Isotope Row Ready for Demolition at ORNL |
Oak Ridge cleanup crews prepare 10 legacy ORNL isotope buildings for demolition, clearing space for future research. |
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A major cleanup project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is moving into its next phase.
The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management and contractor UCOR have finished deactivation work on Isotope Row, a group of 10 contaminated former isotope facilities on ORNL’s central campus. Demolition is expected to begin in July.
The buildings were constructed between the late 1940s and early 1960s and once supported isotope production and research for medical, industrial, scientific, and national defense uses. After operations ended in the early 1990s, the aging facilities left behind contaminated ventilation systems, hot cells, process equipment, and legacy radioactive materials.
UCOR began deactivating the site in 2020, using specialized cleanup methods and strict safety controls. The work included removing hazards and preparing the buildings for teardown.
DOE says removing Isotope Row will reduce risk, clear space for future demolition work, and open land for modern ORNL research missions.
For Oak Ridge, the project is another visible step in the long-running effort to clean up legacy Manhattan Project and Cold War-era facilities while making room for the lab’s next generation of science and technology work. |