Perma-Fix Northwest

The Perma-Fix Northwest Richland (PFNW) facility is located on 35 acres adjacent to the DOE Hanford Site. This facility manages and treats both low level and mixed low level radioactive wastes. Because of the PFNW’s close proximity to the both the Hanford site and Nevada Nuclear Security Site (NNSS) disposal cell, prime contractors utilize this facility for the treatment of large volumes of low level and mixed low level wastes generated from clean up and ongoing operations. Treated wastes are disposed at the Nevada Test Site, US Ecology Richland facility, and EnergySolutions Clive, UT facility dependent upon customer requirements.

Low level wastes (e.g., dry active wastes, aqueous liquids, oil, biological materials, etc.) are volume reduced in order to reduce the volume of waste shipped for disposal and ensure optimal waste form for disposal. Volume reduction is accomplished by both thermal and non-thermal processes. The thermal process employed utilizes Bulk Process Units (BPUs) that are large, refractory lined ovens. The BPUs operate at 1800 degrees F. This temperature is sufficient to ignite and burn all combustible material and results in typical volume reductions of 30 to 100:1. The non-thermal processes include size reduction, compaction, and decontamination for free release. The PFNW facility uses a supercompactor to compact drums that are then overpacked into overpack drums or boxes prior to disposal. Typical volume reductions range from 2 to 10:1.

Mixed low level wastes are treated via non-thermal processes including macroencapsulation and stabilization. PFNW’s macroencapsulation process is specifically designed to treat hazardous debris and radioactive lead solids in compliance with 40CFR268.45 (Alternative Treatment Standards for Hazardous Debris) and 40CFR268.40 (Hazardous Waste Treatment Standards) in preparation for disposal at a mixed waste Subtitle C landfill. The macroencapsulation process involves sorting, segregating and supercompaction of mixed debris wastes thus resulting in a volume reduction ratio of approximately 2.5:1. Stabilization is accomplished by introducing reagents in to a waste stream producing a homogeneous stabilized final product. Stabilization has been defined as the Best Demonstrated Available Technology (BDAT) for treating a wide range of RCRA listed, characteristic waste streams. Analysis of resulting waste forms will meet the concentration-based (performance) standards or the stabilization (STBL) treatment technology requirements for RCRA LDR.