Idaho Facility Continues Progress Treating Waste, Surpasses EM 2024 Priority

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — Idaho Cleanup Project crews have achieved a significant priority set by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) by treating 100,000 cumulative gallons of radioactive sodium-bearing tank waste at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit (IWTU) this year.

The team has already far surpassed that total in 2024, processing over 142,000 gallons of the waste as of this week. In all, the facility has treated more than 210,000 gallons since the start of operations in 2023, which represents about 23% of the total 900,000 gallons of liquid waste stored in three underground tanks at the Idaho National Laboratory Site.

“The completion of this EM priority is significant because it underpins our commitment to the state of Idaho and demonstrates our intent to protect the underlying Snake River Plain Aquifer,” said DOE Idaho Operations Office EM Manager Mark Brown.

EM published a list of 33 priorities in January 2024 to complete during the calendar year, including construction milestones, progress or completion of cleanup projects, reducing the EM footprint, awarding accelerated progress contracts, and driving innovation and improving performance.

EM cleanup contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC) resumed IWTU radiological operations in late August, following the completion of maintenance. Steam-reforming technology is used to convert the radioactive liquid waste to a safer granular solid.

The liquid waste was generated during the decontamination of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing equipment and transfer lines during the Cold War.

IEC Program Manager Dan Coyne thanked his crews for reaching this milestone.

“Everyone from the operators, engineers, to support staff have been committed to this project from the beginning,” he said. “This benchmark represents the first of many to follow. Thank you.”

-Contributor: Erik Simpson