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Contaminated metals often arise in the Nuclear Energy or manufacturing industries, where they have been directly exposed to radioactivity. The items most often found with surface contamination include steam generators, fuel racks, coolant pumps and turbine rotors, many of which are segmented prior to melting or are smaller pieces such as piping, plating and ducting. Whilst not usually highly radioactive, the size and nature of these items usually preclude them from being accepted at conventional disposal facilities. Recycling the items can be a more appropriate solution: reducing the requirements on raw materials from being used to make new metal and, at the same time, minimising the amount of waste material that is sent to disposal sites with limited capacity. Safeguard International uses established metal melting techniques at the EnergySolutions Bear Creek facility in Tennessee. Since 1993, this facility has beneficially re-used 53,000 tonnes of contaminated metal into re-useable forms for the nuclear industry such as shield blocks, security barriers and shielded containers. A Duty of Care audit on this recycling process has been undertaken and the Environment Agency is fully aware of this route. Safeguard International has a comprehensive understanding of the regulations, available technologies and current best practice, so is ideally placed to help clients transport and recycle their contaminated metals in the most cost-effective way. |