Case for the Decommissioning of a Plutonium Recovery Plant
In the early years of the nuclear industry, plutonium was a highly valuable commodity. Significant efforts were made to recover gram quantities. The plant in question was used to recover plutonium from waste materials used in the manufacture and analysis of plutonium. The process involved shredding the waste, washing it to release the plutonium and then an ion exchange process to separate out the plutonium so that it could be routed back into the production process.
The Issues
The facility was old and had not been used for some time. The plant was an experimental facility and contained glass vessels. The ion exchange resin had degraded and required to be handled with care.
Access to the plant by personnel required protective suits with a breathing air supply.
