Waste Control Specialists, a subsidiary of Valhi, will acquire at least two federally certified shipping casks to transport Class B and C low-level radioactive waste to the newly-opened Texas Compact Disposal Facility for disposal, the company stated in a release.
“There simply are not enough of these specially designed, highly-engineered casks in the country to support the needs of the universities, research centers and power plants that are generating this waste, particularly now that the Texas Compact facility offers them a new, readily accessible disposal option,” said company CEO William Lindquist.
Last month, WCS was granted permission to bury the waste at the Texas site.
WCS has contracted Robatel Technologies – engineering services company – to help design and fabricate the stainless steel cask that include five inches of lead shielding. The NRC will review the design and construction before it is placed into service.
“Strict controls, certified special containers such as the RT-100, rigorous oversight, extensive training and specified routes have made the shipment of low-level radioactive waste a safe, routine part of U.S. commerce for more than 50 years. Radioactive materials are transported on our highways every day and the aforementioned factors virtually eliminate the possibility of a measurable radiation exposure to the public in the unlikely event of a transportation accident,” Lindquist said.
Key features of the new WCS RT-100 casks include:
– Larger volume and capability of multiple liners versus the existing casks.
– 100 percent stainless steel construction inside and out (existing designs have carbon steel outer shells which are subject to corrosion).
– Multiple sealing gaskets incorporate a proprietary design to ensure integrity of seal during normal use or accident situations.
– Designed, tested and fabricated to withstand catastrophic accident conditions to include any combination of crash, drop, roll, fire, impact, puncture, immersion.