Demolition starts at ORNL’s Isotope Row

[Marlin]

Demolition starts at ORNL's Isotope Row

https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-08/article-8371/demolition-starts-at-ornls-isotope-row/

[Core Content]

Crews have begun demolishing 10 former radioisotope production facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory following six years of decontamination work. The project involves removing contaminated hot cells and ventilation systems to clear space for new research infrastructure. Completion of the teardown is scheduled for the end of this year.

The Department of Energy reported last week that the demolition of Isotope Row at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has begun. The demolition work follows six years of targeted decontamination efforts and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Isotope Row is a group of 10 facilities constructed at ORNL between the late 1940s and early 1960s for the production of radioisotopes that were used in medical, industrial, scientific, and defense applications. Isotope production stopped in the early 1990s, leaving behind buildings with contaminated ventilation systems, hot cells, and other equipment requiring specialized cleanup operations and teardown.

Read the full article at ans.org:
https://www.ans.org/news/2026-09-08/article-8371/demolition-starts-at-ornls-isotope-row/