We are cleaning up contaminated, unused facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). In addition to removing excess facilities, we maintain facilities across ORR that are waiting for disposition. We also provide critical upgrades to extend the life of active, but aging, facilities. This continues the same work done by the former UCOR from 2011 to 2022.
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UCOR’s Sustainability Programs group presented Sustainability Leadership Awards to five teams from the UCOR workforce. Previously known as Pollution Prevention awards, this recognition honors teams and projects who took strides to reduce the environmental impact of their work. The combined efforts of these five teams saved nearly $1.6 million, prevented more than 282,000 gallons of wastewater, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 226 metric tons, and prevented 273,490 metric tons of landfill waste.
Teams received a uniquely sustainable trophy this year. The trophy was designed and built by students in the Oak Ridge High School Wildcats Manufacturing Lab. This sustainable trophy uses 70% recyclable nylon powder and was made with additive manufacturing technology, significantly reducing manufacturing waste.
Our first Black History Month spotlight is Reda Stephens, who has been with UCOR since 2015. Reda is an operations support specialist in Radiological Protection Programs department, where she schedules radiological protection training and performs a variety of administrative duties.
She draws inspiration from two long-time UCOR team members. The first is Dr. Harold Conner, Jr., former Senior Advisor and Nuclear Services and Engineering Manager for UCOR. “His breadth of knowledge, longevity, and connection with the workforce is so impressive,” Reda said. Conner has spent five decades working at Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration sites, including serving as Vice President of Environmental Management and Enrichment Facilities for a former Oak Ridge Reservation cleanup contractor. He’s now a consultant to UCOR. Reda said she’s also inspired by Mary Alice Douglass, UCOR Human Resources Manager. “She started as an administrative assistant, and through hard work and dedication, has risen up the ranks to lead our Human Resources team.”
In honor of Black History Month, we are spotlighting members of our workforce throughout the month and asking them who has inspired them in their lives and careers. The first of these spotlights is coming this afternoon, so make sure to follow to catch each of these stories.
Segmentation, removal, and packaging of irradiated pool components continues at ORNL’s Oak Ridge Research Reactor, Building 3042. Workers are using high lumen lighting and a remote-operated video camera in the reactor pool to help locate and identify components for removal. The pool level has also been lowered 4.5 feet to create opportunities to segment and remove components above the water level. Incremental water transfers out of the pool are only performed after careful analysis to confirm that resultant dose levels remain well within safety limits. The original pool volume was approximately 120,000 gallons, and the first draw down transferred approximately 20,000 gallons out of the pool.
What's New
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and its contractor UCOR are performing extensive upgrades designed to extend the life of the Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations (LGWO) facilities. LGWO treats wastewater from OREM’s cleanup operations and Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) research and development laboratories.
What's New
Much of the nation experienced an extreme cold snap over the recent holidays, and Tennessee was no exception with temperatures dipping to nearly zero degrees in Oak Ridge. Despite the bitter weather, preparations and recent upgrades helped prevent infrastructure failures during that time. Many employees with EM cleanup contractor UCOR reported to work over the holidays to ensure issues were resolved at several essential facilities.
What's New
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry has appointed United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kenneth J. Rueter to its Board of Directors for a three-year term. The Tennessee Chamber is the state’s oldest and most prominent statewide business trade association, impacting public policy on behalf of business and manufacturing for more than a century.
What's New
EM recently completed the first-ever demolition of a reactor in the central campus area at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) cleanup contractor UCOR has safely taken down the Bulk Shielding Reactor, also known as Building 3010.
Safety
We Strive to Set the Standard in Safety
Safety is always the top priority at UCOR. We are a DOE Voluntary Protection Program Star site, a designation given to only the safest sites in the DOE Complex. Our award-winning safety performance has earned us many accolades.
Employee involvement is a key aspect of our safety culture. We empower our workers to stop work if they see something questionable. We also have strong worker engagement program to ensure our team members feel safe in their work environment.
