Inel Submits Cleanup Plan

The state has six months to study and rule on a new report from the Department of Energy on how it plans to clean up waste material at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.

The federal government sent the planning document to the state this week. The state will solicit public input and approve, disapprove or approve with modifications by Oct. 6.

The plan calls for the Department of Energy to use existing and proposed new treatment facilities to treat about 2.7 million cubic feet of mixed waste.

Mixed waste contains both hazardous and radioactive components. The waste includes soil, clothing and bricks contaminated with hazardous waste or radioactive materials. The waste material also includes residue, sludge and chemicals that are contaminated with radioactive material.

The Department of Energy said there are some mixed wastes for which no treatment technology currently exists, and those wastes will be stored until technology is developed.

Existing major treatment facilities proposed for treating mixed wastes are the Waste Reduction Operations Complex and the Waste Experimental Reduction Facility. INEL also has the New Waste Calcining Facility for low-level waste and the Sodium Processing Facility for mixed low-level waste that contains sodium or other reactive metals.

INEL has proposed new facilities, but officials said construction depends on funding.