Much of the clean or slightly contaminated concrete from Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D) activities could be re-used. Currently, there is no standardized approach, or protocol, for managing the disposition of such materials. Namely, all potential disposition options for concrete, including authorized release for re-use, are generally not fully evaluated in D&D projects, so large quantities have been unduly disposed of as low-level radioactive waste. As a result, costs of D&D have become prohibitively high, hindering expedient cleanup of surplus facilities. The ability to evaluate and implement the option of authorized release of concrete from demolition would result in significant cost savings, while maintaining protection of environmental health and safety, across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), Argonne National Laboratory East (ANL-E), and Vanderbilt University have teamed to develop a protocol for the authorized release of concrete, based on the existing DOE guidance of Order 5400.5, that applies across the DOE complex. The protocol will provide a streamlined method for assessing risks and costs, and reaching optimal disposal options, including re-use of the concrete within the DOE system.
