EM Update — August 15, 2023

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – The EM program at the West Valley Demonstration Project conducted its annual Safety Day to reinforce and highlight the importance of safety through demonstrations, hands-on activities and guest lectures.

The event organizers held demonstrations on electrical safety, heat-stress monitoring, procedural compliance, and three-way communication, and they provided information on nutrition and staying healthy. A “Jeopardy” style game tested employees’ knowledge of safety controls, tools and procedures in a fun, competitive manner. Cheryl Wozniak, safety engineer with CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, EM’s cleanup contractor at the site, coordinated the event for all employees. She thanked them for making safety their No. 1 priority. “Thank you for all your hard work in helping us to maintain our Voluntary Protection Program Superior Star status,” Wozniak said. “Your involvement and proactive approach to safety continues to promote a safety culture that is continuously improving the work environment and reducing risks. Together, we help each other stay safe and healthy.”

EM Update — August 8, 2023

WEST VALLEY, N.Y. – It’s been said that during an emergency, you always fall back on your training. EM and its cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project recently conducted a full‐scale exercise testing the skills and response of site and local emergency responders to a simulated equipment fire. All EM team members at the site participated.

“Exercises allow us to safely test the knowledge and response of an organization through a real‐life scenario that includes challenging situations,” said West Valley Office of Technical Services Assistant Director Jennifer Dundas, who served as an evaluator for the exercise. “We understand the importance and benefit of having trained emergency responders working at West Valley.”

Read the complete article here.

WBEN 930 am, Buffalo — July 31, 2023

The Golden Rule, a ship originally used by Quakers sailing to the Marshall Islands to try to stop the U.S. nuclear bomb testing, is now being utilized by Veterans for Peace, doing a “great loop” with a stop at Canalside in Buffalo to stand in solidarity with those against nuclear warfare.

Read/listen to the complete story here.

Olean Times Herald — July 29, 2023

WEST VALLEY — Environmental Management and its cleanup contractor at the West Valley Demonstration Project have safely removed a penthouse enclosure as part of the ongoing demolition of the Main Plant Process Building.

“Safety comes down to planning, preparation and robust controls,” said Stephen Bousquet, Main Plant Project Director. “Our team continues to perform work in a deliberate and methodical manner that’s protective of our workforce, the public and the environment.”

The Main Plant is one of the last remaining major facilities at West Valley. Its successful demolition will further reduce environmental risks and position the site for the next phase of cleanup. The demolition is expected to take approximately 30 months to complete.

Crews recently completed the controlled demolition of the Chemical Process Cell penthouse. A steel-framed and concrete block enclosure, it housed a 125-ton shield door used during former reprocessing operations. The enclosure also housed a mechanism to raise and lower the shield door.

The Chemical Process Cell was once used to dissolve sheared spent nuclear fuel and reduce the volume of high-level waste generated in the fuel reprocessing solvent extraction process

Prior to removing the penthouse, crews with CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley (CHBWV) accessed the cell by dismantling its 5-foot-thick, steel-reinforced concrete walls. They took down the enclosure in a safe and deliberate manner while using equipment to control dust at its source. Workers also removed two levels of accessible steel storage racks and packaged debris for offsite disposal.

“Using lessons learned and a deliberate approach from previous demolition activities has been an excellent combination for safety and success,” said Tom Dogal, CHBWV Facility Disposition Manager.

Crews are also working toward carrying out an EM 2023 priority: dispose of 9,000 tons of Main Plant demolition waste.

Springville Journal — July 27, 2023

CH2M HILL BWXT West Valley, the prime contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy at the West Valley Demonstration Project, was recently announced as a Leader in Sustainable Electronics Procurement with a 2023 EPEAT Purchaser Award.

CHBWV has been recognized as a 2023 EPEAT Purchaser Award winner, celebrating leaders in sustainable electronics procurement. The award comes from the Global Electronics Council, the non‐profit organization that manages the EPEAT ecolabel. EPEAT allows organizations, cities and agencies to efficiently address the life‐cycle impacts of the electronics purchased, including computers, displays, printers, copiers, network equipment, mobile phones, servers, photovoltaic modules, inverters and televisions.

CHBWV uses EPEAT in purchasing contracts to require that their vendors only provide electronics that meet strict sustainability criteria. These products are more energy efficient, less toxic, longer lasting and easier to recycle than products that do not meet EPEAT criteria, while addressing labor and human rights issues along the entire supply chain.

According to the Green Electronics Council, the electronics purchased by CHBWV in 2022 will result in several environmental and energy‐saving over their lifetime and include:

– A reduction of 5,267 kilograms of CO2 equivalents (taking two cars off the road for a year).

– A savings of 15,982 kWh of electricity (annual electric consumption for 3 households).

– A savings of 27,520 liters of water.

Participation in the 2023 EPEAT Purchaser Awards program is particularly noteworthy in that it is a voluntary program and demonstrates a commitment to excellence, reflecting well on the Department, EM, CHBWV and WVDP.

“Participating in this program is part of our commitment to be stewards of the environment,” CHBWV President John Rendall said. “Our volunteer efforts in this program help to protect the environment and save money for taxpayers and the government. It is the right thing to do.”