A new, state-of-the-art Waste Management Facility (WMF) opened at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) last December. This $13-million, 55,000-square-foot facility was built with advanced environmental protection systems to enable BNL to handle its waste in a manner that is even more protective of the environment. The WMF is in full compliance with Suffolk County's groundwater protection statutes, some of the most stringent in the nation.
The WMF replaces BNL's 50-year-old waste management facility. Due to past practices, the old facility (the Hazardous Waste Management Facility) contains localized soil contamination and is a known source of groundwater contamination. The soil contamination will be addressed under the Superfund environmental cleanup program being conducted at BNL by the Environmental Restoration Division. Groundwater contamination is already being addressed by a pump-and-treat system at the Lab's south boundary. Remediation of the old waste management facility is expected to begin in 2000, following public comment periods and a public meeting.
The new facility utilizes technologies to prevent potential environmental impacts from spills and any other accidental releases of hazardous material. Protective features and technologies include spill-diversion and hold-up capability, secondary containment, radiation shielding, sub-floor impermeable membranes, fire protection, and filtered ventilation. The new facility was built by J. Kokolakis Contracting, Inc. of Rocky Point. It is located on 18 acres within a controlled-access security fence.
The WMF is operated by BNL's Waste Management Division, which collects, sorts, stores and packages all of BNL's chemical and radioactive hazardous waste before it is shipped for off-site disposal. These operations are carried out in accordance with all local, state and federal guidelines.