James Marra

Executive Director

• Founded in 1991

• We are the

largest citizen-

based nonprofit

nuclear science

and technology

education

organization in

the US

Nonprofit organization

• Approximately 350 individual

members

• 30 corporate and business

sponsors (local businesses to

national/international

companies)

• Largely a volunteer

organization with

o An Executive Director

o Office Manager

o Board of Directors

o Committee Structure

OUR CORE MISSION IS

EDUCATION

COMMUNICATING THE VALUE OF NUCLEAR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

FOR OUR

- HEALTH - ENVIRONMENT - NATIONAL SECURITY - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Education o Workshops

o Scholarships

o Teach-ins

• Outreach o STEM events

o Published articles

o Speaker’s Bureau

• Networking o Up and Atom breakfasts

o Teller Lecture

o Costume Ball

o Golf tournament

Pu Immobilization Timeline

• Early 1994: NAS Review – theft or diversion of excess Pu is a “clear and present danger”

• 1995: Alternatives studies for Pu disposition – reactor and immobilization options identified

• 1995-1996: Immobilization alternatives narrowed

o Titanate based ceramic by cold press and sinter

o Lanthanide borosilicate (LaBS) glass in Pt/Rh induction melter

• Mid 1997: Can-in-canister selected as preferred disposition method

• Late 1997: Titanate (Synroc) based ceramic selected as preferred form

• 2001: Pu Immobilization Program canceled

• 2004: New interest in immobilization of Pu feeds not suitable for MOX

o LaBS glass form preferred due to tolerance to impurities

• 2009: Evaluation of alkali borosilicate (DWPF-type) glasses using existing high level waste processing facilities

• 1995-2014: Several plutonium disposition alternative studies conducted

Pu ceramic puck

LaBS glass pour

DWPF-type glass with Pu

Can-in-Canister

schematic

Can-in-Canister

section

• Ceramic and glass both

deemed acceptable

• Ceramic advantages

o Higher Pu loading

o Better initial durability

o Lower radiation dose during

processing

• Glass advantages

o Better tolerance to impurities

o Higher radiation damage

resistance

o Established repository waste

acceptance protocol

• Based on Synroc waste forms

• Synroc developed by

Australians in 1970s to

immobilize radioactive high

level waste

o Titanate based minerals

o Analogs containing actinides

found in nature

• Pu ceramic similar to “Synroc

F” composition

• Evaluate stability and durability

of end member phases and

multiphase assemblage

• In the 1990s, LaBS glass

developed

• Based on high rare earth (RE)

optical glasses

• LaBS “Frit A” demonstrated

>13 wt % PuO2

• LaBS “Frit B” identified as

reference composition in initial

development

o Included both Gd and Hf

• LaBS “Frit X” current reference

composition

o Improved processing properties

and actinide solubility

• Safeguards and Security

• Repository acceptance

• Radionuclide release behavior

• Criticality

• Technical maturity

• Commercial practicability

• Transportation requirements

• Regulatory compliance

• International agreements

• Environmental, safety and health

• Cost

• Schedule

• CNTA supports DOE’s missions at SRS and throughout

the complex

• The NAS review to assess disposal of surplus plutonium

in WIPP is important and timely

• CNTA will continue to educate the public on the value of nuclear technologies