With the Department of Energy and South Carolina in dispute over extensions for Savannah River tank closure milestones, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control is urging the Department to implement new waste treatment technologies. That would include full scale capacity in current treatment facilities at the site, the Next Generation Solvent in the Salt Waste Processing Facility and an in-tank treatment technology under development known as the Small Column Ion Exchange, Shelly Wilson of SCDHEC told WC Monitor Friday. “In order for DOE to secure future tank milestones, DHEC believes that DOE should implement as much treatment as possible,” Wilson said.
The Department has requested an extension for Tanks 12 and 16, which currently have a 2015 closure milestone, but DOE is also behind schedule on numerous upcoming tanks. While DOE and liquid waste contractor Savannah River Remediation are working to accelerate closure of the next two tanks, “DHEC urges Department of Energy to find ways to meet the closure milestones, not only for Tanks 12 and 16, but all of the tanks under the closure schedule,” Wilson said.