5.16 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES
The alternatives for managing, treating, and disposing of the Hanford Site tank waste and cesium and strontium capsules would involve the irreversible and irretrievable commitment of land, energy, materials, and financial resources. Table 5.16.1 presents a summary of resource commitments for the tank waste and capsule alternatives. More detailed comparisons of resource commitments are provided in Volume Two, Appendix B.
Depending on the alternative, managing, treating, and disposing of the Hanford Site tank waste could result in the permanent commitment of up to 49 ha ( 120 ac) of land, 3.3 E+04 gigawatts-hours (GWh) of electric energy consumption, 1.2 E+07 m3 (1.7 E+07 yd3) of borrow materials, 1.7 E+11 L ( 4.5 E+10 gal) of water, and 4.4 E+05 metric tons (mt) (4.8 E+05 tons) of steel. Although large quantities of resources would be required, the quantities used would not cause substantial impacts to the availability or cost of these resources to other potential users. The cost of implementing the tank waste alternatives could be from $7.9 to 62.5 billion, which would represent an irretrievable commitment of financial resources. The $ 62.5 billion cost would be for the Ex Situ No Separations alternative and would include $ 38.9 billion for HLW disposal at a geologic repository.
Resources that would be committed for the capsule alternatives would constitute only a small fraction of the resources required for tank waste alternatives. For example, land commitments would not exceed 2 ha (5 ac) and cost would not exceed $697 million.
Table 5.16.1 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources
Table 5.16.1 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources (cont'd)
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