DOE Certifies M-100 Radwaste Boxes Made from Recycled Metal (October 1998)

The Department of Energy awarded a type 7A certification for the M-100 class of boxes which are to be fabricated from recycled metal and used to contain low-level radioactive waste during transport. The design and construction of these boxes and the evaluation of recycled metal were led by Dr. Michael Gresalfi of the Assessment Technology Section, Life Sciences Division. The effort was championed by DOE's Office of Environmental Restoration and was aimed at developing containers that would reduce fabrication and disposal costs, maximize worker and public safety, and facilitate inspection and quality control functions. The M-100 containers should be ASTM certified in the near future, and the containers should be available to DOE and contractors in November 1998. Dr. Gresalfi is a technical program leader for recycle and public policy in the AT Section and is deputy director of the Center for Life Cycle Analysis at ORNL. (Contact: Michael Gresalfi, i32@ornl.gov, 301-916-1136; Funding Source: DOE-ER)