According to DOE-EM, an analysis of INL’s drum inventory identified signs of corrosion and degradation on drums more than five years old. In recent years, it has become more commonplace for aging containers to remain in storage at AMWTP, where transuranic waste is characterized, repackaged, stored, and shipped.
“Our product drums are safely stored, but many are showing signs of degradation. Without effective solutions, aging waste containers will continue to pose challenges to our mission at AMWTP,” said Dan Coyne, president and program manager of ICP contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition (IEC).
The improvements: According to DOE-EM, in coordination with partners at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), IEC led an effort to address challenges posed by aging waste containers by improving drum designs, acquiring important shipping commodities, and applying new technologies.
Corrosion is often prevalent along seams and at the bottom of the drums, so IEC crews now use drums coated with a corrosion inhibitor as a remedy. The coating improves drum integrity by protecting the inside of the drum and its contents from corrosion.
A 1-inch-thick fiberboard is also placed in the inside bottom of the drum to protect against impact and abrasion from the drum “pucks” stored inside. The workhorse of AMWTP—the supercompactor—crushes the 55-gallon drums, converting them into 5-inch-thick pucks. After supercompaction, typically six pucks are placed in 100-gallon drums for transport and permanent disposal at WIPP.
Additionally, IEC loads aged and corroded drums into standard waste boxes for shipment to WIPP in New Mexico. Although the boxes have offered a safe, effective solution to continue shipping the waste, they are costly and in short supply.
To help address that shortage, IEC will begin evaluating a robotic ultrasonic testing scanner for use to confirm the integrity of aging drums. These tests inspect the thickness of the metal drums to ensure they meet the minimum specifications of radioactive materials containers approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation and other transuranic waste shipping requirements.
WIPP shipments: IEC averages eight to 12 shipments of transuranic waste from AMWTP to WIPP each week, according to DOE-EM. In fiscal year 2024, which ended September 30, IEC made 365 shipments to WIPP, the highest single-year total at ICP in over a decade.
IEC’s shipments represent more than 70 percent of all waste received at the underground waste repository since 2022, and over 50 percent of all waste shipments to WIPP since it began operations in 1999.
