---

WIPP’s Future is ‘Bright,” Officials Say at Waste Management Conference

Waste handlers at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant emplace containers of transuranic waste 2,150 feet underground in Panel 7. Waste containers shipped from DOE generator sites across the country are stacked in waste panels mined out of an ancient salt bed.

---

PHOENIX – EM and contractor officials discussed here last week the path forward for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) following the resumption of waste shipments to the facility.

   During a panel discussion at this year’s Waste Management Symposia, officials discussed the road to resuming waste emplacement in January 2017, including the implementation of new waste acceptance criteria and progress since waste shipments resumed in April 2017. 

   “WIPP is an incredibly robust facility for disposal,” said EM Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO) Manager Todd Shrader.

   “WIPP is now operating in ‘the new normal,’” said Bruce Covert, president and project manager of Nuclear Waste Partnership, the management-and-operations contractor at WIPP. 

   “Safety is paramount in everything we do,” Covert said. “We’re operating very well. We’re operating safely and compliantly.” 

   More than 180 shipments have been made to WIPP since waste shipments resumed, with emplacement rates ramping up to about eight shipments per week. Shipments have been received from Idaho, Oak Ridge, Savannah River Site, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Waste Control Specialists. 

   Panelists highlighted the resumption of mining operations in January 2018. More than 3,600 tons of salt have been mined from Panel 8. Waste is currently being emplaced in Panel 7, which will take about three years to fill.    

   They also discussed the supplemental ventilation system startup, which was necessary for mining to begin. The system provides additional underground airflow by creating an unfiltered air exhaust pathway for portions of the mine. Previously, all exhaust was directed through high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter units, which results in a lower airflow. Also, de-dusters were installed to remove salt dust suspended in the air during mining operations. This reduces the frequency with which HEPA filters must be replaced. 

   The panel also covered WIPP capital projects, including a new safety significant confinement ventilation system and utility shaft. Together, these would replace the existing, aging ventilation system and provide sufficient airflow for simultaneous mining, waste emplacement, and maintenance activities. The utility shaft would also allow for a supplemental hoisting capability. 

   Other plans highlighted by the panel included keeping safety at the forefront, addressing facility infrastructure needs, and ramping up waste emplacement rates with an emphasis on the integration of DOE waste complex resources. 

- Contributor: Victoria Parker