The United States Navy has developed and implemented a programme to safely dispose of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarine. The procedure follows a broadly straight forward sequence:

a) De-fuelling the reactor,
b) Inactivating the submarine,
c) Removing the reactor compartment for land disposal,
d) Recycling the remainder of the submarine to the maximum extent practical,
e) Disposing of the remaining non-recyclable materials.

Planning for the disposal of submarine reactor compartments began in the late 1970s, culminating in the issuance of a Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Disposal of Decommissioned, De-fuelled Navy Submarine Reactor Plants (May 1984) and the National Environmental Policy Act Record of Decision for the Disposal of Decommissioned, De-fuelled Naval Submarine Reactor Plants (Dec 1984). The navy decided to dispose of the reactor compartments at the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site. The first reactor compartment was shipped from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to the Hanford Site for disposal in 1986.

In 1990, the Navy authorised a programme to recycle submarines at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Using available technology, the programme consists of a systematic dismantling of the submarine’s equipment and parts, and cutting up the hull. Equipment having value is refurbished and made available for use elsewhere; metals and other material having resale value are segregated and sold. Non-recyclable materials are properly disposed of as waste.

The first nuclear-powered submarine recycling was performed on two submarines in 1991, demonstrating that environmental, safety and health protection requirements could be met, the removed equipment could be satisfactorily demilitarised, and the project could be completed within the projected cost and schedule.

In preparation for the eventual decommissioning and disposal of nuclear-powered cruisers and newer class submarines, the Navy began preparation of a second Environmental Impact Statement in early 1995. The issuance of the Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Disposal of Decommissioned, De-fuelled Cruiser, OHIO Class and LOS ANGELES Class Naval Reactor Plants (April 1996) and National Policy Act Record of Decision (August 1996) completed this planning process.

The Navy’s disposal programme has also shown that accomplishing the defueling, reactor compartment removal, missile compartment removal (for ballistic missile submarines), and recycling in a single dry-docking evolution, is efficient and economical. Improved efficiency and reduced costs are achieved at the Shipyard by dry-docking two or more submarines together.

The disposal of nuclear-powered submarines is accomplished using proven technology and procedures which have been available at shipyards for many years. The equipment used to remove the reactor compartment is simple, rugged and reliable. Recycling the rest of the submarine involves straightforward disassembly, component removal, heavy lifting, packaging and transporting.

Once the nuclear fuel has been removed, the most significant technical issues relate to the control of the parts of the submarine that contain radioactivity and hazardous materials. Removing the reactor compartment removes all the remaining radioactivity. Hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are controlled in a manner that assures the Navy, the regulating agencies, and the public that handling and disposing of these materials will not now or in the future pose a risk to human health or the environment. This involves meeting the complex regulatory requirements of a number of agencies including the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Washington State Department of Ecology, and the Puget Sound Air Pollution Control Agency. The Navy has worked closely with these and other federal agencies as well as the state of Oregon, to ensure successful implementation of the program.