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Chem-Nuclear Site

Barnwell County, South Carolina

Introduction

The Chem-Nuclear Site is a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility located in Barnwell County near the town of Snelling. The facility occupies about 235 acres deeded to the state of South Carolina by Chem-Nuclear Systems (CNS). Disposal of waste began at the facility in 1971 and Chem-Nuclear Systems (CNS), currently owned by Energy Solutions, has been the sole operator since that time.

The Chem-Nuclear Site operates under a Radioactive Materials License issued by the Infectious and Radioactive Waste Management Section within DHEC’s Bureau of Land and Waste Management. Since July 2008, the Chem-Nuclear Site only accepts waste from the three member states of the Atlantic Compact Connecticut, New Jersey and South Carolina.

The Chem-Nuclear Site has a routine groundwater and surface water monitoring program. Groundwater samples are collected from monitoringwells and from locations in nearby Mary’s Branch Creek four times each year. The information gathered is used to evaluate changes in contaminant concentrations within the existing groundwater plume. The groundwater plume contains tritium (a radioactive form of hydrogen) and some volatile organic compounds or VOC’s (chemicals that evaporate readily when exposed to air and are widely used to clean things).

Publications and Data

South Carolina Radioactive Materials License #097
Radioactive Materials License issued to Chem-Nuclear Systems, LLC as operator of the Barnwell Waste Management Facility.

Related links

Contact Information

For more information or if you have questions about this facility, please contact: