Lessons Learned from US DOE Programs on Decontamination and Demolition, Radioactive Waste Processing and Shipping, and Environmental Restoration of Former Nuclear Technology and Production Sites

Abstract

The US Department of Energy has contracted for the cleanup and closure of former weapons sites using turn-key, performance-incentive contracts that comprise the complete range of project management, decontamination and demolition, waste management, and environmental restoration technologies. This paper describes several of the technologies developed and deployed in each of the four technical areas, and also the management strategies and systems employed to integrate the various technologies into the overall cleanup plan. Lessons learned from the approaches taken at the Rocky Flats, Hanford, Mound and Savannah River Sites include contractual, regulatory, and technological aspects of the work.