Waste Management Symposia Honors PNNL Research

The 2024 Waste Management Symposia honored Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) researchers with “Papers of Note” awards on five papers and “Superior Paper” designations for 17 papers. 

The Waste Management Symposia is regarded as the world’s largest gathering of radioactive waste management experts and innovators. The international conference is dedicated to providing education and information exchange on safe, environmentally responsible, technically sound, and cost-effective solutions to the management and disposition of radioactive wastes and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities—with a goal of enhancing the transparency and credibility of the global radioactive waste industry.

During the annual WM2024 conference in March, PNNL researchers shared their work during the technical program in environmental management, subsurface remediation, waste processing, radiochemistry, nuclear energy, spent nuclear fuel, stakeholder engagement, and more.

“Our diverse expertise in nuclear science and Earth sciences means PNNL contributes to multiple Department of Energy missions, and we partner with other institutions, universities, and industry to find technically-sound solutions to these complex waste management challenges,” said David Peeler, PNNL deputy sector manager for environmental management programs. “The Waste Management Symposia is an important place for us to share what we’ve learned and make connections that lead to new discoveries.”

Judges issue a “Superior” rating for presentations that demonstrate superb knowledge and understanding and lay the foundation for future waste management endeavors, Peeler explained. The “Papers of Note” awards are based on the paper alone, not the presentation, with only a few papers selected for each of the WM2024 conference tracks.

Of the 22 awards for “Papers of Note,” five were authored or co-authored by PNNL researchers. All Papers of Note honorees also received Superior Paper awards.

• “Aluminum Solubility, Speciation, and Reactivity Under Low Water Conditions in Radioactive Tank Waste at Hanford” – WMS #24207. Authors: Carolyn Pearce, Emily Nienhuis, Trenton Graham, Xin Zhang, Zheming Wang, Kevin Rosso, Gregory Schenter (PNNL); Mateusz Dembowski (Los Alamos National Laboratory); Andrew Stack, Larry Anovitz, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge National Laboratory); Aurora Clark (University of Utah); Jacob Reynolds, (Washington River Protection Solutions). This team represents the PNNL-led Ion Dynamics in Radioactive Environments and Materials (IDREAM) Energy Frontier Research Center, which is unraveling the chemical complexity of Hanford Site tank waste.
• “Using GIS and 360-Degree Video Surveys to Identify Microreactor Transport Risk Locations Along a Hypothetical Public Highway” – WMS #24159. Authors: Micah Taylor, Brian Hom, Ben Jensen (PNNL).
• “Update on DOE’s Atlas Railcar Project” – WMS #24027. Authors: Kevin Connolly, Mike Schultze, (ORNL); Steven Maheras (PNNL); Scott Dam (Spectrum, Inc.); Patrick Schwab (DOE).
• “Assessing Effects of Climate Change on Legacy Waste at the Enewetak Atoll” – WMS #24600. Authors: Rajiv Prasad, Bruce Napier, Tracy Ikenberry, Saikat Ghosh, Male Rajage Premathilake, Taiping Wang, Tarang Khangaonkar, Sourav Taraphdar, Lai-Yung (Ruby) Leung (PNNL).
• “ALTEMIS: Long-term Performance Monitoring of the SRNL F-Area Basin 3 Cap Using Autonomous 4D Electrical Resistivity Difference Tomography” – WMS #24603. Authors: Judy Robinson (PNNL); Thomas Danielson, Hansell Gonzalez-Raymat, Carol Eddy-Dilek (Savannah River National Laboratory); Jeffrey Thibault (Savannah River Nuclear Solutions).

PNNL Contributed to 17 Superior Papers

The WM2024 “Superior Paper” category recognizes authors for distinguished contributions to the advancement of radioactive waste and radioactive material management. Of the 91 papers honored, PNNL staff authored or co-authored 17 (including the five listed above as Papers of Note).

• “Finite Element Modeling of the Hanford Lead Canister Coupon Replacement Weld Residual Stress” – WMS #24091. Authors: Ben Jensen, C.J. Taylor Mason, Nicholas Klymyshyn (PNNL).
• “Qualification of Expanded Low-Activity Waste Glass Compositions for Disposal in the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility” – WMS #24073. Authors: David Swanberg, Rodney Skeen, Kearn Lee (Washington River Protection Solutions); Innocent Joseph (Atkins); Ian Pegg (Catholic University of America); Matthew Asmussen, Sebastien Kerisit, Jim Neeway (PNNL); Isabelle Lab, (Vitreous State Lab Catholic University).
• “Three Mile Island Nuclear Station Site Infrastructure Evaluation” – WMS #24074. Authors: Miriam Juckett, Steven Maheras (PNNL); Jeffrey Moore (Federal Railroad Administration); Kathy Langan (Langan & Associates Consulting Ltd); Wade DeHaas (PA DEP BRP); Erica Bickford, Gerard Jackson, (DOE).
• “Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant Site Evaluation” – WMS #24089. Authors: Miriam Juckett, Steven Maheras (PNNL); Mitch Arvidson (Council of State Governments-Midwest); Virgil People (Idaho National Laboratory); Gerard Jackson (DOE). 
• “Describing an Essentially Unyielding Surface as Prescribed by 10 CFR Part 71 Transportation Regulations” – WMS #24173.Authors: Antonio Rigato, Lucas Mackey (PNNL).
• “Monitoring Subsurface Plumes in the Vadose Zone at the Hanford Site Using Time-Lapse Surface Electrical Resistivity” – WMS #24107. Authors: Judy Robinson, Tim Johnson, Jon Thomle, Piyoosh Jaysaval, Rob Mackley (PNNL); Kelsey Peta (Gram Northwest LLC); Joaquin Cambeiro (Rutgers University-Newark).
• “Reduction and Sequestration Remediation Technologies Utilizing Phosphate for Hanford Site Saturated Zones” – WMS #24146. Authors: Hilary Emerson, Jim Szecsody, Amanda Lawter, Christopher Bagwell, Andy Plymale, Jacqueline Hager, Nancy Escobedo, Guohui Wang, Inci Demirkanli, Katherine Muller, Nicolas Huerta, Charles Resch, Rob Mackley (PNNL); Kaycee Bailey (DOE Richland Field Office).
• “From 7% to <1%: Noise Drop-off in a Large Sensor Network at Hanford” – WMS #24476. Authors: Heather Sabella, Brett Simpson, Anastasia Bernat, Nathan Anderson, Jace Olsen, Hongfei Hou, Eugene Morrey (PNNL); Jason Reno (Washington River Protection Solutions).
• “The Long-term Saturated Leaching of Cementitious Waste Forms and Applicability of Diffusion Models” – WMS #24421. Authors: Alessandra Fujii Yamagata, Gary L. Smith, Matthew Asmussen (PNNL); Rodney Skeen (Washington River Protection Solutions).
• “4D Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring of Vadose Zone Soil Flushing at the Hanford 100-K Area Reactor Facility” – WMS #24602. Authors: Tim Johnson, Jon Thomle, Rob Mackley, Jonah Bartrand, Martin Pratt, Tycko Franklin, Patrick Royer, Judy Robinson (PNNL); Jeremy Lynn, (Central Plateau Cleanup Co.); Emily Macdonald (TerraGraphics).
• “Soil Water Balance Model Selection and Benchmark Testing for Evaluating Uranium Mill Tailings Disposal Cell Evapotranspiration Covers” – WMS #24624. Authors: Inci Demirkanli, Rebecka Bence, Mark Rockhold, Christian Johnson (PNNL); Adam Mangel (Haley and Aldrich, Inc.); Michael Morse (RSI EnTech, LLC); David Holbrook (RSI EnTech, DOE Legacy Management Contractor); Angelita Denny (DOE LM); Craig Benson (University of Wisconsin, Madison).
• “Concept of Operations for Advanced Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Management” – WMS #24318. Authors: Gordon Petersen, Ursula Carvajal, Andrew Newman (Idaho National Laboratory); Mike Billone (Argonne National Laboratory); Riley Cumberland (Oak Ridge National Laboratory); Ricardo Torres, Brady Hanson (PNNL); Edward Matteo, Laura Price (Sandia National Laboratories).

Top Marks for Environmental Remediation Poster

A PNNL-produced poster was cited as one of the finest in representing technical and policy innovations. “Python Toolbox for Managing GIS Data for the Tracking Restoration and Closure (TRAC) Software” - WMS #24304, was authored by PNNL researchers Marcus Perry, Christian Johnson, and Patrick Royer with Thomas Prichard of North Wind Portage, Inc. The poster was the winner for track 7, focusing on environmental remediation. Only 11 posters received awards at WM2024.