FERNALD SILOS PROJECT

1
FERNALD SILOS PROJECT
1993
2003
Graphics 8229.1 4/04
2
BACKGROUND

• Fernald is located 18 miles northwest of
• downtown Cincinnati, Ohio
• Fernald operated as a Uranium
• Processing Facility from 1952 - 1989
• Materials in Silos are by-product residues
• from extraction of uranium from ores

Graphics 8229.2 4/04
3
REGULATORY BACKGROUND

• CERCLA Records of Decision (RODs)
• for all Silos material allow disposal at
• NTS or appropriately permitted
• commercial facility
• Silos waste classified as 11e.(2) byproduct
• material, statutorily exempt from RCRA
• Silos waste will be disposed at NTS

Graphics 8229.3 4/04
4
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• The Silos 1 and 2 residues were generated
• by the extraction of uranium from
• high-grade uranium ores
• 8,890 cubic yards of residues are stored
• in two 80-foot diameter by 30-foot high
• concrete silos

Graphics 8229.4 4/04
5
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• Waste Characterization
• Material in Silos is moist, soil-like
• consistency
• Radionuclides include Actinium, Lead,
• Polonium, Radium Thorium

Graphics 8229.5 4/04
6
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• Waste Processing
• Processing of the Silo 1 and 2 wastes is
• scheduled to begin October 2004
• Waste will be stabilized with a mixture of
• flyash and Portland cement
• Stabilized waste will be 17-20 residue
• 80-83 flyash and Portland cement

Graphics 8229.6 4/04
7
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• Waste Packaging
• 7,000 containers required
• Loaded into ½-inch thick carbon steel containers
• Dimensions
• 6-1/2-foot high
• 6-foot diameter
• 4,000-pounds
• External container volume of 196 cubic feet
• Container design meets DOT Industrial Package
• Type 2 (IP-2) requirements
• Filled containers will have an average weight of
  
• 21,000 pounds

Graphics 8229.7 4/04
8
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• Waste Packaging (contd)
• Anticipated direct radiation dose rates on the
• outside of the shipping container
• 75 millirem/hour on contact
• 9 millirem/hour at two meters from
• the package

Graphics 8229.8 4/04
9
SILOS 1 AND 2 RESIDUES

• Waste Shipments and Disposal
• Shipping schedule October 2004 November 2005
• Two containers per flat bed truck
• Commercial freight carriers exclusive use trucks
  only
• Approximately 3,500 shipments
• 105 trucks per week

• Disposal at the Department of Energy Nevada Test
  Site
• Truck access only
• 2,000 miles one-way from Fernald to NTS
• 15.2 million miles (round trip) required to
  complete
• NTS to set up 24 /7 trailer drop and pickup area

Graphics 8229.9 4/04
10
SILOS 1 AND 2 WASTE CONTAINERS
Graphics 8229.10 4/04
11
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Background
• The Silo 3 residues consist of metallic and
• non-metallic impurities that remained
  following
• the extraction of uranium from ore and ore
• concentrates at Fernald during the mid-1950s
• 5,088 cubic yards of cold metal oxides are
• stored in one 80-foot diameter by 30-foot high
• concrete silo

Graphics 8229.11 4/04
12
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Waste Characterization
• Relatively dry (3-10 percent moisture by
  weight),
• powder-like material
• Silo 3 material has a lower radium content,
• direct radiation field, and radon-222 emanation
  
• rates than the Silos 1 and 2 residues
• Radionuclide include Actinium, Lead,
• Protactinium, Radium and Thorium

Graphics 8229.12 4/04
13
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Waste Processing
• Processing of the Silo 3 waste is scheduled to
• begin late May 2004
• Silo 3 waste will be conditioned to reduce
• dispersability and mobility
• Conditioned target waste will be 90 residue
• and 10 conditioning agent
• 6 cubic yards per hour
• 30 packages/day

Graphics 8229.13 4/04
14
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Waste Packaging
• 1,910 packages required
• Waste loaded into triple layer, soft-sided
  packages
• ( 2 polypropylene with 30 mil neoprene liner)
• Package design meets DOT Industrial Package
• Type 2 (IP-2) requirements
• Filled packages will have an average weight of
• 4,600 pounds at 84 product fill (96 cubic feet
  )

Graphics 829.14 4/04
15
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Waste Packaging (contd)
• Anticipated direct radiation dose rates on the
• outside of the shipping container (based on
• unconditioned material)
• 7 millirem/hour on contact
• 3.1 millirem/hour at two meters from
• the package

Graphics 8229.15 4/04
16
SILO 3 RESIDUES

• Waste Shipments and Disposal
• Shipping schedule May/June September 2004
• Seven or eight packages per enclosed trailer or
  ISO
• Packages will be placed on pallets
• Approximately 275 shipments
• Up to 21 trucks per week

• Disposal at the Department of Energy Nevada
  Test
• Site (NTS)
• Truck access only
• 2,000 miles one-way from Fernald to NTS

Graphics 8229.16 4/04
17
SILO 3 WASTE CONTAINER
Graphics 8229.17 4/04
18
FERNALD TO NEVADA TEST SITE SHIPPING ROUTES
Graphics 8229.18 4/04
19
FERNALD TO NEVADA TEST SITE ROUTE DETAIL
Graphics 8229.19 4/04