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Characterizing Mercury Waste at DOE’s Sites & Developing Management Strategies

This conference explores the characterization and management strategies for a wide range of mercury waste at DOE sites. The presentation includes an overview of DOE sites, categories of mercury waste, and treatment options.

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Characterizing Mercury Waste at DOE’s Sites & Developing Management Strategies

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  1. Characterizing Mercury Waste at DOE’s Sites & Developing Management Strategies Breaking the Mercury Cycle Conference Boston MS May 1-3, 2002 Mike Morris, ORNL Greg Hulet, INEEL

  2. The Department of Energy (DOE) World Map of Active DOE Sites Depending on how you count, there are facilities/affiliations: 70+ DOE Sites? 30+ States? Millions of acres

  3. Categories of DOE Mercury Wastes • Categories of DOE mercury wastes (Rad & Non-Rad) • Elemental • < 260 ppm mixed wastes (sludges, soils, etc) • >260 ppm mixed wastes (sludges, soils, etc) • Mercury contaminated debris • Mercury in oils (both < & > 260 ppm) • Mercury in water (plant effluents, creeks, rivers) • Mercury in off gas • You name it we have it!!!!!!!!

  4. Characterization of DOE Hg Wastes • Radioactive elemental mercury • 6-8,000 Kg • Sites: Oak Ridge ~3,000 Kg,remaining quantity LLNL, LANL, ANL-W, • Many sites have small amounts • < 260 ppm mercury non-debris solids (waste) • Don’t have a good handle because treatment same as other RCRA metals

  5. Characterization of DOE Hg Wastes Cont’ • > 260 ppm mercury non-debris solids (waste) • Very large quantities at various sites • BNL ~1,100 yd3 plus potential 6,000+ yd3 additional • Oak Ridge (excluding Y-12) ~4,000 yd3 with PCBs • INEEL 100s yd3 of un-excavated along RR tracks • Many sites have some quantity of this category • As sites and facilities are decommissioned this category is expected to grow significantly • Mercury contaminated debris • Again very large quantities at various sites • All sites have some quantity of this category • As sites and facilities are decommissioned this is expected to grow even more significantly

  6. Characterization of DOE Hg Wastes Cont’ • Mercury in Oils both < & > 260 ppm • <20 drums or ~ 1,000 gallons • Mercury off gas measurement and treatment • identified at many sites but will not be discussed here.

  7. The Ultimate Mercury PlaygroundY-12-National Security Complex in Oak Ridge • 50,000 yd3 of un-excavated radioactively contaminated Hg soils • Hg in the creek at 300-1,000 ppt needing to be cleaned to 200 ppt interim and 51 ppt final. Creek flow: average 5,500 gpm, peak 70,000 gpm • Alpha 4 (~600,000 ft3) Building with ~150,000 lb of non-rad Hg engrained in the equipment. Removed ~ 100,000+ lb from equipment low spots • High grade Hg storage; 4.2 million lb • 2.6 million lb DOE • 1.6 million lb DoD (DLA) • Many other buildings similar to Alpha 4 still in use

  8. Management Strategy for Treatment of Hg Wastes • Overall Management Strategy • Whenever possible/practical/economical/available: • Treatment by the Private Sector • Preferably Off site

  9. Hg Treatment Strategies • Radioactively Contaminated, Elemental Hg • Treatment: Amalgamation by sulfur or metal • Gather small quantities from the sites and treat as one waste stream under the BS contract at M&EC/PermaFix and dispose at Envirocare • Other treatment option: Envirocare • < 260 ppmHg non debris solid wastes • Treatment: Stabilization • Large streams individually or gather small quantities from the sites and treat as one waste stream under the BS contract at WCS and dispose at Envirocare • Other treatment options: M&EC/PermaFix, Envirocare or ATG

  10. Hg Treatment Strategies cont’ • > 260 ppmHg non debris solid wastes • Treatment: Obtain variance to RCRA for stabilization or thermal desorbtion or polymer filtration and then amalgamation of recovered radioactive elemental Hg • Large streams individually or gather small quantities from the sites and treat as one waste stream under the BS contract at M&EC/PermaFix and dispose at Envirocare • Other treatment options: Envirocare or WCS • Mercury contaminated debris • Treatment: Retort or Macroencapsulation • Establish BOA/contract for macroencapsulation & disposal at Envirocare

  11. Hg Treatment Strategies cont’ • Mercury contaminated debris cont’ • Get a polymer macro container approved for macroencapsulation • Package on site and ship to disposal site for disposal • Mercury in Oils both < & > 260 ppm • Treatment: Nochar with or without SAMMS • Variance to RCRA may be required for >260 ppm • Due to very small volumes, treat either at the site or at a private sector vendor

  12. Conclusions • The DOE complex is very large, diverse and has most conceivable types of mercury problem/wastes • For mercury wastes currently being stored the treatment strategy is Treatment by the Private Sector, Preferably Off-Site • Treatment capabilities do exist for the most part in the private sector to treat these wastes

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