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National Waste Programme
LLW Problematic Waste
Technology
Optioneering
Summary Report
NWP/REP/130 – Issue 1 – August 2016
A company owned by UK Nuclear Waste Management Ltd
Old Shore Road, Drigg, Holmrook,
Cumbria, United Kingdom CA19 1XH
Company Registration No. 05608448
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Name
Role
Originator:
Rebecca Cummings
National Programme Coordinator
Checker:
Helen Cassidy
National Programme Implementation
Manager
Approver:
Hannah Kozich
Head of National Programme
Document history
Issue
Date
Amendments
1
August 2015
First Issue
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Glossary
ALARP: as low as reasonably practicable
BAT: best available technique
HAW: High Activity Waste
LAW: Low Activity Waste
ILW: Intermediate Level Waste
LLW: Low Level Waste
LLWR: Low Level Waste Repository
NWP: National Waste Programme
PCB: polychlorinated biphenyl
Problematic waste: a waste which has no disposal or management route currently available,
where disposal means final disposal, as opposed to interim disposal or storage.
R&D: research and development
TEPCO: Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Ltd.
THOR: thermal oxidation-reduction
TRL: Technology Readiness Level
WAC: Waste Acceptance Criteria
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Executive summary
This report is a summary of a January 2015 optioneering report on problematic low level waste,
which was commissioned by the National Waste Programme (NWP) and produced by Hyder
Consulting (UK) Ltd. The summary has been produced for publication in the public domain.
LLW Repository Ltd, with the assistance of the waste producers, has compiled a problematic
waste inventory of low level waste (LLW). This report is based on waste producers’ knowledge
of the waste items and available disposal options at the time of the data gathering exercise
(financial year 2014/15). The primary focus of the study was to align waste streams with
technological solutions for their treatment and to identify technology gaps that prevent
application of the techniques.
Of the 177 problematic LLW waste streams initially identified in the January 2015 report, 100
were identified as Priority Waste Streams, being of highest importance to the waste producers.
The top four waste streams identified through the prioritisation exercise in 2014/15 were:

Contaminated oil and oil contaminated materials

Inorganic and organic ion exchange resins

Radium

Surface contaminated items
These waste streams were not chosen just because of their importance to waste producers (e.g.
there is a large volume of them or they are highly problematic) but also because the optioneering
available to these waste streams also covers the majority of technologies relevant across all the
waste streams.
The study identified:




Optimum technologies for managing all the key waste streams based on an assessment of
attributes relevant to the development, implementation and application of the technologies.
Technology gaps and recommendations on progressing and implementing the technologies
in order to facilitate earlier management of the waste and its removal from the orphan waste
inventory.
That better characterisation is needed for a significant number of the waste streams. With
improved characterisation, a proportion may be able to be managed through existing waste
routes and removed from the Inventory.
That wastes from different producers could be collated and processed together; either
when waste technologies are applicable to several waste types or where wastes of similar
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characteristics are present at different facilities, which has the potential to open new routes
higher up the waste hierarchy.
“Technology maps” were produced for the waste groups identified to illustrate the technologies
available for the management of these wastes and the gaps to deployment of those
technologies, for example the identification of further R&D required.
This report is intended to provide an oversight of the technologies available for managing items
in the problematic waste inventory, specifically the four most problematic waste streams, and to
highlight how viable these technologies would be.
This summary report provides a concise overview of the technology mapping work undertaken in
FY 2014/15
It should be noted that the summary does not look at the volume or the schedule of arisings of
particular problematic waste streams, and therefore it is not intended to drive investment
decisions.
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Contents
Glossary .......................................................................................................................... 3
Executive summary ........................................................................................................ 4
1.
2.
Problematic waste inventory ................................................................................ 7
1.1.
What is problematic waste? ................................................................. 7
1.2.
Waste groups ......................................................................................... 7
Waste management technologies ........................................................................ 9
2.1.
3.
Waste technology matrix .................................................................... 10
Waste stream options .......................................................................................... 15
3.1.
Methodology ........................................................................................ 15
3.2.
Results ................................................................................................. 15
3.3.
Key waste streams- conclusions ....................................................... 18
3.3.1. Contaminated oils and materials contaminated with oils ................................ 18
3.3.2. Inorganic and organic ion exchange resins .................................................... 18
3.3.3. Radium .......................................................................................................... 19
3.3.4. Surface contaminated wastes ........................................................................ 19
4.
Closing technology gaps .................................................................................... 20
5.
Additional actions to be undertaken .................................................................. 20
6.
Recommendations ............................................................................................... 20
Appendix 1 – Wiring diagrams for key waste streams .............................................. 21
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1.
Problematic waste inventory
1.1.
What is problematic waste?
The study defines a problematic waste as:
‘a waste which has no disposal or management route currently available, where disposal
means final disposal, as opposed to interim disposal or storage.’
Problematic wastes may be:
• Current or future arisings
• Inadequately characterised waste
• Problematic in terms of its chemical characteristics such as mercury wastes
• Items failing the discrete item limit specified in the Low Level Waste Repository
(LLWR) waste acceptance criteria (WAC)
• Either raw, fully, or partially conditioned wastes where the conditioning is
incompatible with treatment or disposal
• Mixed - and potentially inseparable - wastes
• Difficult to access waste
• Boundary waste (low activity waste (LAW) and high activity waste (HAW))
• Bespoke or unique wastes arising from a single site
• Difficult or impossible to transport (e.g. there may be no approved containers for
transport)
• Unable to be managed or disposed of due to a lack of a treatment plan at the site of
origin.
1.2.
Waste groups
In 2014/15 a waste inventory prioritisation exercise was conducted for LAW, based on the
2014/15 problematic waste inventory. This exercise involved representatives from those
organisations who had declared wastes in the inventory.
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Waste producers were asked to identify problematic waste streams that were either high volume
or of particular relevance to their organisations’ strategy for waste minimisation and programmes
for decommissioning or operations.
The highest priority waste streams were agreed by all stakeholders, these are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Waste failing the discrete item limit (within the LLWR WAC)
Contaminated oil and oil contaminated material.
Inorganic and organic ion exchange resins
Radium
Surface contaminated items
Asbestos
Four of these priority waste streams were considered in detail by the technology mapping
process:




Contaminated oil and oil contaminated material.
Inorganic and organic ion exchange resins
Radium
Surface contaminated items
It was recognised that waste failing the discrete item limit was a broad waste group (covering
wastes with diverse physical, chemical, and radiological characteristics) and that an improved
data set was required to enable effective and technically robust technology mapping
A project to support optioneering for management of radiologically contaminated asbestos was
run in parallel during 2015; for purposes of clarity technology mapping for asbestos has not been
included in this study.
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2.
Waste management technologies
The study identified and considered a significant number of technologies that are employed in
the nuclear industry and in non-nuclear waste producing industries for the priority problematic
waste groups.
Technologies applicable to the retrieval, treatment, processing and eventual disposal of the
wastes were assessed and the main opportunities, requirements, and risks required to progress
the techniques are described later in this report.
The waste technologies reviewed were extensively detailed in the original report and given a
‘Technology Readiness Level’ (TRL) rating based on the contemporary TRL scale:
TRL 1
Basic principles observed and reported.
TRL 2
Technology concept and/or application formulated.
TRL 3
Analytical and experimental critical function and/or characteristic proofof-concept.
TRL 4
Technology basic validation in a laboratory environment.
TRL 5
Technology basic validation in a relevant environment.
TRL 6
Technology model
environment.
TRL 7
Technology prototype demonstration in an operational environment.
TRL 8
Actual Technology completed and qualified through test and
demonstration.
TRL 9
Actual Technology qualified through successful mission operations
(and fully commissioned deployment at a nuclear facility).
or
prototype
demonstration
in
a
relevant
Table 1: Technology readiness levels at 2014/15
The assigned TRLs relate to the technology itself and not their specific application to the
individual problematic waste streams; even if a technology is listed as a higher TRL, there may
still be R&D requirements and barriers preventing direct application to specific wastes.
Some of the technologies that have been considered for the problematic LLW streams are
commercially available for HAW (e.g., the Alkaline Hydrolysis Plant at Sellafield for oil). There
are potential implications in sending LLW to HAW facilities, such as the possibility of producing
ILW secondary waste from processing LLW, which needs further consideration.
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2.1.
Waste technology matrix
For the study, an optioneering exercise was completed scoring the relevant technologies against
each problematic waste stream reported in the 2014/15 problematic waste inventory and scoring
them against six weighted attributes: the TRL, completeness (whether any additional pre or posttreatment is needed), alignment with the waste hierarchy, BAT & environmental factors, nuclear
safety & ALARP, and implementation costs. The optioneering scoring output is not included
within the report but the waste technology matrix in table 2 overleaf presents a summary of the
findings; it maps the problematic wastes identified by waste producers to the technologies
options identified to the priority waste groups. A red, amber & green coding has been applied, to
visually present the technologies that are deemed more appropriate; green being most relevant,
red being least relevant but feasible. Unscored (white) options are deemed not to be relevant or
suitable for management of that specific waste group.
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CHEMICAL
TECHNOLOGIES
SDG3
Rustoleum
Sprayable coating
Floor coating
Rust remover
Nitric acid
Sulphuric acid
LLW Repository Ltd
Granite Block
Pumps/Valves
Na/K
Vessels contaminated with explosives
Whessoe tank bases
Surface contaminated tanks
Encapsulated liquor
Ra contaminated waste
Calcium fluoride
Pyrochemical Slag
Clinoptilolite
Resin beads
Chromatography resins
Misc. resin
Zeolite resin
U Active Resin
Dovex resin
Resin immersed in water
Encapsulated resins
Filter residues
PWTP fine filters
Fine filters
Metal gauge filters
Cd lined polythene box
Cd sheeting
Metals
Mild steel
Sea disposal packages
Cemented water treatment sludge
Oil soaked waste
Hazardous oils/chemicals
Oil/water/glycol mix
Oil, absorbent, grease and oily water
Oily water
Oily sludge
Paraffin
Oil
Waste Group
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Table 2:Waste technology matrix
Acid digestion
Acid washing
Alcohol washing
Alkaline hydrolysis
Amalgamation with Zn or Cu
Arvia
Calcination & sintering
Carbonation
Caustic process
Modulox
Chemical decontamination sol.
Chemisorbing surface wipes
Detergent solutions
Dissolution
Distillation
Electro-chemical treatment
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HIGH TEMP
TECHNOLOGIES
CHEMICAL
SDG3
Rustoleum
Sprayable coating
Floor coating
Rust remover
Nitric acid
Sulphuric acid
LLW Repository Ltd
Granite Block
Pumps/Valves
Na/K
Vessels contaminated with explosives
Whessoe tank bases
Surface contaminated tanks
Encapsulated liquor
Ra contaminated waste
Calcium fluoride
Pyrochemical Slag
Clinoptilolite
Resin beads
Chromatography resins
Misc. resin
Zeolite resin
U Active Resin
Dovex resin
Resin immersed in water
Encapsulated resins
Filter residues
PWTP fine filters
Fine filters
Metal gauge filters
Cd lined polythene box
Cd sheeting
Metals
Mild steel
Sea disposal packages
Cemented water treatment sludge
Oil soaked waste
Hazardous oils/chemicals
Oil/water/glycol mix
Oil, absorbent, grease and oily water
Oily water
Oily sludge
Paraffin
Oil
Waste Group
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Filtration
Metal hydrides
Oxidation
Pinhole filtration
Salt extraction
Samms
Solidification
Solvent extraction process
Stabilisation using sulphur
Supercritical water oxidation
Thermochemical treatment
Water vapour –nitrogen
Wet oxidation
Incineration
Melting
Molten salt oxidation
Plasma treatment
Pyrolysis
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PHYSICAL
IMMOBILSATION
TECHNOLOGIES
SDG3
Rustoleum
Sprayable coating
Floor coating
Rust remover
Nitric acid
Sulphuric acid
LLW Repository Ltd
Granite Block
Pumps/Valves
Na/K
Vessels contaminated with explosives
Whessoe tank bases
Surface contaminated tanks
Encapsulated liquor
Ra contaminated waste
Calcium fluoride
Pyrochemical Slag
Clinoptilolite
Resin beads
Chromatography resins
Misc. resin
Zeolite resin
U Active Resin
Dovex resin
Resin immersed in water
Encapsulated resins
Filter residues
PWTP fine filters
Fine filters
Metal gauge filters
Cd lined polythene box
Cd sheeting
Metals
Mild steel
Sea disposal packages
Cemented water treatment sludge
Oil soaked waste
Hazardous oils/chemicals
Oil/water/glycol mix
Oil, absorbent, grease and oily water
Oily water
Oily sludge
Paraffin
Oil
Waste Group
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Spray burning
Steam reforming
Vitrification
Cementation
Compaction in clay
Drying agents
Geopolymerisation
Macroencapsulation
Microencapsulation
Nochar polymers
Organic polymers
Blasting
Compaction / supercompaction
Drying
Electrothermal cutting
Freezing
Hot isostatic pressing
Laser ablation
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OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES
SDG3
Rustoleum
Sprayable coating
Floor coating
Rust remover
Nitric acid
Sulphuric acid
LLW Repository Ltd
Granite Block
Pumps/Valves
Na/K
Vessels contaminated with explosives
Whessoe tank bases
Surface contaminated tanks
Encapsulated liquor
Ra contaminated waste
Calcium fluoride
Pyrochemical Slag
Clinoptilolite
Resin beads
Chromatography resins
Misc. resin
Zeolite resin
U Active Resin
Dovex resin
Resin immersed in water
Encapsulated resins
Filter residues
PWTP fine filters
Fine filters
Metal gauge filters
Cd lined polythene box
Cd sheeting
Metals
Mild steel
Sea disposal packages
Cemented water treatment sludge
Oil soaked waste
Hazardous oils/chemicals
Oil/water/glycol mix
Oil, absorbent, grease and oily water
Oily water
Oily sludge
Paraffin
Oil
Waste Group
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Mechanical cutting
Mechanical separation
Reactive strippable coating
Seal in polyethylene container
Segregation
Shredding
Freon cleaning
Limit of Content
Microwave treatment
Owl process
Dew drops
Plasma vitrification
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3.
Waste stream options
3.1.
Methodology
The output of the waste management optioneering exercise undertaken for the waste reams in
the 2014/15 problematic waste inventory was analysed to identify the relevant treatment
technologies for each waste group. The commercial availability and readiness of each
technology was then assessed to identify the key gaps and actions needed for technology
implementation.
This analysis was expanded for the four priority waste streams and was converted into a series
of technology wiring diagrams for each waste route summarising opportunists, requirements and
risks to technology deployment.
3.2.
Results
The table overleaf summarises the Technology Assessment Output for the waste streams. Table
3 provides a summary of the relevant treatment technologies. Key gaps/opportunities/actions o
realise technology implementation and where relevant (i.e. for the four priority waste streams)
reference to the relevant technology wiring diagrams options for the priority waste groups
presented in section 3.3.
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Table 3: Technology Assessment Output
Group
Relevant Treatment Technology*
Action
(a) Contaminated oil and oil
contaminated material
(one of the 4 key waste
streams)




i. Further characterisation of all waste streams, to identify and consolidate See Appendix 1
problematic status.
ii. Additional characterisation necessary before technologies aligned with specific
waste streams
iii. How much of the oil waste is limited by alpha content – this needs to be
determined and is not clear from the inventory details
iv. Individual waste streams may require pre, post-treatment. This is to be
determined at a later stage, once characterisation is progressed and improved.
v. Energy from waste options should be considered further.
vi. Additional information needed to determine PCB content as this would limit
some options
Check LLWR disposal route and options for disposal
N/A

(b) Historically conditioned
waste
(c) Mild steel

limit of content


acid washing
chemical decontamination
solutions
blasting
i. Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate N/A
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
ii. Chemical decontamination or physical decontamination options most appropriate
acid washing
chemical decontamination
solutions
blasting
i. Further characterisation required to identify and consolidate problematic status N/A
and identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
ii. Chemical decontamination or physical decontamination options most appropriate
acid washing
chemical decontamination
solutions
blasting
Further characterisation required to identify and consolidate problematic status and N/A
identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
super compaction
acid washing
chemical decontamination
solutions
cementation
organic polymers
incineration
pyrolysis
compaction/super compaction
incineration
pyrolysis
steam reforming
Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate N/A
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.

(d) Metals



(e) Cadmium sheeting



(f) Metal gauge filters



(g) Fine filters








(h) Filter residues
(i) Organic and inorganic ion
exchange resins
(one of the 4 key waste
streams)
incineration
pyrolysis
electrochemical treatment (Arvia)
steam reforming
(THOR)
acid washing
(e.g. OWL process)
Wiring Diagram ID
Variation approval may be sought from LLW Repository Ltd.
N/A
Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate N/A
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
i. THOR Process (steam reforming) was designed for resins.
See Appendix 1
ii. Potential volume reduction techniques may be applied (being investigated at
EDF), although LLW to ILW consideration required.
iii. There may be a relaxation of LLW Repository Ltd requirements on accepting
complexants. This needs further consideration on a waste stream specific level.
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Group
Relevant Treatment Technology*
Action
Wiring Diagram ID
(j) Pyrochemical slag


hot isostatic pressing
cementation
N/A
(k) Radium contaminated
waste


cementation
limit of content




limit of content
cementation
acid washing
chemical decontamination
solutions
blasting
i. Further information needed on the nature of the contamination – consider surface
decontamination techniques against the contaminant nuclides then landfill.
ii. Further information needed on the nature of the contamination – consider surface
decontamination techniques against the contaminant nuclides then landfill.
i. Investigate option of using LLW facility at Dounreay.
ii. Further characterisation to determine whether the waste is ILW or LLW. Full
compliance with the UK LLW Management Strategy (Ref.6) is relevant to this issue
and requires further consideration. This could be a political issue rather than a
waste one.
iii. If it is ILW, regulatory involvement would be necessary so waste can be treated
via an appropriate ILW route.
Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
(one of the 4 key waste
streams)
(l) Encapsulate liquor
(m) Surface contaminated
waste
(one of the 4 key waste
streams)
(n) Whessoe tank bases

(o) Vessel contaminated with
explosives


(p) Sodium/Potassium
(q) Pumps / valves




(r) Granite block


(s) Other Sellafield waste






segregation
blasting
chemical decontamination
solutions
segregation
chemical decontamination
solutions
pyrolysis
vitrification
cementation
chemical decontamination
solutions
detergent solutions
chemical decontamination
solutions
detergent solutions
blasting
cementation
See Appendix 1
N/A
See Appendix 1
i. Further characterisation and planning required to identify the extent of N/A
contamination and LLW status before disposal option or treatment decision made.
ii. Further test of application of blasting, given historic issues encountered at
Studsvik when blasting tank vessels
Further characterisation and planning required identifying and consolidating N/A
problematic status and the extent of explosive contamination before considering
disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate N/A
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
i. Further characterisation and planning required to identify and consolidate N/A
problematic status and to identify disposal option or treatment, if necessary.
ii. This may not be a problematic waste.
Further identification of the waste forms and characterisation required to identify N/A
and consolidate problematic status and to identify specific disposal options or
treatments, if necessary.
Further identification of the waste forms and characterisation required to identify N/A
and consolidate problematic status and to identify specific disposal options or
treatments, if necessary.
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3.3.
Key waste streams- conclusions
The outputs of the technology mapping and deployment gap analysis for the key waste streams
are summarised below.
3.3.1. Contaminated oils and materials contaminated with oils
The majority of the priority waste streams are identified as contaminated oil or oil contaminated
material and a large proportion of this waste oil is not clearly characterised.
Several oil treatment technologies are in operation and available to the UK nuclear industry and
these should be further considered to establish potential disposal solutions. Emerging
technologies have also been identified, and whilst of lower TRL, treatment solutions may exist in
the near future through the development of these techniques with support from the NDA and
supply chain and should therefore be further investigated.
The key requirements to progress the problematic waste oil and removal from the problematic
waste inventory relates to improved characterisation of the waste, in particular alpha, tritium and
PCB content, relevant to acceptance criteria via known disposal routes. From having this
information, final decisions can be made regarding treatment solutions.
Based on existing knowledge of the waste oil treatment technologies, the waste streams were
optioneered and the most appropriate treatment solutions for contaminated oil or oil
contaminated material were identified as incineration, pyrolysis, electrochemical treatment,
steam reforming, acid washing, Nochar polymers and the Dew Drops process. The steps in
processing the oil waste via these routes are outlined in wiring diagrams in the appendix.
Thermal treatment of oil, in particular incineration scored highest in the optioneering exercise.
Barriers related to the application of incineration relate to alpha content and limits associated
with existing disposal routes through the LLW Repository Ltd Waste Services Contract and
potentially existing facilities at waste producer sites. Another consideration is ensuring that the
residue generated can be disposed of. The oils can be incinerated but disposal of the ash is
necessary, to ensure it is suitable for disposal at LLWR.
3.3.2. Inorganic and organic ion exchange resins
A number of organic and inorganic resin wastes appeared in the problematic waste stream.
There is limited information available for the resins and it is clear that further characterisation is
necessary.
The resin waste streams were optioneered and the most appropriate treatment solutions were
identified as incineration, pyrolysis and steam reforming (e.g. Studsvik THOR process). The
limiting factors are waste stream specific and waste treatment depends on further
characterisation of the individual resin problematic waste streams.
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Alternative solutions were discussed, including the application of cementation using the resins
as a fixant although there are potential challenges as such conditioned wastes may fail the
discrete item limit for disposal at LLWR. The potential to treat the waste as ILW was also
discussed but it is uncertain whether this approach is applicable for the resins in the problematic
waste stream.
3.3.3. Radium
Cementation and the application of organic polymers were considered during the optioneering;
however, the impact of Ra decay to Rn gas was raised as a concern due to its mobility and
potential impact. Further understanding of waste form evolution and off gassing would be
needed before application of these techniques.
3.3.4. Surface contaminated wastes
The optioneering of surface contaminated wastes enabled a significant number of technologies
to be assessed. These technologies are considered central to waste management solutions
across the nuclear industry and the chance to consider them as part of the assessment exercise
presented an excellent opportunity to capture these important techniques.
The highest scoring treatment techniques were acid washing, chemical decontamination
solutions and blasting. Reactive strippable coating also scored highly but as this technique could
generate ILW it is not considered suitable in this instance.
Acid washing is a well-established technique in relation to trials, the chemistry, and associated
requirements. The technique is, however, waste stream dependent and considered costly,
therefore it is more applicable for larger waste streams. Alternatives such as compaction or
cutting would be more suitable for smaller volume waste streams, coupled with encapsulation
and disposal.
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4.
Closing technology gaps
On the whole, the key technologies identified have a high TRL and it is not anticipated that
significant research and development work would be needed to implement the processes. They
would, however, require appropriate business case development and justifications.
It is recommended that at least one of the relevant technologies is TRL 9 for each key waste
stream.
5.
Additional actions to be undertaken
In addition to closing the technology gap for a single technology for each key waste stream,
waste producers might consider:




6.
Addressing the need for improved waste stream characterisation data
Contacting relevant waste producers (e.g. Dounreay) to discuss the application of the
wet oxidation technique for treatment of oil waste at their facility
Regulatory acceptance checking in relation to the secondary bio-waste associated with
the Dew Drops technique associated with oil waste processing
Accessing further detail in relation to the microwave technique and its application at
TEPCO in Japan.
Recommendations
Based on analysis of the problematic waste inventory, it is clear that a significant number of the
waste streams could be removed from the problematic waste inventory through improved
characterisation. This would lead to waste being assigned disposal via existing routes. A
characterisation programme is therefore recommended for the problematic waste streams
categorised as such because of limited characterisation data.
It is noted that for all waste streams, that a central factor in identifying and applying a treatment
solution relates to the business case, in particular cost benefit analysis. Our findings suggest
that there are solutions available for the majority of the assessed problematic waste streams; the
limiting factor relates to the low volume of waste within the inventory and the likely waste volume
reduction achieved from the development and application of a particular technology. It is
therefore recommended that consolidation of wastes from several sites is considered so
consignments of larger volumes are sent for treatment and disposal, comprising like wastes and
mixed wastes where appropriate.
For the identified key technologies, which have been aligned with the problematic waste
streams, it is recommended that additional work is undertaken to establish the latest
developments with respect to the identified technology gaps and waste stream specific
opportunities, requirements and risks identified.
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Appendix 1 – Wiring diagrams for key waste streams
For the key waste streams analysed, wiring diagrams were developed to present the findings for
the most appropriate technologies as defined through the assessment. These wiring diagrams
serve as further illustration of the details captured in table xx and are a useful tool to highlight
key stages and requirements for processing the waste.
Wiring diagrams have been generated for oils, encapsulated resin and surface contaminated
items. These show the key stages in progression of the waste from storage to disposal and are
contained within the appendix.
The TRL related to individual waste stream-specific stages is given and wiring diagrams indicate
the pathway of the associated radioactivity. This is represented by the red line running through
each process.
Opportunities, requirements and risks are identified and are dependent upon the technique and
the waste stream under consideration.
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