The Brookhaven Site occupies 8.2 square miles (5,260 acres) in Long Island, New York. Geological investigations suggest the facility lies on "the uppermost Pleistocene deposits, which are between 100' and 200' thick, generally sandy, and highly permeable. Water penetrates these deposits readily and there is little run-off into surface streams." (ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT REPORT - Site Specific Plan - Volume IV, Brookhaven National Laboratory - DOE/CH-9106.) Of considerable importance is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designation of the underlying aquifer as a sole source drinking water aquifer. Brookhaven is "located in one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of the country," principally because it is situated on a sole source aquifer for Long Island residents.
The role of the lab "is to conceive, design, build, and operate in a safe and environmentally sound manner large, complex research facilities for fundamental scientific studies and to carry out both basic and applied research facilities for related physical, life and environmental sciences."
Contamination at Brookhaven consists of chemical radioactive, and mixed waste. The sources of these materials are referred to as Areas of Concern (AOCs).
As result of decades of waste practices at the laboratory, several AOCs have been found to be a direct source of radiological and chemical contamination of the EPA-designated sole source aquifer. There are currently 24 AOCs and several "sub- AOCs", all of which have been grouped into Operable Units (OUs).
Applications for cryogenics at Brookhaven include the Former Landfill (AOC 2), the Current Landfill (AOC 3), the Hazardous Waste Management Area (AOC 1), the Sewage Treatment Plant Area (AOC 4), Central Steam Facility (AOC 5), Cesspools (AOC 13), the Alternate Gradient Synchrotron Scrapyard (AGS) (AOC 18), and the TCE spill, Building T-111(AOC 19). These AOCs, as well as several other potential sources of contamination, are suspected to be responsible for off-site tritium and organic compound groundwater contaminant plumes.
AOC 1 - Hazardous Waste Management Area. Monitoring wells in the vicinity of AOC 1 indicate "values of gross alpha, gross beta, strontium-90, iron, manganese, and various organic compounds have been found in excess of applicable regulatory standards."
AOC 2 - Former Landfill Area. The Former Landfill Area covers approximately 12 acres and includes several subAOCs including the former landfill, chemical holes, glass holes, a sump, slit trench and ash pit.
Containment is currently under review as both an interim or possible long-term solution at hazardous and radioactive contaminated sites across the U.S. because of its increasing technological maturity and ability to reduce both risk and cost effectively. By implementing containment technology now a systematic, cost and risk effective remedial approach with the least long-term impacts to our future populace's health and environment can be formed to accomplish clean closure at Brookhaven, and many other sites.
RKK Ltd. can immediately install its CRYOCELL containment methodology to completely isolate any of the AOCs at Brookhaven, providing removable, monitorable, diffusion free, full containment and isolation, that is repairable in situ. CRYOCELL is cost comparable with all other containment technologies with the advantages of on-line/real-time monitoring, diffusion free containment, and the ability to provide a barrier bottom to depths of 500'+.
RKK is poised to provide immediate containment of the entire AOC 1 or AOC 2. Action now can halt waste migration, reduce health and safety risks, conserve revenue, and allow more time for the development of remedial solutions at BNL.
Once a remedial decision has been reached, CRYOCELL can be used in a symbiotic manner to provide enhancements to many remediation approaches. A CRYOCELL containment installation would allow various remediation processes to be isolated hydraulically by providing a surrounding containment envelope adapted to the geometry of the contaminated area in size, shape, and depth. This would allow the introduction and cyclical reuse of the appropriate cleansing agents (sorbents, catalytic agents, microbes, oxidants, buffers, and chemical neutralizers) into the contaminated soil region without fear of any releases to the environment. Should contaminated soil be removed and shallow groundwater be directed, diverted, or treated in-situ by a passive remediation technology, groundwater control and excavation support is already provided by the CRYOCELL barrier.
CRYOCELL barrier technology is installed by the use of standard civil construction components and known labor disciplines with established costs. Establishing an estimated unit of cost or the all inclusive cost for a surface square foot of a barrier is accomplished by RKK resourcing of the Environmental Cost Handling Options and Solutions (ECHOS) Environmental Restoration: Assemblies Cost Book.. This environmental estimating standard develops all components of a project and weighs the cost by the level of health and safety protection required at the site under review. This method of cost estimation uses the standard civil construction method with adjustments for environmental restoration work, and provides a realistic basis for cost comparisons between CRYOCELL and competing containment technologies.
A rough estimated cost for immediate and full containment of the "chemical and glass holes" in AOC 2 or other AOCs such as the "small dump area", and "slit trenches", would be approximately $2.5 million each, including all construction and operating costs for 15 years. Again, this is cost comparable to any other technology, with the advantages of on-line/real-time monitoring, diffusion free containment, and quick adaptability to the various site parameters of the BNL area.