Management of waste has been conducted in eight separate units within the 317 and 319 areas.
The 317 Area is currently used as a temporary storage area for radioactive waste before it is
shipped off site for disposal. The area also contained two RCRA-permitted units that were
formally closed during 1994 and one permitted area that is still active. The 319 Area is an
inactive landfill adjacent to the 317 Area. In addition to these units, a second landfill site, the
East-Northeast (ENE) landfill, is located to the east-northeast of the 319 Area. This unit was used
in the late 1940s and early 1950s primarily for the disposal of construction debris from several
sites, including the University of Chicago's Manhattan Project. Figure 6.1 is a sketch of the
317/319 Area.
The most significant units in this area in terms of groundwater impact are an inactive French
drain (dry well) in the 317 area and the landfill and French drain in the 319 Area. The 317 Area
French drain operated until the mid 1950s and was used for disposal of unknown amounts of
liquid chemical wastes. The landfill at 319 was operated from the mid-1950s until 1968. The
French drain, similar to the one in the 317 Area, was operated until 1968. Quantities of a widevariety of liquid wastes, including heavy metals, solvents, and waste oil, some containing PCBs,
were poured into this drain.
The 317 Area contained six vaults used for temporary storage of solid radioactive waste. Water
from footing drains and/or sumps was collected and discharged into a sewer system. This sewer
system, which was designed to drain off site, was permanently closed in 1986 after it was
discovered that the water contained very small amounts of several radionuclides. Water
collecting in the sewer system was periodically pumped out from manholes into portable tanks,
transported to the Waste Management Building, and analyzed for radioactivity before release to
the laboratory wastewater collection system. During August 1993, the discharge of water from
these manholes to the laboratory sewer system began. Monthly samples from two manholes
associated with this system were analyzed for VOCS. The results are presented in
Section 6.2.2.3. During 1995, decontamination and demolition of three unused concrete waste
storage vaults was begun (see Section 6.5.1).
The 319 Area currently consists of a mound created by waste fill activities. The waste consisted
of noncombustible refuse and demolition and construction debris. In addition, suspect waste
(material that was not known to be contaminated but that had the potential for hidden radioactive
contamination that could not be confirmed by direct measurement, such as the inside of long
pipes or ductwork, was also placed in this unit. The landfill consisted of a number of trenches, 3
to 5 m (10 to 15 ft) deep, which were filled with waste material. When the trenches were filled
with waste, they were covered with soil. A recent geophysical survey has identified at least three
of these trenches. Recently, five test pits were dug into the waste; the waste was inspected,
photographed, and surveyed for the presence of radioactive or VOC contamination; then placed
back into the excavation. Field measurements of radioactivity levels and organic vapor
concentrations indicated that this material is not significantly contaminated.
The French drain in the 319 Area was constructed in the late 1950s in an area of the fill material
by placing a corrugated steel pipe vertically into a gravel-filled excavation and backfilling around
the pipe. Waste liquids were poured into the pit and flowed into the pipe.
The ENE landfill is believed to consist primarily of construction debris and other noncombustible rubbish such as metal turnings and empty steel drums. The waste was placed in a natural ravine and covered with soil.
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