Is It Safe?

Make no mistake, radioactive materials should always be taken seriously—especially for disposal. But the danger levels associated with the materials accepted at the Clive Facility in Utah’s west desert may be much less than you think. Here’s why:

Class A Only

The Clive Facility only accepts Class A radioactive materials. This is the lowest classification for radioactive materials. To give some perspective, common smoke detectors and exit signs have higher levels of radioactivity than we can accept. Mostly, we handle dirt, debris, clothing and equipment from nuclear power plants and research institutions. Learn more

Constant Monitoring

Even though we work with low level radioactive materials, we constantly monitor exposure levels for our employees and the surrounding areas. We receive up to the minute updates on atmospheric conditions, with regular testing of groundwater and soil conditions. For the record, no significant irregularities have been found.

Stringent Regulation

Aside from our own team of safety professionals, EnergySolutions is regulated by numerous agencies on the local, state and national level. In one of the most strictly regulated industries in the world, we’ve stood out with a superior safety record. Regulatory bodies include:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – www.epa.gov
• U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) – www.nrc.gov
• U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) – www.dot.gov
• Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) – www.osha.gov; www.laborcommission.utah.gov
• Utah Division of Radiation Control – www.radiationcontrol.utah.gov
• Utah Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste – www.hazardouswaste.utah.gov
• Utah Division of Air Quality – www.airquality.utah.gov
• Utah Division of Water Quality – www.waterquality.utah.gov
• Utah Department of Health – health.utah.gov
• Tooele County Departments of Health and Engineering – www.tooelehealth.org & www.co.tooele.ut.us/engineering

The Natural Advantage

Geologically, Utah’s west desert is an ideal location for safe disposal, boasting some of the most favorable environmental conditions in the world. Those characteristics include:

• An arid climate that receives less than 8 inches of annual precipitation
• A dry site that has the capacity to evaporate more than 60 inches of water per year
• Naturally non-potable ground water that is twice as salty as the ocean, and therefore unused by any of the surrounding communities
• Distance from fault lines ensure geologic stability
• Distance from any rivers and lakes
• Availability of excellent clay and rock for disposal cell construction

All Star Record

To review the many awards we’ve received for safety and environmental excellence, click here.

See For Yourself

We offer free tours of our Clive Facility to the general public and anyone else interested in what we do. To schedule your tour, click here.