Technological enhancements in TRU waste management.

On March 26, 1999, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) received its first shipment of transuranic (TRU) waste. On November 26, 1999, the Hazardous Waste Facility Permit (HWFP) to receive mixed TRU waste at WIPP became effective. Having achieved these two milestones, facilitating and supporting the characterization, transportation, and disposal of TRU waste became the major challenges for the National TRU Waste Program. After the WIPP began receiving waste, it was evident that, at the rate at which TRU waste was being shipped to and received at WIPP, the facility was not being used to its full potential, nor would it be unless improvements to the TRU waste management system were made. This paper describes some of the efforts to optimize (to make as functional as possible) characterization, transportation, and disposal of TRU waste; some of the technological enhancements necessary to achieve an optimized national transuranic waste system (1); and the interplay between regulatory change and technology development