The containers are stored within earth-mounded berms, in trenches, under roofing, or inside specially constructed buildings. Hazardous waste is stored only in facilities that are permitted under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. DOE must also comply with land disposal restrictions that ensure hazardous waste is handled according to other regulatory provisions before storage or disposal.
Mixed waste is stored before treatment.
Because certain environmental regulations restrict the amount of time that untreated mixed waste may be stored, DOE is aggressively developing mixed waste treatment and disposal technologies. Waste storage is an interim measure. DOE's ultimate waste management goal is to move from long-term storage to disposal of all waste. After construction was completed, the earth was replaced to bury the tanks, as illustrated in the diagram below. Similar storage tanks are in use at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and at the West Valley Site in New York.