If nuclear facilities are to achieve public acceptance, they must develop strong programs in waste minimization, pollution prevention, and environmentally sound recycling. These programs are especially essential for defense production facilities that process large quantities of special nuclear materials. The plutonium processing facility at Los Alamos has initiated a focused research and development program with a strategic goal of becoming a facility that processes plutonium with little or no impact on the environment. Technologies that show promise in waste minimization and pollution prevention are identified. Waste stream polishing to remove final traces of plutonium and hazardous chemical constituents is accomplished through (a) process modifications, (b) use of alternative chemicals and sorbents for residue removal, (c) acid recycling, and (d) judicious use of a variety of waste polishing technologies. Developing and adapting new technologies to transform an existing facility into an environmentally benign nuclear material processing facility is a worthwhile endeavor for the future of all nuclear programs.
