Preliminary glass compositions for immobilizing Hanford low-activity waste (LAW) by the in-container vitrification (ICV) process were fabricated at crucible-and engineering-scale and tested at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. This testing showed that glasses with LAW loading of 20 mass% (that corresponds to 20 mass% Na 2 O in glass) can readily be made and meet all product constraints by a wide margin. It was found that the response constraint of the 200°C vapor hydration test (VHT) of less than 50 g/(m 2 •d) alteration rate was the most restrictive constraint placed on LAW glasses. Glasses with over 22 mass% Na 2 O can be made to meet this constraint along with all other product quality and processability constraints imposed by the ICV process. The results of crucible melts with simulated waste were scaledup to engineering scale. Crucible melts were also tested with actual (radioactive) LAW. All the results suggest that the baseline glass can be successfully processed by the ICV technology and can meet all the constraints related to product quality. Details of the tests performed and results obtained are described in this report. A summary of the work is found in Section 7.0. We would like to acknowledge the support of Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) staff, primarily David Peeler and David Best. All non-radioactive chemical analyses were performed at the SRTC mobile laboratory that consistently produced very high quality results under tight time restrictions. The staff of the PNNL Analytical Services Organization, particularly Karl Pool and Thomas Farmer; and the Southwest Research Institute, particularly Mike Dammen; are acknowledged for their analytical support with radioactive samples. Wayne Cosby (PNNL), Pat Lowery (AMEC), John Mucha (PNNL), Larry Bagaasen (PNNL), and Denis Strachan (PNNL) are acknowledged for their review of this document and helpful comments and suggestions. We thank John Mucha and Teresa Schott for assistance in quality assurance, quality control, and documentation throughout this project. Thanks also go to Phil Gauglitz and Evan Jones for management support. v Abbreviations and Acronyms AES atomic emission spectroscopy AMBG AMEC bulk vitrification glass AMOG AMEC oxidation state glass ARCM AMEC radioactive crucible melt ASCM AMEC simulant crucible melt ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

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This report discusses an evaluation and recommendations on waste forms and packaging configurations considered for disposition of the sludge accumulated in the Hanford K East (KE) Basin North Loadout Pit (NLOP). The final disposition of the waste will be as contact-handled transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico. These recommendations were supported in part by characterization and testing results performed on a sample of the KE NLOP sludge collected by Fluor Hanford and provided to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in December 2003. The original report describing the work conducted and recommended option was written in January 2004. Revised versions of Tables 5.4 through 5.8 (alternatives comparison tables) and Appendix D (chemical/radiochemical characterization of the KE NLOP sludge) were issued in February 2004. These revisions provided additional radiochemical characterization and X-ray diffractometry information not available earlier. A revised version of Appendix E, an assessment of the uranium metal contents of the KE NLOP sludge based on the gas generation behavior, was issued in May 2004. The January report only covered the first 111 hours of gas generation testing and did not provide an estimate of the uranium metal concentration; however, further testing continued for approximately 1000 hours. Therefore, to provide complete documentation of the recommendations and characterization/testing performed on the KE NLOP sludge sample collected in December 2003, this document includes the updated information and is divided into three parts:

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