20- Years, A History of Waste Minimization

Abstract

UniTech Services Group has been manufacturing, decontaminating, and monitoring custom RPPE for Canadian Nuclear Facilities for over 20 years. During that period, we have decontaminated over 58M items for these facilities and at the same time collected the associated usage data and processing metrics. The analysis of the Canadian data from 3 operating reactor sites and 4 refurbishment style projects (2 ongoing) shows the actual Operational Cost Savings and Waste Reductions that were achieved based on 4M+ dress outs of launderable RPPE. The implementation of the customized launderable RPPE programs by these facilities (i.e., replacing single use RPPE and using custom designed items) allowed them to collectively achieve extremely significant benefits e.g., 8M+ pounds of waste avoided (30,810 M³ equivalent) which eliminated about 422 individual 40’sea lands of radioactive waste. Additional benefits through Heat Stress studies were also realized along with improved fit and function of RPPE. This paper will highlight the specific items used and waste avoidance that Canada has realized using this program and will showcase how waste generators can evaluate their waste reduction programs to quantify possible savings for this specific RPPE waste stream and others.