The elimination of chlorinated, chlorofluorocarbon, and other RCRA hazardous solvents from the Y-12 Plant's enriched uranium operations

The Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant is one of several plants which make up the Department of Energy's manufacturing facilities for production of nuclear weapons components and subassemblies. The plant is a comprehensive manufacturing facility with operations encompassing material manufacture, component fabrication and subassembly generation. All associated inspection and certification functions are performed in the plant. The plant's two primary products are uranium and lithium materials. A major driving force in waste minimization within the plant is the reduction of mixed radioactive wastes associated with operations on highly enriched uranium. The plant has had an active waste minimization program since the early eighties which has concentrated on substitution of less hazardous solvents wherever possible. The following paper summarizes efforts in two area--development of a water-based machining coolant to replace perchloroethylene and substitution of an aliphatic solvent to replace solvents producing hazardous wastes as defined by the Resource, Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA). A summary of the plant's overall solvent substitution and reduction program can be found elsewhere.