Compactors for radioactive waste

[wickland@middlebury.edu (Tim Wickland)]

We are looking at ways to reduce the shipping volume of our 3H and 14C dry
waste streams, but cannot really justify the purchase of a $16,000 drum
ram. It's been suggested by one of our faculty members that we use a
household-type trash compactor, but I am concerned about the need to handle
the waste after compaction and how we would decontaminate the device
itself. I think it may make more sense for us to design and build an
in-drum ram ourselves.

I'm looking for comments or information on experiences you may have had
that would be relevant to the options we're considering. Thanks for your
help.