Low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) held in a railcar that caught fire earlier this month in Illinois will be repackaged and transloaded to complete its transport to Texas.
The status of the waste could not be confirmed at deadline Monday for Weapons Complex Morning Briefing.
The LLRW consisted of dry-activity waste and metal debris, specifically designated as low-specific activity waste, generated by operations at Veolia subsidiary Alaron Nuclear Services in Pennsylvania. It was being shipped by train to Waste Control Specialists’ disposal complex in Andrews County, Texas.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday posted a report from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency regarding the June 4 fire while the railcar was at the Belt Railway Co. train switching facility in Bedford Park, about 20 miles outside of Chicago.
At least 10% of the railcar burned in the early morning blaze, but there was no apparent release of radioactive contaminants, according to the state agency. The cause of the fire is believed to be a reaction between pyrophoric zirconium dust generated by friction during transport and nearby contaminated building debris and other “combustible waste,” the report says.
The fire did not reach a second railcar carrying low-level waste from Alaron.
“The railcar contents mentioned in the report are being transloaded and repackaged at the railyard; the other LLW shipment is unaffected,” a Veolia spokesperson said by email Friday. Contacted Monday, the spokesperson said he believed that process was continuing.
