Patent Number: 039882586
Section: claims

1. In a method of processing radioactive wastes wherein a slurry of radioactive wastes and a cementing material is formed in a mixer and the slurry then transferred from the mixer to a storage and shipping container and allowed to harden therein, the improvement of increasing shipping efficiency by including in the slurry before hardening an alkali or alkaline earth metal silicate, and for each 100 parts by weight of the waste included in the slurry adding 25-70 parts by weight of the cementing material and 5-25 parts by weight of the silicate. 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the shipping container is a steel drum. 3. The process of claim 2 wherein the cement is Portland cement and the silicate is sodium silicate, and for each 100 parts by weight of waste present there is present 25-70 parts by weight of the cement and 5-25 parts by weight of the silicate. 4. A method of processing radioactive wastes for storage or shipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicate is included in the slurry before it is transferred to the container. 5. A method of processing radioactive wastes for storage or shipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicate is added to the slurry while it is being transferred to the container. 6. A method of processing radioactive wastes for storage or shipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the added silicate constitutes at least 20% by weight of the combined cement and silicate. 7. A method of processing as claimed in claim 6 wherein the added silicate constitutes 3-15% by weight of total composition. 8. A method of processing radioactive wastes for storage or shipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cementing material is Portland cement. 9. A method of processing radioactive wastes for storage or shipment as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silicate is sodium silicate.