Transportation of transuranic nuclear waste to WIPP: A reconsideration of truck versus rail for two sites

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is a repository for the permanent di sposal of radioactive transuranic (TRU) waste generated from the United Sta tes' defense programs. In March 1999, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) b egan: shipping TRU waste to WIPP by truck while reserving the future option to use rail. This article compares advantages and disadvantages of shipmen t truck and by rail and recommends that DOE reconsider the use rail for the two major generators of TRU waste, the Hanford, Washington, site and the I daho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, in view of the pote ntially large savings in costs and slight reduction in risks.