The Transuranic Waste Processing Center (TWPC) has successfully completed processing of the first 7 cubic meters of cellulosic waste. This is an incremental milestone from DOE that represents one year of processing under enhanced safety protocols established by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
The 7 cubic meters represent about one-third of the total volume of cellulosic waste contained in more than 100 drums stored on the TWPC site.
“We’ve implemented new certification protocols and advanced chemical compatibility evaluations to neutralize potential hazards,” Patrick Rapp, TWPC Area Project Manager, said. “Our mission is to effectively stabilize non-compliant cellulosic materials potentially containing oxidizing chemicals that could pose interaction risks if left untreated.”
Cellulosic waste is plant-derived materials such as cotton rags, paper towels, cheese cloth, and absorbent pads. The waste presents unique handling challenges to ensure compatibility within the waste containers. Cellulosic waste is one of many waste types processed at TWPC. Successfully implementing new procedures and protocols for cellulosic waste is an example of UCOR’s ability to adapt operations at TWPC to address unique waste processing challenges.
