Oak Ridge TRU Waste Processing Center contractor Wastren Advantage, Inc., laid off 26 workers last week, mainly due to a stop-work order for the Sludge Processing Facility Buildout Project. The Department of Energy told the contractor in late August to stop work on the project to evaluate its approach for treating the site’s remote-handled sludge inventory. “WAI is reducing its workforce by 26 employees as a result of the DOE-issued stop work order on the sludge project and expected ramp-down due to planned near-term completion of certain work scope,” WAI TWPC General Manager Bob Mckay said in a statement. “No health and safety, waste operations, or radiological protection personnel are involved in the reduction. WAI is continuing with all [contact handled and remote handled] waste processing operations as planned for FY14.”