Processing capabilities for the elimination of contaminated metal scrapyards at DOE/ORO-managed sites

Radioactively contaminated scrap metal inventories and processing capabilities were surveyed at facilities operating under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy and managed through the Oak Ridge Operations Office. Nearly 90,000 tons of nickel, aluminum, copper, and ferrous metals (steels) contaminated with low-enriched uranium and technetium-99 have accumulated primarily at the uranium enrichment facilities. A site-by-site breakdown of the metals inventory is presented in Table I. The potential value of these metals on the scrap market could exceed $100 million. However, existing regulations forbid the release of materials contaminated with detectable quantities of low-enriched uranium for unlicensed use. Therefore, current handling practices include burial and above-ground storage for most of the scrap