Uranium oxide (UOx) is converted from the DOE’s more than 730,000 metric-ton inventory of DUF6 stored and managed at both Portsmouth and Paducah. In efforts to dispose of the UOx, Portsmouth and Paducah are safely shipping it to an authorized waste disposal facility.
During the conversion process, the unit separates DUF6 into UOx and hydrofluoric acid. The oxide powder is stored in hoppers before being placed into modified cylinders, which now serve as the shipping container. The UOx filled cylinders are loaded onto gondolas (modified railcars) that hold six cylinders per gondola. After security and safety measures, like the utilization of GPS tracking the shipments are effectively and efficiently shipped in bulk from Portsmouth and Paducah to an authorized waste disposal facility.