Savannah River Mission Completion leader discusses radioactive liquid waste disposal

Oct 20, 2023

Apr. 25—As Savannah River Mission Completion's president and program manager, Dave Olson leads the effort at the Savannah River Site to eliminate radioactive liquid waste, much it from weapons production during the Cold War era.

There are 43 carbon-steel tanks filled with waste, down from the original 51, "left to deal with," Olson told the Rotary Club of Aiken during its meeting Monday at Newberry Hall. "They're the size of a city water tower tank and are about eight to 10 feet underground."

There are four different types of storage tanks with different levels of containment.

"I'll describe them this way," Olson said. "Some of the tanks are like a Coke can. Others are like a Coke can sitting on the saucer for a coffee cup. Others are like a Coke can in a Koozie. Others are like a Coke can within a Tupperware container.

"The ones that are like a Coke can or like a Coke can sitting on a coffee cup saucer are the ones that we are dealing with first because they will have the most impact on the environment if they leak."

Olson described the radioactive liquid waste as "the greatest environmental risk in the state of South Carolina."

Savannah River Mission Completion is operating under a 10-year contract, which took effect in February 2022, and it has a large workforce.

"We are at about 3,700 employees — about the most we've ever had — and I expect it to stay that way for the next decade," Olson said.

The remaining 43 tanks contain approximately 34 million gallons of liquid waste.

"A lot of work has been done, and a lot is left to go," Olson said.

The goal is to permanently dispose of the waste and close all of the tanks by 2037.

"We think we are still on target," Olson said.