Representatives from across the DOE complex gathered in Las Vegas earlier this year to attend the Waste Generator Workshop.
Generators are entities with waste certification programs approved by the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) that generate waste in support of DOE and U.S. Department of Defense missions. Workshop participants focused on the transportation, verification and disposal of low-level waste accepted at the NNSS.
EM Nevada Program Manager Rob Boehlecke emphasized the value of bringing partners in the waste disposal process together in person.
“While the sites all talk with the Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program (RWAP) team frequently, we find that gathering everyone in one place, providing breakout meetings and offering overviews on topics that have risen over the course of the year is invaluable,” Boehlecke said. “Communication is key in making sure that waste characterization, packaging, shipping and disposal are handled with the utmost focus on safety and compliance.”
The gathering included three full days of in-depth presentations and targeted meetings. At last year’s workshop, some generators shared lessons learned from their operations that covered an array of topics from packaging to characterization. This was cited as a highlight of the 2022 workshop and several generators agreed to share their experiences at this year’s event. The presentations included lessons learned from issues that arose during the management of waste but also success stories of project planning and execution.
“I am so appreciative of generators sharing their experiences for the benefit of the waste certification community,” said RWAP Manager Marilew Bartling. “Even lessons learned not directly involving NNSS-bound waste are very valuable to the generator community.”
The workshop included updates from the EM Nevada Program, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office, EM headquarters and more.
Rob Seifert, acting director for EM's Office of Infrastructure Management and Disposition Policy, gave a briefing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), detailing measures to address PFAS at DOE sites while deploying the Department’s scientific expertise to solve PFAS challenges. PFAS are contaminants that migrate into the environment from chemicals used in all types of materials.
Reed Poderis, program manager with Mission Support and Test Services, the NNSS management and operations contractor, gave an update on activities at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), including upcoming enhancements to the real-time radiography equipment planned for fiscal year 2024. Real-time radiography imaging provides a live X-ray feed of the contents of a waste container.
“Reed’s presentation elicited conversation with the generators, which will be very helpful as planning progresses,” Bartling said.
State regulators from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection also participated in the event, providing information on how they oversee the process of waste coming to Nevada and answering questions from specific sites.
The workshop concluded with a tour of the NNSS. Participants spent a significant amount of time at the RWMC, where they witnessed how shipments are verified and disposed of at the NNSS.
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