Survey of life-cycle costs of glass-paper HEPA filters

We have conducted a survey of the major users of glass-paper HEPA filters in the DOE complex to ascertain the life cycle costs of these filters. Purchase price of the filters is only a minor portion of the costs; the major expenditures are incurred during the removal and disposal of contaminated filters. Through personal interviews, site visits and completion of questionnaires, we have determined the costs associated with the use of HEPA filters in the DOE complex. The total approximate life-cycle cost for a standard (2 in. x 2 in. x 1 in.) glass-paper HEPA filter is $3,000 for one considered low-level waste (LLW), $11,780 for transuranic (TRU) and $15,000 for high-level waste (HLW). The weighted-average cost for a standard HEPA filter in the complex is $4,753