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DOE/RL-90-11, Rev. 2
05/99
1 between the acid bricks that cap the basin shows numerous fine cracks. The catch basin prevented any
2 contamination from RCRA operations from reaching soil at this location.
3
4
5 3.2.6 311 Tank Farm (Storage and Treatment)
6 From 1973 to 1985, neutralized WATS and U-Bearing system effluents from the 313 Building were
7 combined for storage and treatment in aboveground tank 40 in the 311 Tank Farm. Tank 40 waste was
8 transferred to the 183-H Solar Evaporation Basins. The quantity is identified in Table 34. In
9 November 1985, tank 50 was installed in the 311 Tank Farm to also store neutralized effluent. Tank 50
10 also was used four times during 1986 and 1987 to decant waste when the centrifuge was out of service.
11 Decanted effluents were transferred to tank 40. The tanks received approximately 1,589,868 liters of
12 waste solutions per year.
13
14 The neutralized effluent was stored in tanks 40 and 50 until it exited the 300 Area WATS by being
15 pumped, using pump P10, to a tanker truck. The tanker truck transported the effluent to the
16 340-B Building, where the effluent was pumped into holding tanks. Table 3-5 identifies the quantity and
17 makeup of the waste transferred to the 340-B Building. From the 340-B Building, the effluent was
18 pumped to railcars for transport to the DST System. A sample of each tank trailer load was taken for
19 chemical analysis. A logbook was kept on the volume of each load, the pH, the concentration of sulfate
20 and uranium, and on whether the liquid was free of particulate. Additionally, the monthly environmental
21 performance reports listed the amounts and constituents of neutralized waste acid transferred to the
22 340-B Building or offsite. A monthly composite sample was analyzed and recorded for constituents such
23 as chromium, copper, nitrate, sulfate, and uranium.
24
25 The basin valve drain remained closed during operations except when draining precipitation
26 accumulations. Before draining normal precipitation, the effluent was sampled for pH (because the
27 neutralized waste generally was caustic) to confirm that there had been no spills. After known spills,
28 basin effluent was pumped back into the 300 Area WATS. Basin drains are now kept open to preclude
29 precipitation accumulation. Table 3-1 describes known spills to the 300 Area WATS portions of the
30 311 Tank Farm during RCRA operations. There are no documented spills to the tank 50 catch basin, no
31 visual evidence of waste exist, and the basin retains the original surface coating.
32
33 In 1988, tank 40 catch basin was resurfaced. Until then, spills to the tank 40 catch basin had been
34 washed to the PS via the WATS and U-Bearing Piping Trench. Only minor spills (Table 3-1) were
35 recorded during RCRA operations and before resurfacing and no spills are documented after resurfacing
36 in 1988. No waste was managed at the location before the coatings began to fail after 1995 (Chapter 2.0,
37 Section 2.1.7). No cracks in the 311 Tank Farm catch basins exist that could have provided a pathway to
38 soil for contamination from 300 Area WATS operations.
39
40
41 33 NONROUTINE CHEMICAL ADDITIONS
42 Beginning in 1975 and ending in 1988, waste acids and chemicals that were not from 333 Building
43 operations were added to various locations of the 300 Area WATS. The additions made during the
44 RCRA timeframe (since 1980) and the points at which the additions were made are summarized in
45 Table 3-6. Nonroutine chemical additions to the 300 Area WATS before RCRA operations are
46 summarized in Appendix 3B.
47
48 These waste additions consisted of used and unused acid and caustic chemical solutions. The waste often
49 contained dangerous waste constituents (e.g., heavy metals) and sometimes radionuclides (primarily
990525.1312 3-5