The “dilute and dispose” process would package and dispose of the plutonium as waste rather than processing it for use as nuclear reactor fuel. The disposal processes consists of mixing plutonium oxide with “stardust,” a secret inert material, into small containers that are then placed in drums for geologic disposal.
“Underscoring that there are hurdles for disposal of downblended plutonium via geologic disposal in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which has limited capacity for plutonium waste, one of the documents states that “DOE-EM will complete scope needed to support the expansion of the repository footprint and extend operations through FY 2050. This scope is intended to support the WIPP Performance Assessment required for implementing the proposed disposition of surplus pit plutonium beginning in FY 2026.” For political, legal and technical reasons, expansion of the size of WIPP is now only speculative and any proposed expansion would face opposition in New Mexico.”
From SRS WATCH: Dilute and Dispose Faces Hurdles, Including Capacity of WIPP Disposal Site in New Mexico