Plant Significantly Reduces Radioactive Solid Waste
OPG Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in Pickering, Ontario, Canada has an ongoing initiative to reduce the quantity of consumable products it adds to the radioactive solid waste stream. Pickering management decided in 2004 to begin using Anti-C coveralls to replace disposable TyVek® coveralls. The Anti-C coveralls were the first washable item introduced to Pickering Nuclear.
Time has proven this to be a good choice. One significant number tells the story. On January 15, 2014, UniTech Services Group, which has acted as OPG’s laundry service provider since the 2004 switch to reusable coveralls, laundered the one millionth Anti-C coverall from Pickering Nuclear. According to OPG Senior Technical Officer Jack Page, “This is a very important occasion as it relates to a savings of an estimated 2,703 cubic meters of radioactive solid waste that has been diverted since the implementation of this single item.”
The amount of radioactive solid waste saved by using Anti-C coveralls for the last decade would, if it had instead been generated, fill a hockey arena to over seven feet deep.
What does a savings of 2,700 cubic meters of radioactive solid waste look like? This amount of waste, if generated, could fill a hockey arena to over seven feet deep.
Pickering Maintenance Manager Chris Johnston credits plant staff: “We’re all responsible for proper waste disposal and reduction at our station. This success would not have been possible without the help from you, the users! You have assisted us with new washable product development to remove consumables from our radioactive solid waste stream, to the point where we now have 38 different washable products at Pickering Nuclear.” These 38 washable products in total contribute to Pickering’s total savings of over 1,000 cubic meters of radioactive solid waste per year.