Crews are near the home stretch in completing a two-year program to sort and segregate the mercury-contaminated contents of legacy waste containers at Y-12’s Alpha-4 building. This former Manhattan Project production facility is preparing to move to cold and dark status prior to demolition.
The sorting process involves inspecting container contents ranging from concrete and debris to piping and valves and used personal protection equipment (PPE). After sorting, the contents are segregated based on waste characteristics and repackaged for shipment to a disposal facility.
Brian Hutson, Y-12 D&D Project Manager, said crews are processing the final 70 of nearly 450 containers of legacy waste onsite when the project began in 2023.
“We expect to have the sorting and segmentation completed by November with cold and dark status following by the end of the year,” Hutson said. “This work requires a diverse labor force from laborers to engineers. Worker safety has been enhanced by a new ventilation system designed by UCOR engineers and installed in the work area to complement PPE required for this project.”
The four-story Alpha-4 building spans more than 500,000 square feet and covers a 13-acre area. This project is challenging not only due to the facility’s size, but also its mercury contamination.
