Fifty-five Projects Awarded Pollution Prevention Prizes
In April, 55 different projects and more than 450 employees representing 141 Lab organizations were recognized for their pollution prevention contributions. Each year, the Lab solicits employee suggestions on what can be done to reduce the Lab's environmental footprint through its "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" program. This was the 17th year of the Pollution Prevention Awards program. During the last five years, the Lab has led the Department of Energy complex in the number of Pollution Prevention Awards.
The winning suggestions covered everything from an improved wildfire mitigation process to a Lab organization that "improved the method they use to analyze molecular weights of polymer binders in explosive materials." During the awards ceremony, Director McMillan was presented with a symbolic check for $17 million that represents the combined estimated costs savings of the various efforts.
Organizing for Efficient Waste Processing
Just as you don’t create only one kind of waste during a project at home, neither does the Lab with its wide range of missions and work. With 77 different categories of waste currently located at our waste handling facilities at Area G, presorting the containers means more efficient remediation, characterization, and disposition prior to shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The more than 3,700 cubic meters of transuranic waste, which is stored above ground, was previously searched for the type of waste currently undergoing processing. In work referred to as “shuffling the deck,” the various types of waste are now being grouped together just as card players frequently co-locate the cards’ suits to make identification easier.
While the shuffling has entailed some additional work up front, it will save time and money in the long run.
Conserving Department of Energy Land
A parcel of land under the control of the Department of Energy (DOE) has been used for dumping and as an unofficial shooting range. Due to the negative environmental effects of these activities, efforts are being taken to deter them. The land, located north of Los Alamos in Rendija Canyon, is getting new signs and fencing to help discourage further illegal use. Continued misuse of the area could lead to violators facing federal or county arrest and prosecution.
Those witnessing any illegal activity in Rendija Canyon, or any DOE property, are encouraged to report it to the Los Alamos County Police Dispatch at (505) 662-8222.