12 JULY 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® An Innovative Demonstration Creates Disposal Path Adapted from Information by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor United Cleanup Oak Ridge (UCOR) have achieved a breakthrough set to eliminate complex legacy waste stored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the past 50 years. Demonstration of the technology providing a pathway for permanent disposal, crews from the DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) shipped the first of several large aluminum and steel containers filled with highly reactive metals - called sodium shields. The sodium shields were used in the 1960s and 1970s to pioneer radiation shielding research. The largest of them is about five feet high and weighs over 30,000 pounds. OREM and UCOR employed Veolia Nuclear Solutions’ patented GeoMelt technology at the Waste Control Specialists facility in Andrews, Texas. The vitrification process successfully converted the waste - highly reactive metals - into stable, durable glass for safe, permanent disposal. Sodium metal presents unique hazards because it is unstable and can be highly reactive when mixed with water. The GeoMelt process is unique because it does not use any liquid to support treatment and avoids generating other challenging waste streams. After treatment, the vitrified waste form no longer exhibits reactive or ignitable characteristics. The first challenge involved shipping the sodium shields from Oak Ridge. OREM and UCOR obtained a special permit from the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct an extensive safety analysis and develop a packaging strategy for the waste. The second challenge was determining if the selected technology could successfully process reactive metals from the sodium shields. The crews shipped the sodium shields in seven large aluminum and steel containers weighing a combined 12,350 pounds for use in the demonstration. They sent a limited number to validate the technology could safely and compliantly address this waste stream. “This represents a significant advancement in our ability to address legacy materials that have posed unique storage and handling challenges for half a century,” said Clint Mori, Manager of UCOR's difficult waste streams. “A successful sodium shield vitrification demonstration opens the door to a safe and compliant disposal pathway for this challenge.” The Veolia demonstration project represents a crucial step in addressing challenging legacy waste streams from America's nuclear research history, establishing a potential template for handling similar reactive metal waste streams across the DOE complex. ENV Irrigation by: Rain Bird Academy Training August 3-7 ~ San Antonio, TX August 10-14 ~ Oklahoma City, OK August 17-21 ~ Palmdale, CA August 24-28 ~ Palm Springs, CA August 31-Sept. 4 ~ Fort Myers, FL phone: 800-498-1942 E-mail: training@rainbird.com Pipe by: McElroy University Saddle Fusion Operator Qualification August 11 ~ Broken Arrow, OK Socket Fusion Operator Qualification August 11 ~ Broken Arrow, OK Manual Butt Fusion Operator Qualification August 12 ~ Broken Arrow, OK Medium Diameter Hydraulic Butt Fusion Operator Qualification August 13-14 ~ Broken Arrow, OK Large Diameter Fusion Operator Qualification August 18-19 ~ Broken Arrow, OK Large Diameter TracStar® iSeries Fusion Operator Qualification August 20-21 ~ Broken Arrow, OK phone: 918-836-8611 www.mcelroy.com More education opportunities during events can be found by clicking here online at: worldwidedrillingresource.com Education Connection
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