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CONSIDERATIONS IN RECYCLING CONTAMINATED SCRAP METAL AND RUBBLE
Abstract
Management options for the Department of Energy's increasing amounts of
contaminated scrap metal and rubble include reuse as is, disposal, and recycling.
Recycling, with its promise of resource recovery, virgin materials conservation, and
land disposal minimization, emerges as a preferred management technique.
Implementing a cost effective recycling program requires resolution of several issues
including: establishing release limits for contaminants, controlling use of recycled
materials; creating effective public communication programs; developing economical,
reliable assay technologies; managing secondary waste streams; expanding
availability of unrestricted markets; and solving conflicting legal considerations.
Background
Quantities of Contaminated Materials
Precise quantities of the Department's present stock of contaminated materials are
unavailable; an estimated 1.5 million tons of radioactive scrap metal (RSM) is
presently in storage at DOE sites nationwide (Radioactive Scrap Metal Recycling). The
approximate composition of this RSM in metric tons is: aluminum, 162,000; copper,
32,400; nickel, 204,000; and steel, 1,094,000 (Lilly). Approximately 129,000 tons
of RSM are in open scrap yards at the Feed Materials Production Center and the Oak
Ridge, Paducah, and Portsmrutrh Gaseous Diffusion Plants (Radioactive Scrap Metal
Recycling).
DOE annually generates an additional 15,000 tons of RSM (Murphie). Activation of
large scale decommissioning projects will significantly increase RSM generation. The
Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant alone is expected to generate approximately
775,000 tons of RSM in a ten year period (Murphie).
Approximately 320,000 tons of rubble, primarily concrete, will be generated within
the next several years. The five major process buildings of the Oak Ridge Gaseous
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Kluk, A.F. (USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)) & Hocking, E.K. (Argonne National Lab., Washington, DC (United States)). Considerations in recycling contaminated scrap metal and rubble, article, January 1, 1992; United States. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1057913/m1/3/: accessed June 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.