The article below was featured in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management Update, Vol. 15, Issue 44 | Nov. 14, 2023
OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) lead cleanup contractor UCOR has finished constructing the final permitted cell in Landfill V ahead of schedule. Landfill V is part of the Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills, which accept sanitary, industrial and construction waste generated from cleanup across the site.
The 5.7-acre expansion provides almost a half million cubic yards of additional disposal space to support ongoing cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. That equates to approximately 50,000 dump truck loads of added capacity.
The buildout allows OREM to use the landfill for another 15 to 20 years, providing disposal space to nearby cleanup missions.
UCOR subcontracted the expansion effort to CTI and Associates, a small business focused on environmental consulting and engineering. “Through CTI’s focus on safety, quality and schedule, the expansion was completed a month early despite record rainfalls in July and August,” says Project Manager Julie Pfeffer. “UCOR and CTI employees worked closely together to successfully complete this project.”
Enlarging Landfill V’s disposal capacity also extends the life of the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF), an important on-site disposal facility for low-level waste that’s currently at 85% capacity.
While OREM disposes of sanitary, industrial and construction waste in Landfill V, it sends low-level contaminated waste to EMWMF. These complimentary efforts ensure space at EMWMF is used efficiently. UCOR and its independent quality assurance firm, Thompson Engineering, are completing a final report documenting all construction and testing activities for the Landfill V expansion. This report will be submitted to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for approval before any waste is placed in the newly expanded area of the landfill.
OREM is also preparing the site of the Environmental Management Disposal Facility for construction. That facility, which is slated to begin operations in the late 2020s, will provide an additional 2.2 million cubic yards of waste disposal capacity for low-level contaminated waste. OREM is working to have that facility available as EMWMF reaches full capacity.
-Contributor: Susanne Dupes