Preparing Plutonium for Shipment and Long-Term Storage

The Materials Identification and Surveillance Program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory was created in response to DNFSB (Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board) recommendations to establish parameters for safe storage of plutonium-bearing materials destined for DOE materials disposition in accordance with DOE standard 3013 (DOE-STD-3013-99)[1]. The excess plutonium at the Los Alamos National Laboratory is now in the queue for disposition. However, since routine shipments of plutonium have not occurred throughout the complex for several years, new regulations and guidance must be satisfied. This paper describes the status of the material preparation for shipment as well as some of the issues to be resolved at Los Alamos in order for material to meet final disposition criteria.