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7/31/2019 Blueprint for Environmental Remediation: The SRNL Approach to Reducing Environmental Risk
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Blueprint forEnvironmental
Remediation:The SRNL Approach to
Reducing Environmental Risk
October 2012
IntroductionReducing Environmental Risk
The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is the United States Department
o Energys lead laboratory or environmental management and the only nationa
laboratory dedicated to applied science. With experience spanning six decades
(and counting) as well as expertise spanning all radiological and chemica
disciplines, SRNL has an extensive record o dening and developing technologies
or deployment to meet identied needs.
SRNL recognizes that eectively evaluating and addressing each unique
environmental remediation situation requires experienced and knowledgeable
personnel and broad technical capabilities. However, SRNL also has recognized
that a single comprehensive approach may acilitate evaluating and addressing
any environmental clean-up.
Drawing upon its long experience as technology innovator and integrator, SRNL
has synthesized the complex process o dealing conclusively with nuclear waste
and materials into a uniorm ramework or eciently selecting strategies
technologies, and resources appropriate to site-specic conditions and desired
end states.
An interlinked network o zones representing an environmental remediation site
provides a tool or approaching complex clean-up problems. The denition o
typical characteristics, end-state objectives, strategic considerations, and types
o technologies o those zones expedites characterization o any site, prioritization
o any clean-up eort, alignment o resources with risk reduction, technical and
project management, and communication with stakeholders.
SRNL has successully applied the SRNL Blueprint to large nuclear acility
decommissioning, nuclear materials disposition, radiological waste disposition
and soil and groundwater remediation. The SRNL Blueprint enables expeditious
denition o environmental remediation solutions that are economically and
technically practicable and acceptable to stakeholders.
For more inormation on this approach and its applications, please contact
Andrew Fellinger at a.ellinger@srnl.doe.gov.
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Zones of a physical plume extending outward from the source of radiation/waste/
contamination to areas of lesser risk
Transition ZoneImpact Zone
Source Zone
Disturbed Zone
Source Zone Disturbed Zone Impact Zone Transition Zone
Typical
Characteristics
Confguration
Engineered systemcontaining or releasingradiological or otherhazardous materials orwastes
Patchy hot spots ocontamination outsidethe source zone
Contaminationdispersed over amoderate to large area
Large total volume ocontaminated media(water, soil, air, etc.)
Conditions
Engineered system iscomplex and possiblyimpaired
Proximity to sourcezone may mean man-made structures hinderaccess to hot spotsand deployment oclean-up technologies
The size and shape othe dispersal area isdetermined by thephysical and chemicalnature o the waste andthe fow rate andmigration pattern o thedispersal fuid
Contaminated mediaslowly attenuate towardnormal
Risk
Key risks to workers
rom potentialradiological/ chemicaldose/ contaminationand possible structuraldeterioration
Immediate risks to
workers; may posebroader human andenvironmental risk i notcleaned up
May pose human and
environmental risk i notremediated
Diuse contaminants
pose lower human andenvironmental risk butmay require response toreduce risks to as low asreasonably achievable
End-State
Objectives
Risk
Prevent radiationuptake, radiological/chemicalcontamination, andinjury to workers;prevent radiation/contaminant releaseoutside source zone
Prevent radiationuptake, radiological/chemicalcontamination, andinjury to workers;eliminate contaminationrom disturbed zone
Reduce contaminantmobility, toxicity, orsolubility
Reduce contaminantmobility, toxicity, orsolubility
Zone Area
Radiological or otherhazardous materials
saely removed; wastessaely removed,stabilized, and/or xedin place
Contaminated mediasaely removed
Contaminated mediastabilized and
attenuated
Contaminated mediaisolated or stabilized and
monitored
Waste/
Contaminated
Media
Removed radiological/chemical materials andwastes converted tousable or disposableorms
Removed contaminatedmedia converted tousable or disposableorms
Reduced concentrationallows contaminatedmedia to saely revert tonatural state
Contaminated mediareturns to naturalconditions andunrestricted use
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Source Zone Disturbed Zone Impact Zone Transition Zone
Strategic
Considerations
Zone Area
Engineered system wellunderstood, butstructural damage ordeterioration must beactored in to clean-upsolution
Technology matchingprocess benets romknowledge o acilityhistory, site-specicconditions and wastecharacteristics to helpocus on the likely hotspots
Technology matchingprocess benets romknowledge o site-specic conditions thatcontrol the dispersal othe contamination, suchas meteorology,hydrogeology, andbiogeochemistry
Aim is to acilitate naturalattenuation mechanisms
Approach
Decontamination anddecommissioning oacilities generally wellunderstood so thattechnology solutions canbe tailored to site-specic challenges
Innovativecharacterization to renethe limits ocontaminated materialscan signicantly improveeciency
Innovativecharacterization mayhelp rene preerentialfow paths to help targetremedial actions
Identiy enhancementtechnologies to supportnatural attenuation andreduce risk
Return on
Investment
Path to closure essentialto achieve end-statesaely and eciently
Because unit costs aretypically $/m,3 limiting thevolume o material to betreated reduces clean-upcost
Plan or expeditioustransition out o activeclean-up phase toenhanced or passiveattenuation phase tocontrol costs
Plan or expeditioustransition rom enhancednatural attenuation phaseto long-term monitoringto control costs
Types o
Technologies
Zone Area
Equipment cutting,penetration anddeconstruction tools;
Robotics or remoteinspection,characterization,stabilization;
Fixatives, peels,thermal spray vitricationor hazardousconstituents on suraces
Access tools such adirect push or conepenetrometer;
Immobilization methodssuch as encapsulation orprecipitation;
Capping and otherbarrier technologies
Computer simulation ocontaminant dispersal;
Mechanical (barrier,unnel, trap) systems;
Methods todecontaminate buildings,roads and public spaces
Computer simulation ocontaminant dispersal;
Mechanical (barrier, trap)systems;
Barometric, solar or tidalpumping
Waste/
Contaminated
Media
Characterization tools;
Material handlingsystems;
Waste removal methods;
Packaging;
Transportation
Characterization tools;
Material handlingsystems;
Waste removal methods;
Packaging;
Transportation
Characterization tools
Active attenuation, e.g.,geochemical stabilizationmethods
Characterization tools
Enhanced naturalattenuation, e.g.,treatment systems
End-State
PerormanceAssessment;
Sensor system;
Remote monitoring andcommunications system;
Surveillance, includingdestructive and non-destructive examination;
Waste orms, includingglass and cementitiousmaterials;
Waste repositories;
Reuse, such asplutonium to MOX
Monitoring tools;
Waste orms, includingglass and cementitiousmaterials;
Waste repositories
Monitoring tools Monitoring tools
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SRNL is managed and operated or the U.S. Department o Energy by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
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