Successful Opening and Disposal to-Date of Mixed CERCLA Waste at the ORR-EMWMF

On May 28, 2002, the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF) opened for operations on the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR). The EMWMF is the centerpiece in the DOE's strategy for ORR environmental cleanup. The 8+ year planned project is an on-site engineered landfill, which is accepting for disposal radioactive, hazardous, toxic and mixed wastes generated by remedial action subcontractors. The opening of the EMWMF on May 28, 2002 marked the culmination of a long development process that began in mid-1980. In late 1999 the Record of Decision was signed and a full year of design for the initial 400, 000-yd3 disposal cell began. In early 2000 Duratek Federal Services, Inc. (Federal Services) began construction. Since then, Federal Services and Bechtel Jacobs Company, LLC (BJC) have worked cooperatively to complete a required DOE readiness evaluation, develop all the Safety Authorization Basis Documentation (ASA's, SER, and UCD's) and prepare procedures and work controlling documents required to safely accept waste. This paper explains the intricacies and economics of designing and constructing the facility.