2.4-11. Class 2 Nonhazardous Waste Disposal in Amarillo Landfill from Pantex Plant
Year Total Disposal (kg) Total Volume of Disposal (m3) 1989 79,600 53 1990 335,000 223 1991 307,000
205
1992
371,000
247
199324
428,000
285
1994
589,000
393
1995-1999 (estimate)25
2,610,000
1,740
DOE 1994n; KCP 1995a:4.