| Financial analysis: | --- |
| Environmental impact analysis: | --- |
| Waste management/P2: |  |
| Environmental cost listing/database: | --- |
| Cost estimation: | |
| Alternative product/process comparison: | --- |
| Financial analysis: | --- |
| Environmental impact analysis: | --- |
| Waste management/P2: | |
| Environmental cost listing/database: | --- |
| Cost estimation: | |
| Alternative product/process comparison: | --- |
Issues that can be resolved using the data and techniques suggested by the method include waste minimization alternatives, cost charge-back to waste generators, legacy costs for long-term waste management, and comparison of options in decontamination and decommissioning.
| Raw material acquisition | --- |
| Manufacturing stage | --- |
| Use/reuse/maintenance | --- |
| Recycle/waste management | |
Costs are calculated for only part of the life-cycle: from waste generation to final disposal, including surveillance of the waste after isolation from the environment and closure costs for facilities, burial grounds, etc. The manufacturing stage is considered to the extent that costs of waste minimization activities are taken into account.
| Conventional | |
| Potentially hidden | |
| Contingent | --- |
| External | --- |
Only conventional and hidden costs of inputs and outputs are considered. These include costs of handling, packaging, characterization, storage, treatment, disposal, pre and post-closure, environmental health, safety, quality assurance, site services, storage, and disposal.
Specific items not included in the waste costs include the following:
Costs are divided into fixed and variable components. Variable costs vary in direct proportion to changes in the level of activity or the quantity of waste for treatment or disposal. Fixed costs remain constant regardless of changes in throughput within a reasonable range of operation of the waste facilities. Sunk costs are omitted. Current and future waste costs, based on the fiscal year 1992 waste generation and handling rates, have been compiled for all types of waste generated at SRS. For example, the cost categories in the case of sanitary waste (relatively similar for the other cases as well) are generator costs, transportation costs, waste management costs, closure costs,and monitoring costs. Cost estimations are done on the basis of a number of assumptions that are explained in the manual. The model used for life-cycle cost analysis is as follows.
Total life-cycle cost for a waste category = Fixed cost + SIGMA (Unit variable cost for each waste stream within a waste category) * (Forecasted volume for each waste stream)
The first in - first out (FIFO) accounting principal was used to simplify cost calculations when programs associated with managing a waste stream were predicted to be relatively constant. The current and future scheduled operating budgets were assumed to represent the level of funding required to effectively support the activities associated with managing waste.
| Net present value (NPV) | --- |
| Payback period | --- |
| Internal rate of return (IRR) | --- |
| Benefits cost ratio | --- |
| Other | --- |
Values for the SRS site provide a basis for comparing sanitary waste, solid low-level waste, liquid low-level waste, transuranic waste, hazardous waste, mixed waste, and high-level waste. The manual itself does not guide users toward decision-making or generating alternatives. However, by estimating waste management costs, it gives users important data that can be used for making such decisions. A number of different assumptions are used to calculate fixed and variable costs. These assumptions were discussed in the context of waste type. The information on assumptions can be helpful to other users.
The manual needs to be revised periodically to reflect the changes in the cost database. The authors had envisioned annual updates of the document. However, SRS is currently considering moving to a new methodology. The report has been produced for SRS and is based on their forecasts, waste facilities, and waste characteristics. Outside users cannot use the manual "as is" to support their waste management plan. It can only be used as a guide for cost estimation or the preparation of a similar guide specific to another company or area, with the relevant assumptions and objectives.
The manual is restricted to conventional and some hidden cost calculations and does not attempt to estimate either liability costs or external costs. Future costs are not discounted, although the manual mentions that a zero discount rate had been chosen for simplicity. Also, the total costs calculated are not inclusive of sunk costs and cannot be used to calculate a "fullcost recovery" fee.
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