However, handling the potent radium-226 source demanded extreme caution and specialized techniques at the Transuranic Waste Processing Centre.
Employing a multi-layered strategy
Workers navigated rigorous protocols and employed a multi-layered containment strategy.
“They placed the source in a vessel, which they inserted into a 55-gallon drum. Crews then placed that drum inside a larger drum,” explained ORNL.
This entire assembly was then loaded into a heavily shielded transportation cask, which was specifically engineered to prevent radiation release and withstand severe transit accidents.
“Packaging a radioactive source like this one requires considerable expertise and a knowledge of the packaging protocols required to provide protection from radiation during transit and ultimate disposal,” noted Patrick Rapp, the Centre’s area project manager.