Compressed Waste at WIPP

On March 26, 2004, the EPA approved the DOE’s request to allow disposal in WIPP of compressed waste from the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Facility at the Idaho National Environmental and Engineering Laboratory (INEEL) site. The EPA’s evaluation of this request found that disposing of compressed waste in WIPP does not impact the long-term performance of the repository.

The EPA’s letter to the DOE approving the disposal of compressed waste from INEEL and the Agency’s supporting technical evaluation is available at any of our docket locations, or below. 

• Letter from EPA to DOE sharing the approval of compressed (super-compacted) waste at WIPP. (pdf) (2.84 MB, March 26, 2004)
  This letter shares EPA's findings after a thorough review.
• Enclosure from EPA letter to DOE dated 3/26/04: Discussion of Major Issues Associated With EPA (pdf) (739.64 KB, March 26, 2004)
  This attachment provides an expanded discussion of the major issues addressed in the correspondence from Frank Marcinowski to Paul Detwiler.
• Final Report: Review of Effects of Supercompacted Waste and Heterogeneous Waste Emplacement on WIPP Repository Performance (pdf) (2.39 MB, March 26, 2004)
  This report presents a Trinity Engineering Associates (TEA) review of the proposed U.S. Department of Energy (the Department or DOE) emplacement of supercompacted waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico.