The safety improvement of Romanian radioactive waste facilities as an example for human and environmental protection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barariu, Gheorghe

2013-07-01

According to IAEA classification, Romania with two nuclear research centres, with 2 Nuclear Power Units in operation at Cernavoda Town and with 2 new Units envisaged to be in operation soon, can be considered as a country with an average nuclear activity. In Romania there was an extensive interest in management of radioactive wastes generated by the use of nuclear technology in industry and research. Using the most advanced technologies in the mentioned time periods, Romania successfully accomplished to solve all management issues related to radioactive wastes being addressed all safety concerns. Every step of nuclear activity development was accompaniedmore » by the suitable waste management facilities. So that, in order to improve the existing treatment and disposal capacities for institutional waste, the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility (STDR) and the National Repository Radioactive Wastes (DNDR) at Baita, Bihor, will be improved to actual requirements on the occasion of VVR-S Research Reactor decommissioning. This activity is in development into the frame of a National funded project related to disposal galleries filling improvement and repository closure for DNDR Baita, Bihor. All improvements will be approved by Environmental Protection Authority and Regulatory Body, being a guaranty of human and environmental protection. Also, in accordance with national specific and international policies and taking into account decommissioning activities related to the present operating NPPs, all necessary measures were considered in order to avoid unnecessary generation of radioactive wastes, to minimize, as much as possible, waste production and accumulation and the necessity to develop optimum solutions for a new repository with the assurance of improved nuclear safety. (authors)« less

Fluidized bed steam reformed mineral waste form performance testing to support Hanford Supplemental Low Activity Waste Immobilization Technology Selection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C. M.; Pierce, E. M.; Bannochie, C. J.

This report describes the benchscale testing with simulant and radioactive Hanford Tank Blends, mineral product characterization and testing, and monolith testing and characterization. These projects were funded by DOE EM-31 Technology Development & Deployment (TDD) Program Technical Task Plan WP-5.2.1-2010-001 and are entitled “Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer Low-Level Waste Form Qualification”, Inter-Entity Work Order (IEWO) M0SRV00054 with Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) entitled “Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Treatability Studies Using Savannah River Site (SRS) Low Activity Waste and Hanford Low Activity Waste Tank Samples”, and IEWO M0SRV00080, “Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Waste Form Qualification Testing Using SRS Low Activity Wastemore » and Hanford Low Activity Waste Tank Samples”. This was a multi-organizational program that included Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), THOR® Treatment Technologies (TTT), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Office of River Protection (ORP), and Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS). The SRNL testing of the non-radioactive pilot-scale Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer (FBSR) products made by TTT, subsequent SRNL monolith formulation and testing and studies of these products, and SRNL Waste Treatment Plant Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) radioactive campaign were funded by DOE Advanced Remediation Technologies (ART) Phase 2 Project in connection with a Work-For-Others (WFO) between SRNL and TTT.« less

Thirteenth annual U.S. DOE low-level radioactive waste management conference: Proceedings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1991-12-31

The 40 papers in this document comprise the proceedings of the Department of Energy`s Thirteenth Annual Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference that was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 19--21, 1991. General subjects addressed during the conference included: disposal facility design; greater-than-class C low-level waste; public acceptance considerations; waste certification; site characterization; performance assessment; licensing and documentation; emerging low-level waste technologies; waste minimization; mixed waste; tracking and transportation; storage; and regulatory changes. Papers have been processed separately for inclusion on the data base.

Research on robotics by principal investigators of the Robotics Technology Development Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrigan, R.W.

The U.S. Department of Energy`s Office of Technology Development has been developing robotics and automation technologies for the clean-up and handling of hazardous and radioactive waste through one of its major elements, Cross Cutting and Advanced Technology development. CC&AT university research and development programs recognize the strong technology, base resident in the university community and sponsor a focused technology research and development program which stresses close interaction between the university sector and the DOE community. This report contains a compilation of research articles by each of 14 principle investigators supported by CC&AT to develop robotics and automation technologies for themore » clean-up and handling of hazardous and radioactive waste. This research has led to innovative solutions for waste clean-up problems, and it has moved technology out of university laboratories into functioning systems which has allowed early evaluation by site technologists.« less

Politics of nuclear waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colglazier, E.W. Jr.

1982-01-01

In November of 1979, the Program in Science, Technology and Humanism and the Energy Committee of the Aspen Institute organized a conference on resolving the social, political, and institutional conflicts over the permanent siting of radioactive wastes. This book was written as a result of this conference. The chapters provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the governance issues connected with radioactive waste management as well as a sampling of the diverse views of the interested parties. Chapter 1 looks in depth of radioactive waste management in the United States, with special emphasis on the events of the Carter Administrationmore » as well as on the issues with which the Reagen administration must deal. Chapter 2 compares waste management policies and programs among the industralized countries. Chapter 3 examines the factional controversies in the last administration and Congress over nuclear waste issues. Chapter 4 examines the complex legal questions involved in the federal-state conflicts over nuclear waste management. Chapter 5 examines the concept of consultation and concurrence from the perspectives of a host state that is a candidate for a repository and an interested state that has special concerns regarding the demonstration of nuclear waste disposal technology. Chapter 6 examines US and European perspectives concerning public participation in nuclear waste management. Chapter 7 discusses propaganda in the issues. The epilogue attempts to assess the prospects for consensus in the United States on national policies for radioactive waste management. All of the chapter in this book should be interpreted as personal assessments. (DP)« less

Variance in State Protection from Exposure to NORM and TENORM Wastes Generated During Unconventional Oil and Gas Operations: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go.

PubMed

Ann Glass Geltman, Elizabeth; LeClair, Nichole

2018-01-01

Radioactive materials for the medical, technological, and industrial sectors have been effectively regulated in the United States since as early as 1962. The steady increase in the exploration and production of shale gas in recent years has led to concerns about exposures to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) in oil and gas waste streams. This study applied policy surveillance methods to conduct a cross-sectional fifty-state survey of law and regulations of NORM and TENORM waste from oil and gas operations. Results indicated that seventeen states drafted express regulations to reduce exposure to oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste. States with active oil and gas drilling that lack regulations controlling exposure to NORM and TENORM may leave the public and workers susceptible to adverse health effects from radiation. The study concludes with recommendations in regard to regulating oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste.

Monitoring technologies for ocean disposal of radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triplett, M. B.; Solomon, K. A.; Bishop, C. B.; Tyce, R. C.

1982-01-01

The feasibility of using carefully selected subseabed locations to permanently isolate high level radioactive wastes at ocean depths greater than 4000 meters is discussed. Disposal at several candidate subseabed areas is being studied because of the long term geologic stability of the sediments, remoteness from human activity, and lack of useful natural resources. While the deep sea environment is remote, it also poses some significant challenges for the technology required to survey and monitor these sites, to identify and pinpoint container leakage should it occur, and to provide the environmental information and data base essential to determining the probable impacts of any such occurrence. Objectives and technical approaches to aid in the selective development of advanced technologies for the future monitoring of nuclear low level and high level waste disposal in the deep seabed are presented. Detailed recommendations for measurement and sampling technology development needed for deep seabed nuclear waste monitoring are also presented.

Separation science and technology. Semiannual progress report, October 1993--March 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vandegrift, G.F.; Aase, S.B.; Buchholz, B.

1997-12-01

This document reports on the work done by the Separations Science and Technology Programs of the Chemical Technology Division, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), in the period October 1993-March 1994. This effort is mainly concerned with developing the TRUEX process for removing and concentrating actinides from acidic waste streams contaminated with transuranic (TRU) elements. The objectives of TRUEX processing are to recover valuable TRU elements and to lower disposal costs for the nonTRU waste product of the process. Other projects are underway with the objective of developing (1) evaporation technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generatedmore » by the TRUEX process, (2) treatment schemes for liquid wastes stored are being generated at ANL, (3) a process based on sorbing modified TRUEX solvent on magnetic beads to be used for separation of contaminants from radioactive and hazardous waste streams, and (4) a process that uses low-enriched uranium targets for production of {sup 99}Mo for nuclear medicine uses.« less

Environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and response to comments. Radioactive waste storage

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The Department of Energy`s (DOE) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the Site), formerly known as the Rocky Flats Plant, has generated radioactive, hazardous, and mixed waste (waste with both radioactive and hazardous constituents) since it began operations in 1952. Such wastes were the byproducts of the Site`s original mission to produce nuclear weapons components. Since 1989, when weapons component production ceased, waste has been generated as a result of the Site`s new mission of environmental restoration and deactivation, decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of buildings. It is anticipated that the existing onsite waste storage capacity, which meets the criteria for low-levelmore » waste (LL), low-level mixed waste (LLM), transuranic (TRU) waste, and TRU mixed waste (TRUM) would be completely filled in early 1997. At that time, either waste generating activities must cease, waste must be shipped offsite, or new waste storage capacity must be developed.« less

Final environmental impact statement. Management of commercially generated radioactive waste. Volume 1 of 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-10-01

This EIS analyzes the significant environmental impacts that could occur if various technologies for management and disposal of high-level and transuranic wastes from commercial nuclear power reactors were to be developed and implemented. This EIS will serve as the environmental input for the decision on which technology, or technologies, will be emphasized in further research and development activities in the commercial waste management program. The action proposed in this EIS is to (1) adopt a national strategy to develop mined geologic repositories for disposal of commercially generated high-level and transuranic radioactive waste (while continuing to examine subseabed and very deepmore » hole disposal as potential backup technologies) and (2) conduct a R and D program to develop such facilities and the necessary technology to ensure the safe long-term containment and isolation of these wastes. The Department has considered in this statement: development of conventionally mined deep geologic repositories for disposal of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors and/or radioactive fuel reprocessing wastes; balanced development of several alternative disposal methods; and no waste disposal action. This EIS reflects the public review of and comments offered on the draft statement. Included are descriptions of the characteristics of nuclear waste, the alternative disposal methods under consideration, and potential environmental impacts and costs of implementing these methods. Because of the programmatic nature of this document and the preliminary nature of certain design elements assumed in assessing the environmental consequences of the various alternatives, this study has been based on generic, rather than specific, systems. At such time as specific facilities are identified for particular sites, statements addressing site-specific aspects will be prepared for public review and comment.« less

Photochemical oxidation: A solution for the mixed waste dilemma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prellberg, J.W.; Thornton, L.M.; Cheuvront, D.A.

1995-12-31

Numerous technologies are available to remove organic contamination from water or wastewater. A variety of techniques also exist that are used to neutralize radioactive waste. However, few technologies can satisfactorily address the treatment of mixed organic/radioactive waste without creating unacceptable secondary waste products or resulting in extremely high treatment costs. An innovative solution to the mixed waste problem is on-site photochemical oxidation. Liquid-phase photochemical oxidation has a long- standing history of successful application to the destruction of organic compounds. By using photochemical oxidation, the organic contaminants are destroyed on-site leaving the water, with radionuclides, that can be reused or disposedmore » of as appropriate. This technology offers advantages that include zero air emissions, no solid or liquid waste formation, and relatively low treatment cost. Discussion of the photochemical process will be described, and several case histories from recent design testing, including cost analyses for the resulting full-scale installations, will be presented as examples.« less

Application of computational methods to analyse and investigate physical and chemical processes of high-temperature mineralizing of condensed substances in gas stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markelov, A. Y.; Shiryaevskii, V. L.; Kudrinskiy, A. A.; Anpilov, S. V.; Bobrakov, A. N.

2017-11-01

A computational method of analysis of physical and chemical processes of high-temperature mineralizing of low-level radioactive waste in gas stream in the process of plasma treatment of radioactive waste in shaft furnaces was introduced. It was shown that the thermodynamic simulation method allows fairly adequately describing the changes in the composition of the pyrogas withdrawn from the shaft furnace at different waste treatment regimes. This offers a possibility of developing environmentally and economically viable technologies and small-sized low-cost facilities for plasma treatment of radioactive waste to be applied at currently operating nuclear power plants.

HIGH TEMPERATURE TREATMENT OF INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES - SIA RADON EXPERIENCE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sobolev, I.A.; Dmitriev, S.A.; Lifanov, F.A.

2003-02-27

This review describes high temperature methods of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) treatment currently used at SIA Radon. Solid and liquid organic and mixed organic and inorganic wastes are subjected to plasma heating in a shaft furnace with formation of stable leach resistant slag suitable for disposal in near-surface repositories. Liquid inorganic radioactive waste is vitrified in a cold crucible based plant with borosilicate glass productivity up to 75 kg/h. Radioactive silts from settlers are heat-treated at 500-700 0C in electric furnace forming cake following by cake crushing, charging into 200 L barrels and soaking with cement grout. Variousmore » thermochemical technologies for decontamination of metallic, asphalt, and concrete surfaces, treatment of organic wastes (spent ion-exchange resins, polymers, medical and biological wastes), batch vitrification of incinerator ashes, calcines, spent inorganic sorbents, contaminated soil, treatment of carbon containing 14C nuclide, reactor graphite, lubricants have been developed and implemented.« less

A science and technology initiative within the office of civilian radioactive waste management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Budnitz, R.J.; Kiess, T.E.; Peters, M.; Duncan, D.

2003-01-01

In 2002, by following a national decision-making process that had been specified in the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act, Yucca Mountain (YM) was designated as the site for the nation's geologic repository for commercial spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) must now obtain regulatory approval to construct and operate a repository there, and to develop transportation and infrastructure needed to support operations. The OCRWM has also recently begun a separate Science and Technology (S&T) initiative, whose purposes, beginnings, current projects, and future plans are described here.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mollah, A.S.

Low level radioactive waste (LLW) is generated from various nuclear applications in Bangladesh. The major sources of radioactive waste in the country are at present: (a) the 3 MW TRIGA Mark-II research reactor; (b) the radioisotope production facility; (c) the medical, industrial and research facilities that use radionuclides; and (d) the industrial facility for processing monazite sands. Radioactive waste needs to be safely managed because it is potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. According to Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control Act-93, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) is the governmental body responsible for the receipt and final disposalmore » of radioactive wastes in the whole country. Waste management policy has become an important environmental, social, and economical issue for LLW in Bangladesh. Policy and strategies will serve as a basic guide for radioactive waste management in Bangladesh. The waste generator is responsible for on-site collection, conditioning and temporary storage of the waste arising from his practice. The Central Waste Processing and Storage Unit (CWPSU) of BAEC is the designated national facility with the requisite facility for the treatment, conditioning and storage of radioactive waste until a final disposal facility is established and becomes operational. The Regulatory Authority is responsible for the enforcement of compliance with provisions of the waste management regulation and other relevant requirements by the waste generator and the CWPSU. The objective of this paper is to present, in a concise form, basic information about the radioactive waste management infrastructure, regulations, policies and strategies including the total inventory of low level radioactive waste in the country. For improvement and strengthening in terms of operational capability, safety and security of RW including spent radioactive sources and overall security of the facility (CWPSF), the facility is expected to serve waste management need in the country and, in the course of time, the facility may be turned into a regional level training centre. It is essential for safe conduction and culture of research and application in nuclear science and technology maintaining the relevant safety of man and environment and future generations to come. (authors)« less

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Report on Fifth Worldwide Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faybishenko, Boris; Birkholzer, Jens; Persoff, Peter

2016-08-01

An important issue for present and future generations is the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Over the past over forty years, the development of technologies to isolate both spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and other high-level nuclear waste (HLW) generated at nuclear power plants and from production of defense materials, and low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste (LILW) in underground rock and sediments has been found to be a challenging undertaking. Finding an appropriate solution for the disposal of nuclear waste is an important issue for protection of the environment and public health, and it is a prerequisite for the futuremore » of nuclear power. The purpose of a deep geological repository for nuclear waste is to provide to future generations, protection against any harmful release of radioactive material, even after the memory of the repository may have been lost, and regardless of the technical knowledge of future generations. The results of a wide variety of investigations on the development of technology for radioactive waste isolation from 19 countries were published in the First Worldwide Review in 1991 (Witherspoon, 1991). The results of investigations from 26 countries were published in the Second Worldwide Review in 1996 (Witherspoon, 1996). The results from 32 countries were summarized in the Third Worldwide Review in 2001 (Witherspoon and Bodvarsson, 2001). The last compilation had results from 24 countries assembled in the Fourth Worldwide Review (WWR) on radioactive waste isolation (Witherspoon and Bodvarsson, 2006). Since publication of the last report in 2006, radioactive waste disposal approaches have continued to evolve, and there have been major developments in a number of national geological disposal programs. Significant experience has been obtained both in preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating repositories. Disposal of radioactive waste is a complex issue, not only because of the nature of the waste, but also because of the detailed regulatory structure for dealing with radioactive waste, the variety of stakeholders involved, and (in some cases) the number of regulatory entities involved.« less

Fiber reinforced concrete: An advanced technology for LL/ML radwaste conditioning and disposal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tchemitcheff, E.; Verdier, A.

Radioactive waste immobilization is an integral part of operations in nuclear facilities. The goal of immobilization is to contain radioactive materials in a waste form which can maintain its integrity over very long periods of time, thus effectively isolating the materials from the environment and hence from the public. This is true regardless of the activity of the waste, including low-, and medium-level waste (LLW, MLW). A multiple-year research effort by Cogema culminated in the development of a new process to immobilize nuclear waste in concrete containers reinforced with metal fibers. The fiber concrete containers satisfy all French safety requirementsmore » relating to waste immobilization and disposal, and have been certified by ANDRA, the national radioactive waste management agency. The fiber concrete containers have been fabricated on a production scale since July 1990 by Sogefibre, a jointly-owned subsidiary of SGN and Compagnie Generale des Eaux.« less

Tanks Focus Area annual report FY2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2000-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continues to face a major radioactive waste tank remediation effort with tanks containing hazardous and radioactive waste resulting from the production of nuclear materials. With some 90 million gallons of waste in the form of solid, sludge, liquid, and gas stored in 287 tanks across the DOE complex, containing approximately 650 million curies, radioactive waste storage tank remediation is the nation's highest cleanup priority. Differing waste types and unique technical issues require specialized science and technology to achieve tank cleanup in an environmentally acceptable manner. Some of the waste has been stored for overmore » 50 years in tanks that have exceeded their design lives. The challenge is to characterize and maintain these contents in a safe condition and continue to remediate and close each tank to minimize the risks of waste migration and exposure to workers, the public, and the environment. In 1994, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM) created a group of integrated, multiorganizational teams focusing on specific areas of the EM cleanup mission. These teams have evolved into five focus areas managed within EM's Office of Science and Technology (OST): Tanks Focus Area (TFA); Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area; Nuclear Materials Focus Area; Subsurface Contaminants Focus Area; and Transuranic and Mixed Waste Focus Area.« less

Reversible Experiments: Putting Geological Disposal to the Test.

PubMed

Bergen, Jan Peter

2016-06-01

Conceiving of nuclear energy as a social experiment gives rise to the question of what to do when the experiment is no longer responsible or desirable. To be able to appropriately respond to such a situation, the nuclear energy technology in question should be reversible, i.e. it must be possible to stop its further development and implementation in society, and it must be possible to undo its undesirable consequences. This paper explores these two conditions by applying them to geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (GD). Despite the fact that considerations of reversibility and retrievability have received increased attention in GD, the analysis in this paper concludes that GD cannot be considered reversible. Firstly, it would be difficult to stop its further development and implementation, since its historical development has led to a point where GD is significantly locked-in. Secondly, the strategy it employs for undoing undesirable consequences is less-than-ideal: it relies on containment of severely radiotoxic waste rather than attempting to eliminate this waste or its radioactivity. And while it may currently be technologically impossible to turn high-level waste into benign substances, GD's containment strategy makes it difficult to eliminate this waste's radioactivity when the possibility would arise. In all, GD should be critically reconsidered if the inclusion of reversibility considerations in radioactive waste management has indeed become as important as is sometimes claimed.

Current situation and future plans in radioactive waste management in Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lopez, H.; Jimenez, M.

1992-01-01

A brief introduction is offered in this document in order to explain the importance which is given in Mexico to the safe management of radioactive wastes. The Secretaria de Energia, Minas e Industria Paraestatal is the organization responsible for this issue. Also, a brief historical background is offered so as to understand the evolution of these activities since they were originated. This background allows us to describe the present situation, which consists in a substantial change in the volume of produced radioactive wastes; in other words, before the present situation only the, nuclear wastes from the application of radioisotopes weremore » generated whereas currently, with the starting of commercial operation of the first unit of Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant (LVNPP), large volumes of industrial radioactive wastes are being generated. A mention is given as well of the acquired experience during more than 20 years of waste management and of the technologies which have been applied or practiced in the use and disposal of such wastes. Finally, some general trends in relation to the future planning are indicated, which essentially consist in the siting and characterization of a site so as to, design and construct a permanent disposal facility in order to dispose the operational radioactive wastes from LVNPP.« less

Radioactive Waste Management and Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Progress in Iraq - 13216

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Musawi, Fouad; Shamsaldin, Emad S.; Jasim, Hadi

2013-07-01

Management of Iraq's radioactive wastes and decommissioning of Iraq's former nuclear facilities are the responsibility of Iraq's Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). The majority of Iraq's former nuclear facilities are in the Al-Tuwaitha Nuclear Research Center located a few kilometers from the edge of Baghdad. These facilities include bombed and partially destroyed research reactors, a fuel fabrication facility and radioisotope production facilities. Within these facilities are large numbers of silos, approximately 30 process or waste storage tanks and thousands of drums of uncharacterised radioactive waste. There are also former nuclear facilities/sites that are outside of Al-Tuwaitha and these includemore » the former uranium processing and waste storage facility at Jesira, the dump site near Adaya, the former centrifuge facility at Rashdiya and the former enrichment plant at Tarmiya. In 2005, Iraq lacked the infrastructure needed to decommission its nuclear facilities and manage its radioactive wastes. The lack of infrastructure included: (1) the lack of an organization responsible for decommissioning and radioactive waste management, (2) the lack of a storage facility for radioactive wastes, (3) the lack of professionals with experience in decommissioning and modern waste management practices, (4) the lack of laws and regulations governing decommissioning or radioactive waste management, (5) ongoing security concerns, and (6) limited availability of electricity and internet. Since its creation eight years ago, the MoST has worked with the international community and developed an organizational structure, trained staff, and made great progress in managing radioactive wastes and decommissioning Iraq's former nuclear facilities. This progress has been made, despite the very difficult implementing conditions in Iraq. Within MoST, the Radioactive Waste Treatment and Management Directorate (RWTMD) is responsible for waste management and the Iraqi Decommissioning Directorate (IDD) is responsible for decommissioning activities. The IDD and the RWTMD work together on decommissioning projects. The IDD has developed plans and has completed decommissioning of the GeoPilot Facility in Baghdad and the Active Metallurgical Testing Laboratory (LAMA) in Al-Tuwaitha. Given this experience, the IDD has initiated work on more dangerous facilities. Plans are being developed to characterize, decontaminate and decommission the Tamuz II Research Reactor. The Tammuz Reactor was destroyed by an Israeli air-strike in 1981 and the Tammuz II Reactor was destroyed during the First Gulf War in 1991. In addition to being responsible for managing the decommissioning wastes, the RWTMD is responsible for more than 950 disused sealed radioactive sources, contaminated debris from the first Gulf War and (approximately 900 tons) of naturally-occurring radioactive materials wastes from oil production in Iraq. The RWTMD has trained staff, rehabilitated the Building 39 Radioactive Waste Storage building, rehabilitated portions of the French-built Radioactive Waste Treatment Station, organized and secured thousands of drums of radioactive waste organized and secured the stores of disused sealed radioactive sources. Currently, the IDD and the RWTMD are finalizing plans for the decommissioning of the Tammuz II Research Reactor. (authors)« less

Technical Aspects Regarding the Management of Radioactive Waste from Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dragolici, F.; Turcanu, C. N.; Rotarescu, G.

2003-02-25

The proper application of the nuclear techniques and technologies in Romania started in 1957, once with the commissioning of the Research Reactor VVR-S from IFIN-HH-Magurele. During the last 45 years, appear thousands of nuclear application units with extremely diverse profiles (research, biology, medicine, education, agriculture, transport, all types of industry) which used different nuclear facilities containing radioactive sources and generating a great variety of radioactive waste during the decommissioning after the operation lifetime is accomplished. A new aspect appears by the planning of VVR-S Research Reactor decommissioning which will be a new source of radioactive waste generated by decontamination, disassemblingmore » and demolition activities. By construction and exploitation of the Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant (STDR)--Magurele and the National Repository for Low and Intermediate Radioactive Waste (DNDR)--Baita, Bihor county, in Romania was solved the management of radioactive wastes arising from operation and decommissioning of small nuclear facilities, being assured the protection of the people and environment. The present paper makes a review of the present technical status of the Romanian waste management facilities, especially raising on treatment capabilities of ''problem'' wastes such as Ra-266, Pu-238, Am-241 Co-60, Co-57, Sr-90, Cs-137 sealed sources from industrial, research and medical applications. Also, contain a preliminary estimation of quantities and types of wastes, which would result during the decommissioning project of the VVR-S Research Reactor from IFIN-HH giving attention to some special category of wastes like aluminum, graphite and equipment, components and structures that became radioactive through neutron activation. After analyzing the technical and scientific potential of STDR and DNDR to handle big amounts of wastes resulting from the decommissioning of VVR-S Research Reactor and small nuclear facilities, the necessity of up-gradation of these nuclear objectives before starting the decommissioning plan is revealed. A short presentation of the up-grading needs is also presented.« less

Radioactive Demonstration Of Mineralized Waste Forms Made From Hanford Low Activity Waste (Tank Farm Blend) By Fluidized Bed Steam Reformation (FBSR)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C. M.; Crawford, C. L.; Bannochie, C. J.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford’s tank waste. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in the time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order,more » also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Supplemental Treatment is likely to be required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. The Supplemental Treatment chosen will immobilize that portion of the retrieved LAW that is not sent to the WTP’s LAW Vitrification facility into a solidified waste form. The solidified waste will then be disposed on the Hanford site in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) offers a moderate temperature (700-750°C) continuous method by which LAW can be processed irrespective of whether the waste contain organics, nitrates, sulfates/sulfides, chlorides, fluorides, volatile radionuclides or other aqueous components. The FBSR technology can process these wastes into a crystalline ceramic (mineral) waste form. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be comparable to LAW glass, i.e. leaches Tc-99, Re and Na at <2g/m 2 during ASTM C1285 (Product Consistency) durability testing. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product was investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage. Monolithing in an inorganic geopolymer binder, which is amorphous, macro-encapsulates the granules, and the monoliths pass ANSI/ANS 16.1 and ASTM C1308 durability testing with Re achieving a Leach Index (LI) of 9 (the Hanford Integrated Disposal Facility, IDF, criteria for Tc-99) after a few days and Na achieving an LI of >6 (the Hanford IDF criteria for Na) in the first few hours. The granular and monolithic waste forms also pass the EPA Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) for all Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) components at the Universal Treatment Standards (UTS). Two identical Benchscale Steam Reformers (BSR) were designed and constructed at SRNL, one to treat non-radioactive simulants and the other to treat actual radioactive wastes. The results from the non-radioactive BSR were used to determine the parameters needed to operate the radioactive BSR in order to confirm the findings of non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale and engineering scale tests and to qualify an FBSR LAW waste form for applications at Hanford. Radioactive testing commenced using SRS LAW from Tank 50 chemically trimmed to look like Hanford’s blended LAW known as the Rassat simulant as this simulant composition had been tested in the non-radioactive BSR, the non-radioactive pilot scale FBSR at the Science Applications International Corporation-Science and Technology Applications Research (SAIC-STAR) facility in Idaho Falls, ID and in the TTT Engineering Scale Technology Demonstration (ESTD) at Hazen Research Inc. (HRI) in Denver, CO. This provided a “tie back” between radioactive BSR testing and non-radioactive BSR, pilot scale, and engineering scale testing. Approximately six hundred grams of non-radioactive and radioactive BSR product were made for extensive testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests performed in 2004 at SAIC-STAR and the engineering scale test performed in 2008 at HRI with the Rassat simulant. The same mineral phases and off-gas species were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing. The granular ESTD and BSR products (radioactive and non-radioactive) were analyzed for total constituents and durability tested as a granular waste form. A subset of the granular material was stabilized in a clay based geopolymer matrix at 42% and 65% FBSR loadings and durability tested as a monolith waste form. The 65 wt% FBSR loaded monolith made with clay (radioactive) was more durable than the 67-68 wt% FBSR loaded monoliths made from fly ash (non-radioactive) based on short term PCT testing. Long term, 90 to 107 day, ASTM C1308 testing (similar to ANSI/ANS 16.1 testing) was only performed on two fly ash geopolymer monoliths at 67-68 wt% FBSR loading and three clay geopolymer monoliths at 42 wt% FBSR loading. More clay geopolymers need to be made and tested at longer times at higher FBSR loadings for comparison to the fly ash monoliths. Monoliths made with metakaolin (heat treated) clay are of a more constant composition and are very reactive as the heat treated clay is amorphous and alkali activated. The monoliths made with fly ash are subject to the inherent compositional variation found in fly ash as it is a waste product from burning coal and it contains unreactive components such as mullite. However, both the fly ash and the clay based monoliths perform well in long term ASTM C1308 testing.« less

Task 1.6 - mixed waste. Topical report, April 1, 1994--September 30, 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

For fifty years, the United States was involved in a nuclear arms race of immense proportions. During the majority of this period, the push was always to design new weapons, produce more weapons, and increase the size of the arsenal, maintaining an advantage over the opposition in order to protect U.S. interests. Now that the {open_quotes}Cold War{close_quotes} is over, we are faced with the imposing tasks of dismantling, cleaning up, and remediating the wide variety of problems created by this arms race. An overview of the current status of the total remediation effort within the DOE is presented in themore » DOE publication {open_quotes}ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 1995{close_quotes} (EM 1995). Not all radioactive waste is the same though; therefore, a system was devised to categorize the different types of radioactive waste. These categories are as follows: spent fuel; high-level waste; transuranic waste; low-level waste; mixed waste; and uranium-mill tailings. Mixed waste is defined to be material contaminated with any of these categories of radioactive material plus an organic or heavy metal component. However, for this discussion, {open_quotes}mixed waste{close_quote} will pertain only to low-level mixed waste which consists of low-level radioactive waste mixed with organic solvents and or heavy metals. The area of {open_quotes}mixed-waste characterization, treatment, and disposal{close_quotes} is listed on page 6 of the EM 1995 publication as one of five focus areas for technological development, and while no more important than the others, it has become an area of critical concern for DOE. Lacking adequate technologies for treatment and disposal, the DOE stockpiled large quantities of mixed waste during the 1970s and 1980s. Legislative changes and the need for regulatory compliance have now made it expedient to develop methods of achieving final disposition for this stockpiled mixed waste.« less

How technology transfer issues are managed

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sink, C.H.; Easley, K.R.

1991-12-31

In 1989, Secretary of Energy James Watkins made a commitment to accelerate DOE compliance with all applicable laws and standards aimed at protecting human health and the environment. At a minimum, this pledge requires the remediation of the 1989 inventory of chemical, radioactive, and mixed wastes at DOE production sites by 2019. The 1989 Complex inventory consisted of more than 3,700 sites, encompassing more than 26,000 acres contaminated with radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes. In addition, over 500 surplus sites are awaiting decontamination and decommissioning (D and D), and approximately 5,000 peripheral properties have contaminated soils (e.g., uranium tailings). Moreover,more » these problems exist at both inactive sites, where the primary focus is on environmental restoration, and at active sites, where the major emphasis is on improved waste management techniques. Although some of DOE`s problems are considered unique due to radioactivity, most forms of contamination resident in the Complex are not; rather, contaminants such as waste chemicals (e.g., inorganics), organics (e.g., fuels and solvents), halogenated organics (e.g., PCBs) and heavy metals commonly result in conventional industrial processes. Although certain other forms of contamination are more unique to DOE operations (e.g., radioactive materials, explosives, and pyrophorics), they are not exclusive to DOE. As DOE develops innovative solutions to these and related waste problems, it is imperative that technology systems and lessons learned be transferred from DOE sites and its R and D laboratories to private industry to maximize the nation`s return on environmental management technology investments.« less

Glass Development for Treatment of LANL Evaporator Bottoms Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DE Smith; GF Piepel; GW Veazey

1998-11-20

Vitrification is an attractive treatment option for meeting the stabilization and final disposal requirements of many plutonium (Pu) bearing materials and wastes at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) TA-55 facility, Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS), Hanford, and other Department of Energy (DOE) sites. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that vitrification is the "best demonstrated available technology" for high- level radioactive wastes (HLW) (Federal Register 1990) and has produced a handbook of vitriilcation technologies for treatment of hazardous and radioactive waste (US EPA, 1992). This technology has been demonstrated to convert Pu-containing materials (Kormanos, 1997) into durablemore » (Lutze, 1988) and accountable (Forsberg, 1995) waste. forms with reduced need for safeguarding (McCulhun, 1996). The composition of the Evaporator Bottoms Waste (EVB) at LANL, like that of many other I%-bearing materials, varies widely and is generally unpredictable. The goal of this study is to optimize the composition of glass for EVB waste at LANL, and present the basic techniques and tools for developing optimized glass compositions for other Pu-bearing materials in the complex. This report outlines an approach for glass formulation with fixed property restrictions, using glass property-composition databases. This approach is applicable to waste glass formulation for many variable waste streams and vitrification technologies.. Also reported are the preliminary property data for simulated evaporator bottom glasses, including glass viscosity and glass leach resistance using the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP).« less

Is it necessary to raise awareness about technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials?

PubMed

Michalik, Bogusław

2009-10-01

Since radiation risks are usually considered to be related to nuclear energy, the majority of research on radiation protection has focused on artificial radionuclides in radioactive wastes, spent nuclear fuel or global fallout caused by A-bomb tests and nuclear power plant failures. Far less attention has been paid to the radiation risk caused by exposure to ionizing radiation originating from natural radioactivity enhanced due to human activity, despite the fact that technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials are common in many branches of the non-nuclear industry. They differ significantly from "classical" nuclear materials and usually look like other industrial waste. The derived radiation risk is usually associated with risk caused by other pollutants and can not be controlled by applying rules designed for pure radioactive waste. Existing data have pointed out a strong need to take into account the non-nuclear industry where materials containing enhanced natural radioactivity occur as a special case of radiation risk and enclose them in the frame of the formal control. But up to now there are no reasonable and clear regulations in this matter. As a result, the non-nuclear industries of concern are not aware of problems connected with natural radioactivity or they would expect negative consequences in the case of implementing radiation protection measures. The modification of widely comprehended environmental legislation with requirements taken from radiation protection seems to be the first step to solve this problem and raise awareness about enhanced natural radioactivity for all stakeholders of concern.

IAEA activities in the area of partitioning and transmutation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanculescu, Alexander

2006-06-01

Four major challenges are facing the long-term development of nuclear energy: improvement of the economic competitiveness, meeting increasingly stringent safety requirements, adhering to the criteria of sustainable development, and public acceptance. Meeting the sustainability criteria is the driving force behind the topic of this paper. In this context, sustainability has two aspects: natural resources and waste management. IAEA's activities in the area of Partitioning and Transmutation (P&T) are mostly in response to the latter. While not involving the large quantities of gaseous products and toxic solid wastes associated with fossil fuels, radioactive waste disposal is today's dominant public acceptance issue. In fact, small waste quantities permit a rigorous confinement strategy, and mined geological disposal is the strategy followed by some countries. Nevertheless, political opposition arguing that this does not yet constitute a safe disposal technology has largely stalled these efforts. One of the primary reasons cited is the long life of many of the radioisotopes generated from fission. This concern has led to increased R&D efforts to develop a technology aimed at reducing the amount and radio-toxicity of long-lived radioactive waste through transmutation in fission reactors or sub-critical systems. In the frame of the Project on Technology Advances in Fast Reactors and Accelerator-Driven Systems (ADS), the IAEA initiated a number of activities on utilization of plutonium and transmutation of long-lived radioactive waste, ADS, and deuterium-tritium plasma-driven sub-critical systems. The paper presents past accomplishments, current status and planned activities of this IAEA project.

A NEW, SMALL DRYING FACILITY FOR WET RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND LIQUIDS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldiges, Olaf; Blenski, Hans-Juergen

2003-02-27

Due to the reason, that in Germany every Waste, that is foreseen to be stored in a final disposal facility or in a long time interim storage facility, it is necessary to treat a lot of waste using different drying technologies. In Germany two different drying facilities are in operation. The GNS Company prefers a vacuum-drying-technology and has built and designed PETRA-Drying-Facilities. In a lot of smaller locations, it is not possible to install such a facility because inside the working areas of that location, the available space to install the PETRA-Drying-Facility is too small. For that reason, GNS decidedmore » to design a new, small Drying-Facility using industrial standard components, applying the vacuum-drying-technology. The new, small Drying-Facility for wet radioactive waste and liquids is presented in this paper. The results of some tests with a prototype facility are shown in chapter 4. The main components of that new facility are described in chapter 3.« less

Treatment of Spent Argentine Ion Exchange Resin Using Vitrification - Results of FY01 Testing at the Savannah River Technology Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.L.

2002-08-14

Under the Science and Technology Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation on Radioactive and Mixed Waste Management (JCCRM), the Department of Energy (DOE) is helping to transfer waste treatment technology to international atomic energy commissions. In 1996, as part of the JCCRM, DOE established a collaborative research agreement with Argentina's Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA). A primary mission of the CNEA is to direct waste management activities for Argentina's nuclear industry.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT - A BRIEFING --

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NA

2003-08-05

This report has the following articles: Nuclear waste--a long-term national problem; Spent nuclear fuel; High-level radioactive waste; Radioactivity and the environment; Current storage methods; Disposal options; U.S. policy on nuclear waste; The focus on Yucca Mountain; The purpose and scope of the Yucca Mountain Project; The approach for permanently disposing of waste; The scientific studies at Yucca Mountain; The proposed design for a repository at Yucca Mountain; Natural and engineered barriers would work together to isolate waste; Meticulous science and technology to protect people and the environment; Licensing a repository; Transporting waste to a permanent repository; The Environmental Impact Statementmore » for a repository; Current status of the Yucca Mountain Project; and Further information available on the Internet.« less

Technology Readiness Assessment of a Large DOE Waste Processing Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-12

Waste Generation at Hanford – Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant ( WTP ) Project • Motivation to Conduct TRA • TRA Approach • Actions to ensure...Hanford’s WTP will be the world’s largest radioactive waste treatment plant to treat Hanford’s underground tank waste Waste Treatment Plant ( WTP ) Major...Mass Maximize Activity WTP Flow Sheet – Key Process Flows Hanford Tank Waste 10 How is the Vitrified Waste Dispositioned? High Level Waste Canisters

Applications of fiber reinforced concrete containers in France and in Slovakia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Verdier, A.; Delgrande, J.; Remias, V.

Radioactive waste immobilization is an integral part of operations in nuclear facilities. The goal of immobilization is to contain radioactive materials in a waste form which can maintain its integrity over very long periods of time, thus effectively isolating the materials from the environment and hence from the public. This is true regardless of the activity of the waste, including low-, and medium-level waste (LLW, MLW). A multiple-year research effort by COGEMA culminated in the development of a new process to immobilize nuclear waste in concrete containers reinforced with metal fibers. The fiber reinforced concrete containers satisfy all French safetymore » requirements relating to waste immobilization and disposal, and have been certified by ANDRA, the national radioactive waste management agency. The fiber reinforced concrete containers have been fabricated on a production scale since July 1990 by Sogefibre, a jointly-owned subsidiary of SGN and Campaign Generale des Eaux. This technology is being transferred to Slovenske Elektrarne (Slovak Power Plant) to intern the waste produced by Bohunice and Mochovce power plants in cubical fiber reinforced concrete containers.« less

Bubblers Speed Nuclear Waste Processing at SRS

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-23

At the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding has supported installation of bubbler technology and related enhancements in the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The improvements will accelerate the processing of radioactive waste into a safe, stable form for storage and permit expedited closure of underground waste tanks holding 37 million gallons of liquid nuclear waste.

Mobilization of radionuclides from uranium mill tailings and related waste materials in anaerobic environments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landa, E.R.

2003-01-01

Specific extraction studies in our laboratory have shown that iron and manganese oxide- and alkaline earth sulfate minerals are important hosts of radium in uranium mill tailings. Iron- and sulfate-reducing bacteria may enhance the release of radium (and its analog barium) from uranium mill tailings, oil field pipe scale [a major technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) waste], and jarosite (a common mineral in sulfuric acid processed-tailings). These research findings are reviewed and discussed in the context of nuclear waste forms (such as barium sulfate matrices), radioactive waste management practices, and geochemical environments in the Earth's surficial and shallow subsurface regions.

Reviews of STS Instructional Units.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reporter, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides reviews of instructional modules suitable for use in a Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach. Includes reviews of print and video materials dealing with clean water, investigating environmental issues, acid rain, toxic waste, scientific decision making, radioactive waste, and consumerism. (TW)

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, task 17208: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amoroso, J. W.; Marra, J. C.

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics)more » over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).« less

Melt processed crystalline ceramic waste forms for advanced nuclear fuel cycles: CRP T21027 1813: Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms, Task 17208: Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amoroso, J. W.; Marra, J. C.

2015-08-26

A multi-phase ceramic waste form is being developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) for treatment of secondary waste streams generated by reprocessing commercial spent nuclear. The envisioned waste stream contains a mixture of transition, alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide metals. Ceramic waste forms are tailored (engineered) to incorporate waste components as part of their crystal structure based on knowledge from naturally found minerals containing radioactive and non-radioactive species similar to the radionuclides of concern in wastes from fuel reprocessing. The ability to tailor ceramics to mimic naturally occurring crystals substantiates the long term stability of such crystals (ceramics)more » over geologic timescales of interest for nuclear waste immobilization [1]. A durable multi-phase ceramic waste form tailored to incorporate all the waste components has the potential to broaden the available disposal options and thus minimize the storage and disposal costs associated with aqueous reprocessing. This report summarizes results from three years of work on the IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Processing technologies for high level waste, formulation of matrices and characterization of waste forms” (T21027), and specific task “Melt Processed Crystalline Ceramic Waste Forms for Advanced Nuclear Fuel Cycles” (17208).« less

RADIOACTIVE DEMONSTRATION OF FINAL MINERALIZED WASTE FORMS FOR HANFORD WASTE TREATMENT PLANT SECONDARY WASTE BY FLUIDIZED BED STEAM REFORMING USING THE BENCH SCALE REFORMER PLATFORM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crawford, C.; Burket, P.; Cozzi, A.

2012-02-02

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford's tank waste. Currently there are approximately 56 million gallons of highly radioactive mixed wastes awaiting treatment. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in themore » time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Therefore, Supplemental Treatment is required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. In addition, the WTP LAW vitrification facility off-gas condensate known as WTP Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) will be generated and enriched in volatile components such as {sup 137}Cs, {sup 129}I, {sup 99}Tc, Cl, F, and SO{sub 4} that volatilize at the vitrification temperature of 1150 C in the absence of a continuous cold cap (that could minimize volatilization). The current waste disposal path for the WTP-SW is to process it through the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is being considered for immobilization of the ETF concentrate that would be generated by processing the WTP-SW. The focus of this current report is the WTP-SW. FBSR offers a moderate temperature (700-750 C) continuous method by which WTP-SW wastes can be processed irrespective of whether they contain organics, nitrates, sulfates/sulfides, chlorides, fluorides, volatile radionuclides or other aqueous components. The FBSR technology can process these wastes into a crystalline ceramic (mineral) waste form. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product is being investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage, but is not necessary for performance. A Benchscale Steam Reformer (BSR) was designed and constructed at the SRNL to treat actual radioactive wastes to confirm the findings of the non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale tests and to qualify the waste form for applications at Hanford. BSR testing with WTP SW waste surrogates and associated analytical analyses and tests of granular products (GP) and monoliths began in the Fall of 2009, and then was continued from the Fall of 2010 through the Spring of 2011. Radioactive testing commenced in 2010 with a demonstration of Hanford's WTP-SW where Savannah River Site (SRS) High Level Waste (HLW) secondary waste from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was shimmed with a mixture of {sup 125/129}I and {sup 99}Tc to chemically resemble WTP-SW. Prior to these radioactive feed tests, non-radioactive simulants were also processed. Ninety six grams of radioactive granular product were made for testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests. The same mineral phases were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing.« less

Guide to radioactive waste management literature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houser, B.L.; Holoway, C.F.; Madewell, D.G.

Increased public concern about radioactive waste management has called attention to this aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle. Socio-economic planning and technical development are being undertaken to assure that such wastes will be managed safely. This Guide to Radioactive Waste Management Literature has been compiled to serve scientists, engineers, administrators, legislators, and private citizens by directing them to sources of information on various aspects of the subject. References were selected from about 6000 documents on waste management in the computerized information centers in Oak Ridge. The documents were selected, examined, indexed, and abstracted between 1966-1976 by several knowledgeable indexers, principallymore » at the Nuclear Safety Information Center. The selected references were further indexed and classified into 12 categories. Each category is discussed in enough detail to give some understandng of present technology in various phases of waste management and some appreciation of the attendant issues and problems. The bibliographic part of this guide exists in computerized form in the Health Physics Information System and is available through the Oak Ridge Information Center Complex for searching from remote terminals.« less

Waste Information Management System with 2012-13 Waste Streams - 13095

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upadhyay, H.; Quintero, W.; Lagos, L.

2013-07-01

The Waste Information Management System (WIMS) 2012-13 was updated to support the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerated cleanup program. The schedule compression required close coordination and a comprehensive review and prioritization of the barriers that impeded treatment and disposition of the waste streams at each site. Many issues related to waste treatment and disposal were potential critical path issues under the accelerated schedule. In order to facilitate accelerated cleanup initiatives, waste managers at DOE field sites and at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., needed timely waste forecast and transportation information regarding the volumes and types of radioactive waste that wouldmore » be generated by DOE sites over the next 40 years. Each local DOE site historically collected, organized, and displayed waste forecast information in separate and unique systems. In order for interested parties to understand and view the complete DOE complex-wide picture, the radioactive waste and shipment information of each DOE site needed to be entered into a common application. The WIMS application was therefore created to serve as a common application to improve stakeholder comprehension and improve DOE radioactive waste treatment and disposal planning and scheduling. WIMS allows identification of total forecasted waste volumes, material classes, disposition sites, choke points, technological or regulatory barriers to treatment and disposal, along with forecasted waste transportation information by rail, truck and inter-modal shipments. The Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, developed and deployed the web-based forecast and transportation system and is responsible for updating the radioactive waste forecast and transportation data on a regular basis to ensure the long-term viability and value of this system. (authors)« less

Coupling Legacy and Contemporary Deterministic Codes to Goldsim for Probabilistic Assessments of Potential Low-Level Waste Repository Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattie, P. D.; Knowlton, R. G.; Arnold, B. W.; Tien, N.; Kuo, M.

2006-12-01

Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia), a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory, has over 30 years experience in radioactive waste disposal and is providing assistance internationally in a number of areas relevant to the safety assessment of radioactive waste disposal systems. International technology transfer efforts are often hampered by small budgets, time schedule constraints, and a lack of experienced personnel in countries with small radioactive waste disposal programs. In an effort to surmount these difficulties, Sandia has developed a system that utilizes a combination of commercially available codes and existing legacy codes for probabilistic safety assessment modeling that facilitates the technology transfer and maximizes limited available funding. Numerous codes developed and endorsed by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and codes developed and maintained by United States Department of Energy are generally available to foreign countries after addressing import/export control and copyright requirements. From a programmatic view, it is easier to utilize existing codes than to develop new codes. From an economic perspective, it is not possible for most countries with small radioactive waste disposal programs to maintain complex software, which meets the rigors of both domestic regulatory requirements and international peer review. Therefore, re-vitalization of deterministic legacy codes, as well as an adaptation of contemporary deterministic codes, provides a creditable and solid computational platform for constructing probabilistic safety assessment models. External model linkage capabilities in Goldsim and the techniques applied to facilitate this process will be presented using example applications, including Breach, Leach, and Transport-Multiple Species (BLT-MS), a U.S. NRC sponsored code simulating release and transport of contaminants from a subsurface low-level waste disposal facility used in a cooperative technology transfer project between Sandia National Laboratories and Taiwan's Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) for the preliminary assessment of several candidate low-level waste repository sites. Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under Contract DE AC04 94AL85000.

Robotics for mixed waste operations, demonstration description

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, C.R.

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Development (OTD) is developing technology to aid in the cleanup of DOE sites. Included in the OTD program are the Robotics Technology Development Program and the Mixed Waste Integrated Program. These two programs are working together to provide technology for the cleanup of mixed waste, which is waste that has both radioactive and hazardous constituents. There are over 240,000 cubic meters of mixed low level waste accumulated at DOE sites and the cleanup is expected to generate about 900,000 cubic meters of mixed low level waste over the next five years. Thismore » waste must be monitored during storage and then treated and disposed of in a cost effective manner acceptable to regulators and the states involved. The Robotics Technology Development Program is developing robotics technology to make these tasks safer, better, faster and cheaper through the Mixed Waste Operations team. This technology will also apply to treatment of transuranic waste. The demonstration at the Savannah River Site on November 2-4, 1993, showed the progress of this technology by DOE, universities and industry over the previous year. Robotics technology for the handling, characterization and treatment of mixed waste as well robotics technology for monitoring of stored waste was demonstrated. It was shown that robotics technology can make future waste storage and waste treatment facilities better, faster, safer and cheaper.« less

Advanced evaporator technology progress report FY 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chamberlain, D.; Hutter, J.C.; Leonard, R.A.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the work that was completed in FY 1992 on the program {open_quotes}Technology Development for Concentrating Process Streams.{close_quotes} The purpose of this program is to evaluate and develop evaporator technology for concentrating radioactive waste and product streams such as those generated by the TRUEX process. Concentrating these streams and minimizing the volume of waste generated can significantly reduce disposal costs; however, equipment to concentrate the streams and recycle the decontaminated condensates must be installed. LICON, Inc., is developing an evaporator that shows a great deal of potential for this application. In this report, concepts that need to bemore » incorporated into the design of an evaporator operated in a radioactive environment are discussed. These concepts include criticality safety, remote operation and maintenance, and materials of construction. Both solubility and vapor-liquid equilibrium data are needed to design an effective process for concentrating process streams. Therefore, literature surveys were completed and are summarized in this report. A model that is being developed to predict vapor phase compositions is described. A laboratory-scale evaporator was purchased and installed to study the evaporation process and to collect additional data. This unit is described in detail. Two new LICON evaporators are being designed for installation at Argonne-East in FY 1993 to process low-level radioactive waste generated throughout the laboratory. They will also provide operating data from a full-sized evaporator processing radioactive solutions. Details on these evaporators are included in this report.« less

RADIOACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS OF FLUIDIZED BED STEAM REFORMING AS A SUPPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FOR HANFORD'S LOW ACTIVITY WASTE AND SECONDARY WASTES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C.; Crawford, C.; Cozzi, A.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of River Protection (ORP) is responsible for the retrieval, treatment, immobilization, and disposal of Hanford's tank waste. Currently there are approximately 56 million gallons of highly radioactive mixed wastes awaiting treatment. A key aspect of the River Protection Project (RPP) cleanup mission is to construct and operate the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP will separate the tank waste into high-level and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions, both of which will subsequently be vitrified. The projected throughput capacity of the WTP LAW Vitrification Facility is insufficient to complete the RPP mission in themore » time frame required by the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, also known as the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), i.e. December 31, 2047. Therefore, Supplemental Treatment is required both to meet the TPA treatment requirements as well as to more cost effectively complete the tank waste treatment mission. The Supplemental Treatment chosen will immobilize that portion of the retrieved LAW that is not sent to the WTP's LAW Vitrification facility into a solidified waste form. The solidified waste will then be disposed on the Hanford site in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). In addition, the WTP LAW vitrification facility off-gas condensate known as WTP Secondary Waste (WTP-SW) will be generated and enriched in volatile components such as Cs-137, I-129, Tc-99, Cl, F, and SO4 that volatilize at the vitrification temperature of 1150 C in the absence of a continuous cold cap. The current waste disposal path for the WTP-SW is to recycle it to the supplemental LAW treatment to avoid a large steady state accumulation in the pretreatment-vitrification loop. Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) offers a moderate temperature (700-750 C) continuous method by which LAW and/or WTP-SW wastes can be processed irrespective of whether they contain organics, nitrates, sulfates/sulfides, chlorides, fluorides, volatile radionuclides or other aqueous components. The FBSR technology can process these wastes into a crystalline ceramic (mineral) waste form. The mineral waste form that is produced by co-processing waste with kaolin clay in an FBSR process has been shown to be as durable as LAW glass. Monolithing of the granular FBSR product is being investigated to prevent dispersion during transport or burial/storage but is not necessary for performance. A Benchscale Steam Reformer (BSR) was designed and constructed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to treat actual radioactive wastes to confirm the findings of the non-radioactive FBSR pilot scale tests and to qualify the waste form for applications at Hanford. Radioactive testing commenced in 2010 with a demonstration of Hanford's WTP-SW where Savannah River Site (SRS) High Level Waste (HLW) secondary waste from the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) was shimmed with a mixture of I-125/129 and Tc-99 to chemically resemble WTP-SW. Ninety six grams of radioactive product were made for testing. The second campaign commenced using SRS LAW chemically trimmed to look like Hanford's LAW. Six hundred grams of radioactive product were made for extensive testing and comparison to the non-radioactive pilot scale tests. The same mineral phases were found in the radioactive and non-radioactive testing.« less

U.S. Department of Energy's initiatives for proliferation prevention program: solidification technologies for radioactive waste treatment in Russia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pokhitonov, Y.; Kelley, D.

Large amounts of liquid radioactive waste have existed in the U.S. and Russia since the 1950's as a result of the Cold War. Comprehensive action to treat and dispose of waste products has been lacking due to insufficient funding, ineffective technologies or no proven technologies, low priority by governments among others. Today the U.S. and Russian governments seek new, more reliable methods to treat liquid waste, in particular the legacy waste streams. A primary objective of waste generators and regulators is to find economical and proven technologies that can provide long-term stability for repository storage. In 2001, the V.G. Khlopinmore » Radium Institute (Khlopin), St. Petersburg, Russia, and Pacific Nuclear Solutions (PNS), Indianapolis, Indiana, began extensive research and test programs to determine the validity of polymer technology for the absorption and immobilization of standard and complex waste streams. Over 60 liquid compositions have been tested including extensive irradiation tests to verify polymer stability and possible degradation. With conclusive scientific evidence of the polymer's effectiveness in treating liquid waste, both parties have decided to enter the Russian market and offer the solidification technology to nuclear sites for waste treatment and disposal. In conjunction with these efforts, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will join Khlopin and PNS to explore opportunities for direct application of the polymers at predetermined sites and to conduct research for new product development. Under DOE's 'Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention'(IPP) program, funding will be provided to the Russian participants over a three year period to implement the program plan. This paper will present details of U.S. DOE's IPP program, the project structure and its objectives both short and long-term, training programs for scientists, polymer tests and applications for LLW, ILW and HLW, and new product development initiatives. (authors)« less

Radioactive Waste Management, its Global Implication on Societies, and Political Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsui, Kazuaki

2009-05-01

Reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Japan is under commissioning at the end of 2008, and it starts soon to reprocess about 800 Mt of spent fuel per annum, which have been stored at each nuclear power plant sites in Japan. Fission products together with minor actinides separated from uranium and plutonium in the spent fuel contain almost all radioactivity of it and will be vitrified with glass matrix, which then will fill the canisters. The canisters with the high level radioactive waste (HLW) are so hot in both thermal and radiological meanings that they have to be cooled off for decades before bringing out to any destination. Where is the final destination for HLW in Japan, which is located at the rim of the Pacific Ocean with volcanoes? Although geological formation in Japan is not so static and rather active as the other parts of the planet, experts concluded with some intensive studies and researches that there will be a lot of variety of geological formations even in Japan which can host the HLW for so long times of more than million years. Then an organization to implement HLW disposal program was set up and started to campaign for volunteers to accept the survey on geological suitability for HLW disposal. Some local governments wanted to apply, but were crashed down by local and neighbor governments and residents. The above development is not peculiar only to Japan, but generally speaking more or less common for those with radioactive waste programs. This is why the radioactive waste management is not any more science and technology issue but socio-political one. It does not mean further R&D on geological disposal is not any more necessary, but rather we, each of us, should face much more sincerely the societal and political issues caused by the development of the science and technology. Second topic might be how effective partitioning and transformation technology may be to reduce the burden of waste disposal and denature the waste toxicity? The third one might be the proposal of international nuclear fuel centers which supply nuclear fuel to the nuclear power plants in the region and take back spent fuel which will be reprocessed to recover useful energy resources of uranium and plutonium. This may help non proliferation issue due to world nuclear development beyond renaissance.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY SUMMARY: VITRIFICATION OF SOILS CONTAMINATED BY HAZARDOUS AND/OR RADIOACTIVE WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

A performance summary of an advanced multifuel-capable combustion and melting system (CMS) for the vitrification of hazardous wastes is presented. Vortex Corporation has evaluated its patented CMS for use in the remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals and radionuclid...

Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform From the Strategic Research Agenda to its Deployment - 12015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ouzounian, P.; Palmu, Marjatta; Eng, Torsten

2012-07-01

Several European waste management organizations (WMOs) have initiated a technology platform for accelerating the implementation of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in Europe. The most advanced waste management programmes in Europe (i.e. Finland, Sweden, and France) have already started or are prepared to start the licensing process of deep geological disposal facilities within the next decade. A technology platform called Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform (IGD-TP) was launched in November 2009. A shared vision report for the platform was published stating that: 'Our vision is that by 2025, the first geological disposal facilities for spent fuel,more » high-level waste, and other long-lived radioactive waste will be operating safely in Europe'. In 2011, the IGD-TP had eleven WMO members and about 70 participants from academia, research, and the industry committed to its vision. The IGD-TP has started to become a tool for reducing overlapping work, to produce savings in total costs of research and implementation and to make better use of existing competence and research infrastructures. The main contributor to this is the deployment of the IGD-TP's newly published Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). The work undertaken for the SRA defined the pending research, development and demonstration (RD and D) issues and needs. The SRA document describing the identified issues that could be worked on collaboratively was published in July 2011. It is available on the project's public web site (www.igdtp.eu). The SRA was organized around 7 Key Topics covering the Safety Case, Waste forms and their behaviour, Technical feasibility and long-term performance of repository components, Development strategy of the repository, Safety of construction and operations, Monitoring, and Governance and stakeholder involvement. Individual Topics were prioritized within the Key Topics. Cross-cutting activities like Education and Training or Knowledge Management as well as activities remaining specific for the WMOs were as well identified in the document. For example, each WMO has to develop their own waste acceptance rules, and plan for the economics and the funding of their waste management programmes. The challenge at hand for the IGD-TP is to deploy the SRA. This is carried out by agreeing on a Deployment Plan (DP) that guides organizing the concrete joint activities between the WMOs and the other participants of the IGD-TP. The first DP points out the coordinated RD and D projects and other activities that need to be launched to produce these results over the next four to five years (by the end of 2016). The DP also describes general principles for how the joint work can be organised and funded. (authors)« less

The nitrate to ammonia and ceramic (NAC) process for the denitration and immobilization of low-level radioactive liquid waste (LLW)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muguercia, Ivan

Hazardous radioactive liquid waste is the legacy of more than 50 years of plutonium production associated with the United States' nuclear weapons program. It is estimated that more than 245,000 tons of nitrate wastes are stored at facilities such as the single-shell tanks (SST) at the Hanford Site in the state of Washington, and the Melton Valley storage tanks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee. In order to develop an innovative, new technology for the destruction and immobilization of nitrate-based radioactive liquid waste, the United State Department of Energy (DOE) initiated the research project which resulted in the technology known as the Nitrate to Ammonia and Ceramic (NAC) process. However, inasmuch as the nitrate anion is highly mobile and difficult to immobilize, especially in relatively porous cement-based grout which has been used to date as a method for the immobilization of liquid waste, it presents a major obstacle to environmental clean-up initiatives. Thus, in an effort to contribute to the existing body of knowledge and enhance the efficacy of the NAC process, this research involved the experimental measurement of the rheological and heat transfer behaviors of the NAC product slurry and the determination of the optimal operating parameters for the continuous NAC chemical reaction process. Test results indicate that the NAC product slurry exhibits a typical non-Newtonian flow behavior. Correlation equations for the slurry's rheological properties and heat transfer rate in a pipe flow have been developed; these should prove valuable in the design of a full-scale NAC processing plant. The 20-percent slurry exhibited a typical dilatant (shear thickening) behavior and was in the turbulent flow regime due to its lower viscosity. The 40-percent slurry exhibited a typical pseudoplastic (shear thinning) behavior and remained in the laminar flow regime throughout its experimental range. The reactions were found to be more efficient in the lower temperature range investigated. With respect to leachability, the experimental final NAC ceramic waste form is comparable to the final product of vitrification, the technology chosen by DOE to treat these wastes. As the NAC process has the potential of reducing the volume of nitrate-based radioactive liquid waste by as much as 70 percent, it not only promises to enhance environmental remediation efforts but also effect substantial cost savings.

Review and Implementation of Technology for Solid Radioactive Waste Volume Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-15

were shifted to Project 1.1 for spent nuclear fuel cask development to accelerate that project. Those funds should be repaid to Project 1.3 in the... transported between the shipyards such as Nerpa, and other intermediate storage sites such as Gremikha and Andreeva Bay. At these sites the largest...waste source and allow pretreatment unit operations using commercially available technologies of contaminant assaying, cutting/shearing, sorting

Collaboration, Automation, and Information Management at Hanford High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aurah, Mirwaise Y.; Roberts, Mark A.

Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), operator of High Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) Tank Farms at the Hanford Site, is taking an over 20-year leap in technology, replacing systems that were monitored with clipboards and obsolete computer systems, as well as solving major operations and maintenance hurdles in the area of process automation and information management. While WRPS is fully compliant with procedures and regulations, the current systems are not integrated and do not share data efficiently, hampering how information is obtained and managed.

Applications Where Snap is BPM for Radioactive Waste Assay

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, T.J.

2008-07-01

Historically, the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) at Aldermaston in the United Kingdom (UK), has used a variety of assay techniques to measure the radioactive content of a diverse range of waste packages from decommissioning, operational and legacy sources. The regulator, the Environment Agency in the UK, places conditions and limits on AWE through an authorisation within the Radioactive Substances Act (RSA93). The conditions and limits require Best Practical Means (BPM) measurements to be used to demonstrate compliance with the authorisation. Hence, the assay technique employed needs to achieve a balance between risk of exposure, environmental considerations, technological considerations, health andmore » safety considerations and cost effectiveness, without being grossly disproportionate in terms of money, time or trouble. Recently published work has concluded that the Spectral Non-destructive Assay Platform (SNAP) assay system is BPM for Depleted Uranium (DU) waste assay at AWE (1) and low level plutonium in soft drummed waste, HEPA filters and soils (2-4). The purpose of this paper is to highlight other applications where SNAP represents BPM for radioactive waste assay. This has been done by intercomparison studies of SNAP with other assay techniques, such as Segmented Gamma Scanner (SGS) and Passive Neutron Coincidence Counter (PNCC). It has been concluded that, for a large range of waste packages encountered at AWE, SNAP is BPM. (author)« less

Chemical Technology Division annual technical report, 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Battles, J.E.; Myles, K.M.; Laidler, J.J.

1993-06-01

In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for fluidized-bed combustion and coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics; (3) methods for treatment of hazardous waste, mixed hazardous/radioactive waste, and municipal solid waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for an unsaturated repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams, treating water contaminated with volatile organics, and concentrating radioactive waste streams; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (EFR); (7)more » processes for removal of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials (corium; Fe-U-Zr, tritium in LiAlO{sub 2} in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also conducts basic research in catalytic chemistry associated with molecular energy resources and novel` ceramic precursors; materials chemistry of superconducting oxides, electrified metal/solution interfaces, and molecular sieve structures; and the geochemical processes involved in water-rock interactions occurring in active hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the technical programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).« less

Safe disposal of radionuclides in low-level radioactive-waste repository sites; Low-level radioactive-waste disposal workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, July 11-16, 1987, Big Bear Lake, Calif., Proceedings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, Marion S.; Stevens, Peter R.

1990-01-01

In the United States, low-level radioactive waste is disposed by shallow-land burial. Low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities has been buried at six commercially operated sites; low-level radioactive waste generated by Federal facilities has been buried at eight major and several minor Federally operated sites (fig. 1). Generally, low-level radioactive waste is somewhat imprecisely defined as waste that does not fit the definition of high-level radioactive waste and does not exceed 100 nCi/g in the concentration of transuranic elements. Most low-level radioactive waste generated by non-Federal facilities is generated at nuclear powerplants; the remainder is generated primarily at research laboratories, hospitals, industrial facilities, and universities. On the basis of half lives and concentrations of radionuclides in low-level radioactive waste, the hazard associated with burial of such waste generally lasts for about 500 years. Studies made at several of the commercially and Federally operated low-level radioactive-waste repository sites indicate that some of these sites have not provided containment of waste nor the expected protection of the environment.

Principles of Product Quality Control of German Radioactive Waste Forms from the Reprocessing of Spent Fuel: Vitrification, Compaction and Numerical Simulation - 12529

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tietze-Jaensch, Holger; Schneider, Stephan; Aksyutina, Yuliya

2012-07-01

The German product quality control is inter alia responsible for control of two radioactive waste forms of heat generating waste: a) homogeneous vitrified HLW and b) heterogeneous compacted hulls, end-pieces and technological metallic waste. In either case, significantly different metrology is employed at the site of the conditioning plant for the obligatory nuclide inventory declaration. To facilitate an independent evaluation and checking of the accompanying documentation numerical simulations are carried out. The physical and chemical properties of radioactive waste residues are used to assess the data consistency and uncertainty margins, as well as to predict the long-term behavior of themore » radioactive waste. This is relevant for repository acceptance and safety considerations. Our new numerical approach follows a bottom-up simulation starting from the burn-up behavior of the fuel elements in the reactor core. The output of these burn-up calculations is then coupled with a program that simulates the material separation in the subsequent dissolution and extraction processes normalized to the mass balance. Follow-up simulations of the separated reprocessing lines of a) the vitrification of highly-active liquid and b) the compaction of residual intermediate-active metallic hulls remaining after fuel pellets dissolution, end-pieces and technological waste, allows calculating expectation values for the various repository relevant properties of either waste stream. The principles of the German product quality control of radioactive waste residues from the spent fuel reprocessing have been introduced and explained. Namely, heat generating homogeneous vitrified HLW and heterogeneous compacted metallic MLW have been discussed. The advantages of a complementary numerical property simulation have been made clear and examples of benefits are presented. We have compiled a new program suite to calculate the physical and radio-chemical properties of common nuclear waste residues. The immediate benefit is the independent assessment of radio-active inventory declarations and much facilitated product quality control of waste residues that need to be returned to Germany and submitted to a German HLW-repository requirements. Wherever possible, internationally accepted standard programs are used and embedded. The innovative coupling of burn-up calculations (SCALE) with neutron and gamma transport codes (MCPN-X) allows an application in the world of virtual waste properties. If-then-else scenarios of hypothetical waste material compositions and distributions provide valuable information of long term nuclide property propagation under repository conditions over a very long time span. Benchmarking the program with real residue data demonstrates the power and remarkable accuracy of this numerical approach, boosting the reliability of the confidence aforementioned numerous applications, namely the proof tool set for on-the-spot production quality checking and data evaluation and independent verification. Moreover, using the numerical bottom-up approach helps to avoid the accumulation of fake activities that may gradually build up in a repository from the so-called conservative or penalizing nuclide inventory declarations. The radioactive waste properties and the hydrolytic and chemical stability can be predicted. The interaction with invasive chemicals can be assessed and propagation scenarios can be developed from reliable and sound data and HLW properties. Hence, the appropriate design of a future HLW repository can be based upon predictable and quality assured waste characteristics. (authors)« less

Handling Radioactive Waste from the Proton Accelerator Facility at the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) - Always Surprising? - 13320

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mueth, Joachim

The Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI) is the largest national research centre in Switzerland. Its multidisciplinary research is dedicated to a wide field in natural science and technology as well as particle physics. In this context, PSI is operating, amongst others, a large proton accelerator facility since more than 30 years. In two cyclotrons, protons are accelerated to high speeds and then guided along roughly 100 m of beam line to three different target stations to produce secondary particles like mesons and neutrons for experiments and a separately beam line for UCN. The protons induce spallation processes in the target materials,more » and also at other beam loss points along the way, with emission of protons, neutrons, hydrogen, tritium, helium, heavier fragments and fission processes. In particular the produced neutrons, due to their large penetration depth, will then interact also with the surrounding materials. These interactions of radiation with matter lead to activation and partly to contamination of machine components and the surrounding infrastructures. Maintenance, operation and decommissioning of installations generate inevitably substantial amounts of radioactive operational and dismantling waste like targets, magnets, collimators, shielding (concrete, steel) and of course secondary waste. To achieve an optimal waste management strategy for interim storage or final disposal, radioactive waste has to be characterized, sorted and treated. This strategy is based on radiation protection demands, raw waste properties (size, material, etc.), and requirements to reduce the volume of waste, mainly for legal and economical reasons. In addition, the radiological limitations for transportation of the waste packages to a future disposal site have to be taken into account, as well as special regulatory demands. The characterization is a task of the waste producer. The conditioning processes and quality checks for radioactive waste packages are part of an accredited waste management process of PSI, especially of the Section Dismantling and Waste Management. Strictly proven and accepted methods needed to be developed and enhanced for safe treatment, transport, conditioning and storage. But in the field of waste from research activities, individual and new solutions have to be found in an increasingly growing administrative environment. Furthermore, a wide variety of components, with a really large inventory of radioactive nuclides, has to be handled. And there are always surprising challenges concerning the unusual materials or the nuclide inventory. In case of the operational and dismantling radioactive accelerator waste, the existing conditioning methods are in the process of a continuous enhancement - technically and administratively. The existing authorized specifications of conditioning processes have to be extended to optimize and fully describe the treatment of the inevitably occurring radioactive waste from the accelerator facility. Additional challenges are the changes with time concerning the legal and regulatory requirements - or do we have to consider it as business as usual? This paper gives an overview of the current practices in radioactive waste management and decommissioning of the existing operational accelerator waste. (authors)« less

Development of integrated radioactive waste packaging and conditioning solutions in the UK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sibley, Peter; Butter, Kevin; Zimmerman, Ian

2013-07-01

In order to offer a more cost effective, safer and efficient Intermediate Level Waste (ILW) management service, EnergySolutions EU Ltd. and Gesellschaft fur Nuklear-Service mbH (GNS) have been engaged in the development of integrated radioactive waste retrieval, packaging and conditioning solutions in the UK. Recognising the challenges surrounding regulatory endorsement and on-site implementation in particular, this has resulted in an alternative approach to meeting customer, safety regulator and disposability requirements. By working closely with waste producers and the organisation(s) responsible for endorsing radioactive waste management operations in the UK, our proposed solutions are now being implemented. By combining GNS' off-the-shelf,more » proven Ductile Cast Iron Containers (DCICs) and water removal technologies, with EnergySolutions EU Ltd.'s experience and expertise in waste retrieval, safety case development and disposability submissions, a fully integrated service offering has been developed. This has involved significant effort to overcome technical challenges such as onsite equipment deployment, active commissioning, conditioning success criteria and disposability acceptance. Our experience in developing such integrated solutions has highlighted the importance of working in collaboration with all parties to achieve a successful and viable outcome. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure reliable, safe and effective delivery of waste management solutions. (authors)« less

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale.

PubMed

Nelson, Andrew W; Eitrheim, Eric S; Knight, Andrew W; May, Dustin; Mehrhoff, Marinea A; Shannon, Robert; Litman, Robert; Burnett, William C; Forbes, Tori Z; Schultz, Michael K

2015-07-01

The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of "produced fluids" generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element-radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2000. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Lee, Majelle

2001-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2000 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials, under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned company-operated, test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, andmore » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Large-scale D&D activities of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2000 continue to indicate no significant releases of radioactive material from Rocketdyne sites. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway.« less

10 CFR 72.128 - Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., reactor-related greater than Class C waste, and other radioactive waste storage and handling. 72.128... STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design Criteria § 72.128 Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor...

10 CFR 72.128 - Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., reactor-related greater than Class C waste, and other radioactive waste storage and handling. 72.128... STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design Criteria § 72.128 Criteria for spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, reactor...

40 CFR 60.2265 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology such as mass burn, modular, and fluidized bed combustors.) Auxiliary fuel means natural gas... waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct material as defined by the... for application of a coating. The unit burns the coating overspray off the rack so the rack can be...

40 CFR 62.14840 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... which typically have enclosed fireboxes and controlled air technology such as mass burn, modular, and... waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or by-product material as defined by the... unit means a unit that burns the coatings off racks used to hold small items for application of a...

40 CFR 60.2875 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... fireboxes and controlled air technology such as mass burn, modular, and fluidized bed combustors.) Auxiliary... waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or by-product material as defined by the... for application of a coating. The unit burns the coating overspray off the rack so the rack can be...

40 CFR 62.14840 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... which typically have enclosed fireboxes and controlled air technology such as mass burn, modular, and... waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or by-product material as defined by the... unit means a unit that burns the coatings off racks used to hold small items for application of a...

40 CFR 60.2265 - What definitions must I know?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... technology such as mass burn, modular, and fluidized bed combustors.) Auxiliary fuel means natural gas... waste is not high-level radioactive waste, spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct material as defined by the... for application of a coating. The unit burns the coating overspray off the rack so the rack can be...

A summary description of the flammable gas tank safety program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.D.; Sherwood, D.J.

1994-10-01

Radioactive liquid waste may produce hydrogen as result of the interaction of gamma radiation and water. If the waste contains organic chelating agents, additional hydrogen as well as nitrous oxide and ammonia may be produced by thermal and radiolytic decomposition of these organics. Several high-level radioactive liquid waste storage tanks, located underground at the Hanford Site in Washington State, are on a Flammable Gas Watch List. Some contain waste that produces and retains gases until large quantities of gas are released rapidly to the tank vapor space. Tanks nearly-filled to capacity have relatively little vapor space; therefore if the wastemore » suddenly releases a large amount of hydrogen and nitrous oxide, a flammable gas mixture could result. The most notable example of a Hanford waste tank with a flammable gas problem is tank 241-SY-101. Upon occasion waste stored in this tank has released enough flammable gas to burn if an ignition source had been present inside of the tank. Several, other Hanford waste tanks exhibit similar behavior although to a lesser magnitude. Because this behavior was hot adequately-addressed in safety analysis reports for the Hanford Tank Farms, an unreviewed safety question was declared, and in 1990 the Flammable Gas Tank Safety Program was established to address this problem. The purposes of the program are a follows: (1) Provide safety documents to fill gaps in the safety analysis reports, and (2) Resolve the safety issue by acquiring knowledge about gas retention and release from radioactive liquid waste and developing mitigation technology. This document provides the general logic and work activities required to resolve the unreviewed safety question and the safety issue of flammable gas mixtures in radioactive liquid waste storage tanks.« less

40 CFR 227.30 - High-level radioactive waste.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false High-level radioactive waste. 227.30 Section 227.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING...-level radioactive waste. High-level radioactive waste means the aqueous waste resulting from the...

Waste management technology development and demonstration programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1991-01-01

Two thermoplastic processes for improved treatment of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed wastes were developed from bench scale through technology demonstration: polyethylene encapsulation and modified sulfur cement encapsulation. The steps required to bring technologies from the research and development stage through full scale implementation are described. Both systems result in durable waste forms that meet current Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Environmental Protection Agency regulatory criteria and provide significant improvements over conventional solidification systems such as hydraulic cement. For example, the polyethylene process can encapsulate up to 70 wt pct. nitrate salt, compared with a maximum of about 20 wt pct. for the best hydraulic cement formulation. Modified sulfur cement waste forms containing as much as 43 wt pct. incinerator fly ash were formulated, whereas the maximum quantity of this waste in hydraulic cement is 16 wt pct.

10 CFR 72.108 - Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors § 72.108 Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste transportation. The...

10 CFR 72.108 - Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors § 72.108 Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste transportation. The...

Risk-informed radioactive waste classification and reclassification.

PubMed

Croff, Allen G

2006-11-01

Radioactive waste classification systems have been developed to allow wastes having similar hazards to be grouped for purposes of storage, treatment, packaging, transportation, and/or disposal. As recommended in the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements' Report No. 139, Risk-Based Classification of Radioactive and Hazardous Chemical Wastes, a preferred classification system would be based primarily on the health risks to the public that arise from waste disposal and secondarily on other attributes such as the near-term practicalities of managing a waste, i.e., the waste classification system would be risk informed. The current U.S. radioactive waste classification system is not risk informed because key definitions--especially that of high-level waste--are based on the source of the waste instead of its inherent characteristics related to risk. A second important reason for concluding the existing U.S. radioactive waste classification system is not risk informed is there are no general principles or provisions for exempting materials from being classified as radioactive waste which would then allow management without regard to its radioactivity. This paper elaborates the current system for classifying and reclassifying radioactive wastes in the United States, analyzes the extent to which the system is risk informed and the ramifications of its not being so, and provides observations on potential future direction of efforts to address shortcomings in the U.S. radioactive waste classification system as of 2004.

Characterizations of the radioactive waste by the remotely-controlled collimated spectrometric system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stepanov, Vyacheslav E.; Potapov, Victor N.; Smirnov, Sergey V.

Decontamination and decommissioning of the research reactors MR (Testing Reactor) and RFT (Reactor of Physics and Technology) has recently been initiated in the National Research Center (NRC) 'Kurchatov institute', Moscow. In the building, neighboring to the reactor, the storage of HLRW is located. The storage is made of monolithic concrete in which steel cells depth 4 m are located. In cells of storage the HLRW packed into cases are placed. These the radioactive waste are also subject to export on long storage in the specialized organization. For characterization of the radioactive waste in cases the remote-controlled collimated spectrometer system wasmore » used. The system consists of a spectrometric collimated gamma-ray detector, a color video camera and a control unit, mounted on a rotator, which are mounted on a tripod with the host computer. For determination of specific activity of radionuclides in cases, it is developed programs of calculation of coefficients of proportionality of specific activity to the corresponding speeds of the account in peaks of full absorption at single specific activity of radionuclides in cases. For determination of these coefficients the mathematical model of spectrometer system based on the Monte-Carlo method was used. Dependences of calibration coefficients for various radionuclides from distance between the detector and a case at various values of the radioactive waste density in cases are given. Measurements of specific activity in cases are taken and are discussed. By results of measurements decisions on the appeal of the radioactive waste being in cases are made. (authors)« less

Review of Potential Candidate Stabilization Technologies for Liquid and Solid Secondary Waste Streams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pierce, Eric M.; Mattigod, Shas V.; Westsik, Joseph H.

2010-01-30

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has initiated a waste form testing program to support the long-term durability evaluation of a waste form for secondary wastes generated from the treatment and immobilization of Hanford radioactive tank wastes. The purpose of the work discussed in this report is to identify candidate stabilization technologies and getters that have the potential to successfully treat the secondary waste stream liquid effluent, mainly from off-gas scrubbers and spent solids, produced by the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Down-selection to the most promising stabilization processes/waste forms is needed to support the design of a solidificationmore » treatment unit (STU) to be added to the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF). To support key decision processes, an initial screening of the secondary liquid waste forms must be completed by February 2010.« less

Transportation of hazardous materials

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-07-01

This report discusses transportation of all hazardous materials (commodities, : radioactive materials including spent nuclear fuel, and hazardous wastes) that : travel by truck, rail, water, or air. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) : has ide...

The radioactive waste management policy and practice in the Czech Republic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kucerka, M.

1996-12-31

In recent period, the new Czech Atomic Law is in the final stage of preparation, and the author expects that Parliament of the Czech Republic will approve it in the first half of the year 1996. Partly the law deals with new distribution of responsibilities among bodies involved in utilization of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation, the state and local authorities. The new provisions include also radioactive waste management activities. These provisions clarify the relations between radioactive waste generators and state, and define explicitly duties of waste generators. One of the most important duties is to cover all expenses formore » radioactive waste management now and in the future, including radioactive waste disposal and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The law establishes radioactive waste management and decommissioning funds and the new, on waste generators independent radioactive waste management organization, controlled by state, to ensure the safety of inhabitants and the environment, and a optimization of expenses. Parallel to the preparation of the law, the Ministry of Industry and Trade prepares drafts of a statute of the radioactive waste management organization and its control board, and of the methodology and rules of management the radioactive waste fund. First drafts of these documents are expected to be complete in January 1996. The paper will describe recent practice and policy of the radioactive waste management including uranium mining and milling tailings, amounts of waste and its activities, economical background, and safety. A special attention will be paid to description of expected changes in connection with the new Atomic Law and expected steps and time schedule of reorganization of the radioactive waste management structure in the Czech Republic.« less

Implementation of an evaporative oxidation process for treatment of aqueous mixed wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bounini, L.; Stelmach, J.

1995-12-31

The US Department of Energy and Rust Geotech conducted treatability tests for mixed wastes with a pilot-scale evaporative oxidation unit known as the mini-PO*WW*ER unit. In the evaporative oxidation process, water and volatile organic compounds are vaporized and passed through a catalytic oxidizer to destroy the organic compounds. Nonvolatiles are concentrated into a brine that may be solidified. Ten experiment runs were made. The oxidation of the unit was calculated using total organic carbon analyses of feed and composite product condensate samples. These data indicate that the technology is capable of achieving oxidation efficiencies as high as 99.999 percent onmore » mixed wastes when the bed temperature is near 600 C, residence times are about 0.2 seconds, and adequate oxygen flow is maintained. Concentrations of the tested volatile organic compounds in the product-condensate composite samples were well below standards for wastewaters. Combined gross alpha and beta radioactivity levels in the samples were below detection limites of 12.5 pico-Cu/l, so the liquid would not qualify as a radioactive waste. Thus, the product condensate process by the process is not restricted as either hazardous or mixed waste and is suitable for direct disposal. The brines produced were not considered mixed waste and could be handled and disposed of as radioactive waste.« less

Waste treatability guidance program. User`s guide. Revision 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toth, C.

1995-12-21

DOE sites across the country generate and manage radioactive, hazardous, mixed, and sanitary wastes. It is necessary for each site to find the technologies and associated capacities required to manage its waste. One role of DOE HQ Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management is to facilitate the integration of the site- specific plans into coherent national plans. DOE has developed a standard methodology for defining and categorizing waste streams into treatability groups based on characteristic parameters that influence waste management technology needs. This Waste Treatability Guidance Program automates the Guidance Document for the categorization of waste information into treatabilitymore » groups; this application provides a consistent implementation of the methodology across the National TRU Program. This User`s Guide provides instructions on how to use the program, including installations instructions and program operation. This document satisfies the requirements of the Software Quality Assurance Plan.« less

Method for calcining radioactive wastes

DOEpatents

Bjorklund, William J.; McElroy, Jack L.; Mendel, John E.

1979-01-01

This invention relates to a method for the preparation of radioactive wastes in a low leachability form by calcining the radioactive waste on a fluidized bed of glass frit, removing the calcined waste to melter to form a homogeneous melt of the glass and the calcined waste, and then solidifying the melt to encapsulate the radioactive calcine in a glass matrix.

Development of nanosensors in nuclear technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Thamir A. A.

2017-01-01

Selectivity, sensitivity, and stability (three S parameters) are developed as a new range of sensor this provided instruments for harsh, radioactive waste polluted environment monitoring. Isotope effect is very effective for nuclear radiation sensors preparation.in this presentation are reviewed of the development of Nanosensors in nuclear technology, such as high temperature boron and its compounds with suitable physical and chemical features as sensitive element for temperature and nuclear sensor, Boron isotopes based semiconductor nanosensors and studies of the mechanism of the removal uranium from radioactive wastewater with graphene oxide (GO).

The Management of the Radioactive Waste Generated by Cernavoda NPP, Romania, an Example of International Cooperation - 13449

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barariu, Gheorghe

2013-07-01

The design criteria and constraints for the development of the management strategy for radioactive waste generated from operating and decommissioning of CANDU Nuclear Units from Cernavoda NPP in Romania, present many specific aspects. The main characteristics of CANDU type waste are its high concentrations of tritium and radiocarbon. Also, the existing management strategy for radioactive waste at Cernavoda NPP provides no treatment or conditioning for radioactive waste disposal. These characteristics embodied a challenging effort, in order to select a proper strategy for radioactive waste management at present, when Romania is an EU member and a signatory country of the Jointmore » Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. The helping of advanced countries in radioactive waste management, directly or into the frame of the international organizations, like IAEA, become solve the aforementioned challenges at adequate level. (authors)« less

Radioactive Waste Characterization Strategies; Comparisons Between AK/PK, Dose to Curie Modeling, Gamma Spectroscopy, and Laboratory Analysis Methods- 12194

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singledecker, Steven J.; Jones, Scotty W.; Dorries, Alison M.

2012-07-01

In the coming fiscal years of potentially declining budgets, Department of Energy facilities such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) will be looking to reduce the cost of radioactive waste characterization, management, and disposal processes. At the core of this cost reduction process will be choosing the most cost effective, efficient, and accurate methods of radioactive waste characterization. Central to every radioactive waste management program is an effective and accurate waste characterization program. Choosing between methods can determine what is classified as low level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste (TRU), waste that can be disposed of under an Authorizedmore » Release Limit (ARL), industrial waste, and waste that can be disposed of in municipal landfills. The cost benefits of an accurate radioactive waste characterization program cannot be overstated. In addition, inaccurate radioactive waste characterization of radioactive waste can result in the incorrect classification of radioactive waste leading to higher disposal costs, Department of Transportation (DOT) violations, Notice of Violations (NOVs) from Federal and State regulatory agencies, waste rejection from disposal facilities, loss of operational capabilities, and loss of disposal options. Any one of these events could result in the program that mischaracterized the waste losing its ability to perform it primary operational mission. Generators that produce radioactive waste have four characterization strategies at their disposal: - Acceptable Knowledge/Process Knowledge (AK/PK); - Indirect characterization using a software application or other dose to curie methodologies; - Non-Destructive Analysis (NDA) tools such as gamma spectroscopy; - Direct sampling (e.g. grab samples or Surface Contaminated Object smears) and laboratory analytical; Each method has specific advantages and disadvantages. This paper will evaluate each method detailing those advantages and disadvantages including; - Cost benefit analysis (basic materials costs, overall program operations costs, man-hours per sample analyzed, etc.); - Radiation Exposure As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program considerations; - Industrial Health and Safety risks; - Overall Analytical Confidence Level. The concepts in this paper apply to any organization with significant radioactive waste characterization and management activities working to within budget constraints and seeking to optimize their waste characterization strategies while reducing analytical costs. (authors)« less

ASSESSMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINANTS FOUND IN LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE STREAMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

R.H. Little, P.R. Maul, J.S.S. Penfoldag

2003-02-27

This paper describes and presents the findings from two studies undertaken for the European Commission to assess the long-term impact upon the environment and human health of non-radioactive contaminants found in various low level radioactive waste streams. The initial study investigated the application of safety assessment approaches developed for radioactive contaminants to the assessment of nonradioactive contaminants in low level radioactive waste. It demonstrated how disposal limits could be derived for a range of non-radioactive contaminants and generic disposal facilities. The follow-up study used the same approach but undertook more detailed, disposal system specific calculations, assessing the impacts of bothmore » the non-radioactive and radioactive contaminants. The calculations undertaken indicated that it is prudent to consider non-radioactive, as well as radioactive contaminants, when assessing the impacts of low level radioactive waste disposal. For some waste streams with relatively low concentrations of radionuclides, the potential post-closure disposal impacts from non-radioactive contaminants can be comparable with the potential radiological impacts. For such waste streams there is therefore an added incentive to explore options for recycling the materials involved wherever possible.« less

Waste-Management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) annual progress report, 1992--1993. Appendices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-02-15

This report contains the following appendices: Appendix A - Requirements for Undergraduate Level; Appendix B - Requirements for Graduate Level; Appendix C - Graduate Degree In Environmental Engineeringat New Mexico State University; Appendix D - Non-degree Certificate program; Appendix E - Curriculum for Associate Degree Program in Radioactive & Hazardous Waste Materials; Appendix F - Curriculum for NCC Program in Earth & Environmental Sciences; Appendix G - Brochure of 1992 Teleconference Series; Appendix H - Sites for Hazardous/Radioactive Waste Management Series; Appendix I - WERC Interactive Television Courses; Appendix J - WERC Research Seminar Series Brochures; Appendix K - Summarymore » of Technology Development of the Third Year; Appendix L - List of Major Publications Resulting From WERC; Appendix M - Types of Equipment at WERC Laboratories; and Appendix N - WERC Newsletter Examples.« less

Secondary Waste Form Down-Selection Data Package—Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Waste Form

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Qafoku, Nikolla; Westsik, Joseph H.; Strachan, Denis M.

2011-09-12

The Hanford Site in southeast Washington State has 56 million gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes stored in 177 underground tanks (ORP 2010). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP), through its contractors, is constructing the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) to convert the radioactive and hazardous wastes into stable glass waste forms for disposal. Within the WTP, the pretreatment facility will receive the retrieved waste from the tank farms and separate it into two treated process streams. These waste streams will be vitrified, and the resulting waste canisters will be sentmore » to offsite (high-level waste [HLW]) and onsite (immobilized low-activity waste [ILAW]) repositories. As part of the pretreatment and ILAW processing, liquid secondary wastes will be generated that will be transferred to the Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) on the Hanford Site for further treatment. These liquid secondary wastes will be converted to stable solid waste forms that will be disposed of in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). To support the selection of a waste form for the liquid secondary wastes from WTP, Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) has initiated secondary waste form testing work at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). In anticipation of a down-selection process for a waste form for the Solidification Treatment Unit to be added to the ETF, PNNL is developing data packages to support that down-selection. The objective of the data packages is to identify, evaluate, and summarize the existing information on the four waste forms being considered for stabilizing and solidifying the liquid secondary wastes. At the Hanford Site, the FBSR process is being evaluated as a supplemental technology for treating and immobilizing Hanford LAW radioactive tank waste and for treating secondary wastes from the WTP pretreatment and LAW vitrification processes.« less

The Spanish General Radioactive Waste Management Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Espejo, J.M.; Abreu, A.

This paper mainly describes the strategies, the necessary actions and the technical solutions to be developed by ENRESA in the short, medium and long term, aimed at ensuring the adequate management of radioactive waste, the dismantling and decommissioning of nuclear and radioactive facilities and other activities, including economic and financial measures required to carry them out. Starting with the Spanish administrative organization in this field, which identifies the different agents involved and their roles, and after referring to the waste generation, the activities to be performed in the areas of LILW, SF and HLW management, decommissioning of installations and othersmore » are summarized. Finally, the future management costs are estimated and the financing system currently in force is explained. The so-called Sixth General Radioactive Waste Plan (6. GRWP), approved by the Spanish Government, is the 'master document' of reference where all the above mentioned issues are contemplated. In summary: The 6. GRWP includes the strategies and actions to be performed by Enresa in the coming years. The document, revised by the Government and subject to a process of public information, underlines the fact that Spain possesses an excellent infrastructure for the safe and efficient management of radioactive waste, from the administrative, technical and economic-financial points of view. From the administrative point of view there is an organisation, supported by ample legislative developments, that contemplates and governs the main responsibilities of the parties involved in the process (Government, CSN, ENRESA and waste producers). As regards the technical aspect, the experience accumulated to date by Enresa is particularly significant, as are the technologies now available in the field of management and for dismantling processes. As regards the economic-financial basis, a system is in place that guarantees the financing of radioactive waste management costs. This system is based on the generation of funds up front, during the operating lifetime of the facilities, through the application of fees established by Statutory provisions. Finally, a mandatory mechanism of annual revision for both technical issues and economic and financial aspects, allows to have updated all the courses of action. (authors)« less

Plasma for environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Oost, G.

2017-11-01

Human activity is associated with the permanent emergence of a very wide range of waste streams. The most widely used treatment of waste is thermal processing such as incineration. An alternative environmentally friendly process is based on thermal plasma technology which is a very flexible tool because it allows to operate in a wide temperature range with almost any chemical composition of waste and chemicals needed for processing this waste, and to convert organic waste into energy or chemical substances as well as to destroy toxic organic compounds, and to vitrify radioactive waste in a scenario that for each specific type of waste can be considered optimal, both in terms of energy efficiency and environmental safety.

Radioactive waste management in the Chernobyl exclusion zone: 25 years since the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

PubMed

Oskolkov, Boris Y; Bondarkov, Mikhail D; Zinkevich, Lubov I; Proskura, Nikolai I; Farfán, Eduardo B; Jannik, G Timothy

2011-10-01

Radioactive waste management is an important component of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident mitigation and remediation activities in the so-called Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. This article describes the localization and characteristics of the radioactive waste present in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and summarizes the pathways and strategy for handling the radioactive waste-related problems in Ukraine and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and, in particular, the pathways and strategies stipulated by the National Radioactive Waste Management Program.

Department of Energy's first waste determinations under section 3116: how did the process work?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Picha Jr, K.G.; Kaltreider, R.; Suttora, L.

2007-07-01

Congress passed the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2005 on October 9, 2004, and the President signed it into law on October 28, 2004. Section 3116(a) of the NDAA allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), determine whether certain radioactive waste resulting from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel at two DOE sites is not high-level radioactive waste, and dispose of that waste in compliance with the performance objectives set out in subpart C of 10 CFR part 61 for low-level waste. On January 17, 2006, themore » Department issued its first waste determination under the NDAA for salt waste disposal at the Savannah River Site. On November 19, 2006, the Department issued its second waste determination for closure of tanks at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Tank Farm Facility. These two determinations and a third draft determination illustrate the range of issues that may be encountered in preparing a waste determination in accordance with NDAA Section 3116. This paper discusses the experiences associated with these first two completed waste determinations and an in-progress third waste determination, and discusses lessons learned from the projects that can be applied to future waste determinations. (authors)« less

77 FR 20077 - Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR..., 2012, radioactive waste tons of or disposal by a February 16, 2012, XW019, in the form of ash radioactive waste licensed facility 11005986. and non-conforming as contaminated in Mexico. material. ash and...

77 FR 52073 - Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to..., 2012, July 31, 2012, XW012/ radioactive total of 5,500 materials and/or 02, 11005699. waste including tons or about radioactive various 1,000 tons waste that is materials (e.g., metal, 4,000 attributed to...

Iso standardization of theoretical activity evaluation method for low and intermediate level activated waste generated at nuclear power plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makoto Kashiwagi; Garamszeghy, Mike; Lantes, Bertrand

Disposal of low-and intermediate-level activated waste generated at nuclear power plants is being planned or carried out in many countries. The radioactivity concentrations and/or total quantities of long-lived, difficult-to-measure nuclides (DTM nuclides), such as C-14, Ni-63, Nb-94, α emitting nuclides etc., are often restricted by the safety case for a final repository as determined by each country's safety regulations, and these concentrations or amounts are required to be known and declared. With respect to waste contaminated by contact with process water, the Scaling Factor method (SF method), which is empirically based on sampling and analysis data, has been applied asmore » an important method for determining concentrations of DTM nuclides. This method was standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and published in 2007 as ISO21238 'Scaling factor method to determine the radioactivity of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste packages generated at nuclear power plants' [1]. However, for activated metal waste with comparatively high concentrations of radioactivity, such as may be found in reactor control rods and internal structures, direct sampling and radiochemical analysis methods to evaluate the DTM nuclides are limited by access to the material and potentially high personnel radiation exposure. In this case, theoretical calculation methods in combination with empirical methods based on remote radiation surveys need to be used to best advantage for determining the disposal inventory of DTM nuclides while minimizing exposure to radiation workers. Pursuant to this objective a standard for the theoretical evaluation of the radioactivity concentration of DTM nuclides in activated waste, is in process through ISO TC85/SC5 (ISO Technical Committee 85: Nuclear energy, nuclear technologies, and radiological protection; Subcommittee 5: Nuclear fuel cycle). The project team for this ISO standard was formed in 2011 and is composed of experts from 11 countries. The project team has been conducting technical discussions on theoretical methods for determining concentrations of radioactivity, and has developed the draft International Standard of ISO16966 'Theoretical activation calculation method to evaluate the radioactivity of activated waste generated at nuclear reactors' [2]. This paper describes the international standardization process developed by the ISO project team, and outlines the following two theoretical activity evaluation methods:? Point method? Range method. (authors)« less

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale

PubMed Central

Nelson, Andrew W.; Eitrheim, Eric S.; Knight, Andrew W.; May, Dustin; Mehrhoff, Marinea A.; Shannon, Robert; Litman, Robert; Burnett, William C.; Forbes, Tori Z.

2015-01-01

Background The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of “produced fluids” generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element—radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. Objective We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. Methods For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. Results We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. Conclusions Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides. Citation Nelson AW, Eitrheim ES, Knight AW, May D, Mehrhoff MA, Shannon R, Litman R, Burnett WC, Forbes TZ, Schultz MK. 2015. Understanding the radioactive ingrowth and decay of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the environment: an analysis of produced fluids from the Marcellus Shale. Environ Health Perspect 123:689–696; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408855 PMID:25831257

Radioactive waste management and practice in Bangladesh

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mollah, A.S.; Rahman, M.M.

1993-12-31

A large amount of low- and medium-level radioactive wastes are being generated in different parts of Bangladesh. The solid wastes are being collected in steel containers and liquid wastes are collected in plastic carboys and drums. Gaseous Ar-41 is discharged into the atmosphere through the 25 m height stack under controlled conditions after proper monitoring. The solid radioactive wastes collected are approximately 5 m{sup 3} (1988--1992) with gross beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 250 {micro}Sv/h. The liquid radioactive wastes are approximately 200 liters (1988--1992) with gross-beta-gamma surface dose rates from 0.30 {micro}Sv/h to 1 mSv/h. The solidmore » and liquid wastes presently being collected are mostly short lived and low level and safely stored according to international safety codes of practice. Radioactive waste packages collected during the 5-yrs study totaled 16, representing a collective volume of {approximately} 7.5 m{sup 3}. The problem of management of radioactive waste in Bangladesh is not so serious at present because the wastes arising are small now. A computerized data base has been developed to document inventory of all radioactive waste arising in the country. The current practices of collection, handling, safe storage and management of the radioactive wastes are reported in this paper.« less

Laser ablation/ionization characterization of solids: Second interim progress report of the strategic environmental research development program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hess, W.P.; Bushaw, B.A.; McCarthy, M.I.

1996-10-01

The Department of Energy is undertaking the enormous task of remediating defense wastes and environmental insults which have occurred over 50 years of nuclear weapons production. It is abundantly clear that significant technology advances are needed to characterize, process, and store highly radioactive waste and to remediate contaminated zones. In addition to the processing and waste form issues, analytical technologies needed for the characterization of solids, and for monitoring storage tanks and contaminated sites do not exist or are currently expensive labor-intensive tasks. This report describes progress in developing sensitive, rapid, and widely applicable laser-based mass spectrometry techniques for analysismore » of mixed chemical wastes and contaminated soils.« less

Emerging Technologies and Techniques for Wide Area Radiological Survey and Remediation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, M.; Zhao, P.

2016-03-24

Technologies to survey and decontaminate wide-area contamination and process the subsequent radioactive waste have been developed and implemented following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant release and the breach of a radiological source resulting in contamination in Goiania, Brazil. These civilian examples of radioactive material releases provided some of the first examples of urban radiological remediation. Many emerging technologies have recently been developed and demonstrated in Japan following the release of radioactive cesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in 2011. Information on technologies reported by several Japanese government agencies, such as the Japan Atomic Energymore » Agency (JAEA), the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the National Institute for Environmental Science (NIES), together with academic institutions and industry are summarized and compared to recently developed, deployed and available technologies in the United States. The technologies and techniques presented in this report may be deployed in response to a wide area contamination event in the United States. In some cases, additional research and testing is needed to adequately validate the technology effectiveness over wide areas. Survey techniques can be deployed on the ground or from the air, allowing a range of coverage rates and sensitivities. Survey technologies also include those useful in measuring decontamination progress and mapping contamination. Decontamination technologies and techniques range from non-destructive (e.g., high pressure washing) and minimally destructive (plowing), to fully destructive (surface removal or demolition). Waste minimization techniques can greatly impact the long-term environmental consequences and cost following remediation efforts. Recommendations on technical improvements to address technology gaps are presented together with observations on remediation in Japan.« less

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educatedmore » layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages sew be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste transportation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educatedmore » layman with little or no background in nuclear waste issues. In addition, this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Spent Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This publication is intended to provide its readers with an introduction to the issues surrounding the subject of transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste, especially as those issues impact the southern region of the United States. It was originally issued by SSEB in July 1987 as the Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste Transportation Primer, a document patterned on work performed by the Western Interstate Energy Board and designed as a ``comprehensive overview of the issues.`` This work differs from that earlier effort in that it is designed for the educated layman with little or nomore » background in nuclear waste Issues. In addition. this document is not a comprehensive examination of nuclear waste issues but should instead serve as a general introduction to the subject. Owing to changes in the nuclear waste management system, program activities by the US Department of Energy and other federal agencies and developing technologies, much of this information is dated quickly. While this report uses the most recent data available, readers should keep in mind that some of the material is subject to rapid change. SSEB plans periodic updates in the future to account for changes in the program. Replacement pages will be supplied to all parties in receipt of this publication provided they remain on the SSEB mailing list.« less

Waste Information Management System-2012 - 12114

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upadhyay, H.; Quintero, W.; Shoffner, P.

2012-07-01

The Waste Information Management System (WIMS) -2012 was updated to support the Department of Energy (DOE) accelerated cleanup program. The schedule compression required close coordination and a comprehensive review and prioritization of the barriers that impeded treatment and disposition of the waste streams at each site. Many issues related to waste treatment and disposal were potential critical path issues under the accelerated schedule. In order to facilitate accelerated cleanup initiatives, waste managers at DOE field sites and at DOE Headquarters in Washington, D.C., needed timely waste forecast and transportation information regarding the volumes and types of radioactive waste that wouldmore » be generated by DOE sites over the next 40 years. Each local DOE site historically collected, organized, and displayed waste forecast information in separate and unique systems. In order for interested parties to understand and view the complete DOE complex-wide picture, the radioactive waste and shipment information of each DOE site needed to be entered into a common application. The WIMS application was therefore created to serve as a common application to improve stakeholder comprehension and improve DOE radioactive waste treatment and disposal planning and scheduling. WIMS allows identification of total forecasted waste volumes, material classes, disposition sites, choke points, technological or regulatory barriers to treatment and disposal, along with forecasted waste transportation information by rail, truck and inter-modal shipments. The Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, developed and deployed the web-based forecast and transportation system and is responsible for updating the radioactive waste forecast and transportation data on a regular basis to ensure the long-term viability and value of this system. WIMS continues to successfully accomplish the goals and objectives set forth by DOE for this project. It has replaced the historic process of each DOE site gathering, organizing, and reporting their waste forecast information utilizing different databases and display technologies. In addition, WIMS meets DOE's objective to have the complex-wide waste forecast and transportation information available to all stakeholders and the public in one easy-to-navigate system. The enhancements to WIMS made since its initial deployment include the addition of new DOE sites and facilities, an updated waste and transportation information, and the ability to easily display and print customized waste forecast, the disposition maps, GIS maps and transportation information. The system also allows users to customize and generate reports over the web. These reports can be exported to various formats, such as Adobe{sup R} PDF, Microsoft Excel{sup R}, and Microsoft Word{sup R} and downloaded to the user's computer. Future enhancements will include database/application migration to the next level. A new data import interface will be developed to integrate 2012-13 forecast waste streams. In addition, the application is updated on a continuous basis based on DOE feedback. (authors)« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witherspoon, P.A.

The problem of isolating radioactive wastes from the biosphere presents specialists in the fields of earth sciences with some of the most complicated problems they have ever encountered. This is especially true for high level waste (HLW) which must be isolated in the underground and away from the biosphere for thousands of years. Essentially every country that is generating electricity in nuclear power plants is faced with the problem of isolating the radioactive wastes that are produced. The general consensus is that this can be accomplished by selecting an appropriate geologic setting and carefully designing the rock repository. Much newmore » technology is being developed to solve the problems that have been raised and there is a continuing need to publish the results of new developments for the benefit of all concerned. The 28th International Geologic Congress that was held July 9--19, 1989 in Washington, DC provided an opportunity for earth scientists to gather for detailed discussions on these problems. Workshop W3B on the subject, Geological Problems in Radioactive Waste Isolation -- A World Wide Review'' was organized by Paul A Witherspoon and Ghislain de Marsily and convened July 15--16, 1989 Reports from 19 countries have been gathered for this publication. Individual papers have been cataloged separately.« less

[Microbiological Aspects of Radioactive Waste Storage].

PubMed

Safonov, A V; Gorbunova, O A; German, K E; Zakharova, E V; Tregubova, V E; Ershov, B G; Nazina, T N

2015-01-01

The article gives information about the microorganisms inhabiting in surface storages of solid radioactive waste and deep disposal sites of liquid radioactive waste. It was shown that intensification of microbial processes can lead to significant changes in the chemical composition and physical state of the radioactive waste. It was concluded that the biogeochemical processes can have both a positive effect on the safety of radioactive waste storages (immobilization of RW macrocomponents, a decreased migration ability of radionuclides) and a negative one (biogenic gas production in subterranean formations and destruction of cement matrix).

10 CFR 72.24 - Contents of application: Technical information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C... radioactive waste, and/or reactor-related GTCC waste as appropriate, including how the ISFSI or MRS will be... of spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and/or reactor-related GTCC waste as appropriate for...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

40 CFR 191.02 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE WASTES Environmental Standards for Management and Storage § 191.02 Definitions. Unless... the Department of Energy. (e) NWPA means the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97-425). (f... radioactive waste, as used in this part, means high-level radioactive waste as defined in the Nuclear Waste...

1st Quarter Transportation Report FY2017: Waste Shipments To and From the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), Radioactive Waste Management Complex

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory, Louis

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of waste shipments to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. This report summarizes the 1st quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2017 low-level radioactive waste (LLW), mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) and classified non-radioactive (CNR) shipments. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment from a NNSS facility and returned to the NNSS this quarter of FY2017.

Taiwan industrial cooperation program technology transfer for low-level radioactive waste final disposal - phase I.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Knowlton, Robert G.; Cochran, John Russell; Arnold, Bill Walter

2007-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories and the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taiwan have collaborated in a technology transfer program related to low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal in Taiwan. Phase I of this program included regulatory analysis of LLW final disposal, development of LLW disposal performance assessment capabilities, and preliminary performance assessments of two potential disposal sites. Performance objectives were based on regulations in Taiwan and comparisons to those in the United States. Probabilistic performance assessment models were constructed based on limited site data using software including GoldSim, BLT-MS, FEHM, and HELP. These software codes provided the probabilistic framework, container degradation, waste-formmore » leaching, groundwater flow, radionuclide transport, and cover infiltration simulation capabilities in the performance assessment. Preliminary performance assessment analyses were conducted for a near-surface disposal system and a mined cavern disposal system at two representative sites in Taiwan. Results of example calculations indicate peak simulated concentrations to a receptor within a few hundred years of LLW disposal, primarily from highly soluble, non-sorbing radionuclides.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2007. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Ning; Rutherford, Phil; Lenox, Art

2008-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2007 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing’s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988; all subsequentmore » radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. In May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV were suspended until DOE completes the SSFL Area IV Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The environmental monitoring programs were continued throughout the year. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2007 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes were released into the environment in 2007.« less

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2001. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rutherford, Phil; Samuels, Sandy; Leee, Majelle

2002-09-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2001 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Boeing Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). In the past, these operations included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials under the former Atomics International (AI) Division. Other activities included the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities for testing of liquid metal fast breeder components at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility within Area IV. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the previously used nuclear facilities and associated site areas. Closure of the sodium test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year of 2001 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and other sites approved by DOE and licensed for radioactive waste. Liquid radioactive wastes are not released into the environment and do not constitute an exposure pathway. No structural debris from buildings, released for unrestricted use, was transferred to municipal landfills or recycled in 2001.« less

HANDBOOK: APPROACHES FOR REMEDIATION OF ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This publication was developed by the Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI), Office of Research and Development, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The information in the document is based primarily on presentations at two technology transfer seminar series: Technologies for Remediating Sites Contaminated with Explosive and Radioactive Wastes, sponsored jointly by EPA and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) in spring and summer 1993; and Radioactive Site Remediation, sponsored by EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) in summer 1992. Additional information has been provided by technical experts from EPA, DOD, DOE, academia, and private industry. present information

10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

10 CFR 51.62 - Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Environmental report-land disposal of radioactive waste....62 Environmental report—land disposal of radioactive waste licensed under 10 CFR part 61. (a) Each applicant for issuance of a license for land disposal of radioactive waste pursuant to part 61 of this...

Annual Report, Fall 2016: Alternative Chemical Cleaning of Radioactive High Level Waste Tanks - Corrosion Test Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wyrwas, R. B.

The testing presented in this report is in support of the investigation of the Alternative Chemical Cleaning program to aid in developing strategies and technologies to chemically clean radioactive High Level Waste tanks prior to tank closure. The data and conclusions presented here were the examination of the corrosion rates of A285 carbon steel and 304L stainless steel exposed to two proposed chemical cleaning solutions: acidic permanganate (0.18 M nitric acid and 0.05M sodium permanganate) and caustic permanganate. (10 M sodium hydroxide and 0.05M sodium permanganate). These solutions have been proposed as a chemical cleaning solution for the retrieval ofmore » actinides in the sludge in the waste tanks, and were tested with both HM and PUREX sludge simulants at a 20:1 ratio.« less

Plasma Heating: An Advanced Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The Mercury and Apollo spacecraft shields were designed to protect astronauts from high friction temperatures (well over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit) when re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. It was necessary to test and verify the heat shield materials on Earth before space flight. After exhaustive research and testing, NASA decided to use plasma heating as a heat source. This technique involves passing a strong electric current through a rarefied gas to create a plasma (ionized gas) that produces an intensely hot flame. Although NASA did not invent the concept, its work expanded the market for commercial plasma heating systems. One company, Plasma Technology Corporation (PTC), was founded by a member of the team that developed the Re-entry Heating Simulator at Ames Research Center (ARC). Dr. Camacho, President of PTC, believes the technology has significant environmental applications. These include toxic waste disposal, hydrocarbon, decomposition, medical waste disposal, asbestos waste destruction, and chemical and radioactive waste disposal.

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

40 CFR 268.34 - Waste specific prohibitions-toxicity characteristic metal wastes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing; radioactive wastes mixed with EPA Hazardous wastes... identified characteristic wastes from elemental phosphorus processing, radioactive waste mixed with D004-D011...

Utilization of coal fly ash in solidification of liquid radioactive waste from research reactor.

PubMed

Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

2014-05-01

In this study, the potential utilization of fly ash was investigated as an additive in solidification process of radioactive waste sludge from research reactor. Coal formations include various percentages of natural radioactive elements; therefore, coal fly ash includes various levels of radioactivity. For this reason, fly ashes have to be evaluated for potential environmental implications in case of further usage in any construction material. But for use in solidification of radioactive sludge, the radiological effects of fly ash are in the range of radioactive waste management limits. The results show that fly ash has a strong fixing capacity for radioactive isotopes. Specimens with addition of 5-15% fly ash to concrete was observed to be sufficient to achieve the target compressive strength of 20 MPa required for near-surface disposal. An optimum mixture comprising 15% fly ash, 35% cement, and 50% radioactive waste sludge could provide the solidification required for long-term storage and disposal. The codisposal of radioactive fly ash with radioactive sludge by solidification decreases the usage of cement in solidification process. By this method, radioactive fly ash can become a valuable additive instead of industrial waste. This study supports the utilization of fly ash in industry and the solidification of radioactive waste in the nuclear industry.

78 FR 53793 - Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to... (Class A total of 5,500 ``Foreign Suppliers.'' No IW022/04 radioactive tons of low- other changes to the existing 11005700 waste). level waste). license which authorizes the import of low-level waste for...

Mixed-layered bismuth-oxygen-iodine materials for capture and waste disposal of radioactive iodine

DOEpatents

Krumhansl, James L; Nenoff, Tina M

2013-02-26

Materials and methods of synthesizing mixed-layered bismuth oxy-iodine materials, which can be synthesized in the presence of aqueous radioactive iodine species found in caustic solutions (e.g. NaOH or KOH). This technology provides a one-step process for both iodine sequestration and storage from nuclear fuel cycles. It results in materials that will be durable for repository conditions much like those found in Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and estimated for Yucca Mountain (YMP). By controlled reactant concentrations, optimized compositions of these mixed-layered bismuth oxy-iodine inorganic materials are produced that have both a high iodine weight percentage and a low solubility in groundwater environments.

Next Generation Waste Tracking: Linking Legacy Systems with Modern Networking Technologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, Randy M.; Resseguie, David R.; Shankar, Mallikarjun

2010-01-01

This report describes results from a preliminary analysis to satisfy the Department of Energy (DOE) objective to ensure the safe, secure, efficient packaging and transportation of materials both hazardous and non hazardous [1, 2]. The DOE Office of Environmental Management (OEM) through Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has embarked on a project to further this objective. OEM and ORNL have agreed to develop, demonstrate and make available modern day cost effective technologies for characterization, identification, tracking, monitoring and disposal of radioactive waste when transported by, or between, motor, air, rail, and water modes. During the past 8 years ORNL hasmore » investigated and deployed Web 2.0 compliant sensors into the transportation segment of the supply chain. ORNL has recently demonstrated operational experience with DOE Oak Ridge Operations Office (ORO) and others in national test beds and applications within this domain of the supply chain. Furthermore, in addition to DOE, these hazardous materials supply chain partners included Federal and State enforcement agencies, international ports, and commercial sector shipping operations in a hazardous/radioactive materials tracking and monitoring program called IntelligentFreight. IntelligentFreight is an ORNL initiative encompassing 5 years of research effort associated with the supply chain. The ongoing ORNL SmartFreight programs include RadSTraM [3], GRadSTraM , Trusted Corridors, SensorPedia [4], SensorNet, Southeastern Transportation Corridor Pilot (SETCP) and Trade Data Exchange [5]. The integration of multiple technologies aimed at safer more secure conveyance has been investigated with the core research question being focused on testing distinctly different distributed supply chain information sharing systems. ORNL with support from ORO have demonstrated capabilities when transporting Environmental Management (EM) waste materials for disposal over an onsite haul road. ORNL has unified the operations of existing legacy hazardous, radioactive and related informational databases and systems using emerging Web 2.0 technologies. These capabilities were used to interoperate ORNL s waste generating, packaging, transportation and disposal with other DOE ORO waste management contractors. Importantly, the DOE EM objectives were accomplished in a cost effective manner without altering existing information systems. A path forward is to demonstrate and share these technologies with DOE EM, contractors and stakeholders. This approach will not alter existing DOE assets, i.e. Automated Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), Transportation Tracking and Communications System (TRANSCOM), the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) demonstrated package tracking system, etc« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The papers in this document comprise the proceedings of the Department of Energy's Twelfth Annual Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference, which was held in Chicago, Illinois, on August 28 and 29, 1990. General subjects addressed during the conference included: mixed waste, low-level radioactive waste tracking and transportation, public involvement, performance assessment, waste stabilization, financial assurance, waste minimization, licensing and environmental documentation, below-regulatory-concern waste, low-level radioactive waste temporary storage, current challenges, and challenges beyond 1990.

Science Indicators and Science Priorities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Harvey

1982-01-01

Discusses science/society interface and difficulties involved in developing realistic science indicators. Topics include: intrinsic vs. extrinsic indicators; four problems society faces as a result of technological activities (toxic chemicals, radioactive wastes, auto safety, cancer); research and development (R&D) priorities; international…

SCO shipments from Rocky Flats : experience and current practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

Decommissioning activities at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS) are expected to generate approximately 251,000 cubic meters of low-level radioactive waste. Almost half of this will be characterized and shipped as the Department of Tra...

Waste minimization for commercial radioactive materials users generating low-level radioactive waste. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, D.K.; Gitt, M.; Williams, G.A.

1991-07-01

The objective of this document is to provide a resource for all states and compact regions interested in promoting the minimization of low-level radioactive waste (LLW). This project was initiated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts waste streams have been used as examples; however, the methods of analysis presented here are applicable to similar waste streams generated elsewhere. This document is a guide for states/compact regions to use in developing a system to evaluate and prioritize various waste minimization techniques in order to encourage individual radioactive materials users (LLW generators) to consider these techniques in their own independent evaluations.more » This review discusses the application of specific waste minimization techniques to waste streams characteristic of three categories of radioactive materials users: (1) industrial operations using radioactive materials in the manufacture of commercial products, (2) health care institutions, including hospitals and clinics, and (3) educational and research institutions. Massachusetts waste stream characterization data from key radioactive materials users in each category are used to illustrate the applicability of various minimization techniques. The utility group is not included because extensive information specific to this category of LLW generators is available in the literature.« less

Waste minimization for commercial radioactive materials users generating low-level radioactive waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fischer, D.K.; Gitt, M.; Williams, G.A.

1991-07-01

The objective of this document is to provide a resource for all states and compact regions interested in promoting the minimization of low-level radioactive waste (LLW). This project was initiated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Massachusetts waste streams have been used as examples; however, the methods of analysis presented here are applicable to similar waste streams generated elsewhere. This document is a guide for states/compact regions to use in developing a system to evaluate and prioritize various waste minimization techniques in order to encourage individual radioactive materials users (LLW generators) to consider these techniques in their own independent evaluations.more » This review discusses the application of specific waste minimization techniques to waste streams characteristic of three categories of radioactive materials users: (1) industrial operations using radioactive materials in the manufacture of commercial products, (2) health care institutions, including hospitals and clinics, and (3) educational and research institutions. Massachusetts waste stream characterization data from key radioactive materials users in each category are used to illustrate the applicability of various minimization techniques. The utility group is not included because extensive information specific to this category of LLW generators is available in the literature.« less

Alternative Chemical Cleaning Methods for High Level Waste Tanks: Simulant Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rudisill, T.; King, W.; Hay, M.

Solubility testing with simulated High Level Waste tank heel solids has been conducted in order to evaluate two alternative chemical cleaning technologies for the dissolution of sludge residuals remaining in the tanks after the exhaustion of mechanical cleaning and sludge washing efforts. Tests were conducted with non-radioactive pure phase metal reagents, binary mixtures of reagents, and a Savannah River Site PUREX heel simulant to determine the effectiveness of an optimized, dilute oxalic/nitric acid cleaning reagent and pure, dilute nitric acid toward dissolving the bulk non-radioactive waste components. A focus of this testing was on minimization of oxalic acid additions duringmore » tank cleaning. For comparison purposes, separate samples were also contacted with pure, concentrated oxalic acid which is the current baseline chemical cleaning reagent. In a separate study, solubility tests were conducted with radioactive tank heel simulants using acidic and caustic permanganate-based methods focused on the “targeted” dissolution of actinide species known to be drivers for Savannah River Site tank closure Performance Assessments. Permanganate-based cleaning methods were evaluated prior to and after oxalic acid contact.« less

Evaluation of Terrorist Interest in Radioactive Wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McFee, J.N.; Langsted, J.M.; Young, M.E.

2006-07-01

Since September 11, 2001, intelligence gathered from Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan, and the ensuing terrorist activities, indicates nuclear material security concerns are valid. This paper reviews available information on sealed radioactive sources thought to be of interest to terrorists, and then examines typical wastes generated during environmental management activities to compare their comparative 'attractiveness' for terrorist diversion. Sealed radioactive sources have been evaluated in numerous studies to assess their security and attractiveness for use as a terrorist weapon. The studies conclude that tens of thousands of curies in sealed radioactive sources are available for potential use in amore » terrorist attack. This risk is mitigated by international efforts to find lost and abandoned sources and bring them under adequate security. However, radioactive waste has not received the same level of scrutiny to ensure security. This paper summarizes the activity and nature of radioactive sources potentially available to international terrorists. The paper then estimates radiation doses from use of radioactive sources as well as typical environmental restoration or decontamination and decommissioning wastes in a radioactive dispersal device (RDD) attack. These calculated doses indicate that radioactive wastes are, as expected, much less of a health risk than radioactive sources. The difference in radiation doses from wastes used in an RDD are four to nine orders of magnitude less than from sealed sources. We then review the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) definition of 'dangerous source' in an adjusted comparison to common radioactive waste shipments generated in environmental management activities. The highest waste dispersion was found to meet only category 1-3.2 of the five step IAEA scale. A category '3' source by the IAEA standard 'is extremely unlikely, to cause injury to a person in the immediate vicinity'. The obvious conclusion of the analysis is that environmental management generated radioactive wastes have substantially less impact than radioactive sources if dispersed by terrorist-induced explosion or fire. From a health standpoint, the impact is very small. However, there is no basis to conclude that wastes are totally unattractive for use in a disruptive or economic damage event. Waste managers should be cognizant of this potential and take measures to ensure security of stored waste and waste shipments. (authors)« less

Proceedings of the 21st DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning Conference; Sessions 1--8

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

First, M.W.

1991-02-01

Separate abstracts have been prepared for the papers presented at the meeting on nuclear facility air cleaning technology in the following specific areas of interest: air cleaning technologies for the management and disposal of radioactive wastes; Canadian waste management program; radiological health effects models for nuclear power plant accident consequence analysis; filter testing; US standard codes on nuclear air and gas treatment; European community nuclear codes and standards; chemical processing off-gas cleaning; incineration and vitrification; adsorbents; nuclear codes and standards; mathematical modeling techniques; filter technology; safety; containment system venting; and nuclear air cleaning programs around the world. (MB)

The combined hybrid system: A symbiotic thermal reactor/fast reactor system for power generation and radioactive waste toxicity reduction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hollaway, W.R.

1991-08-01

If there is to be a next generation of nuclear power in the United States, then the four fundamental obstacles confronting nuclear power technology must be overcome: safety, cost, waste management, and proliferation resistance. The Combined Hybrid System (CHS) is proposed as a possible solution to the problems preventing a vigorous resurgence of nuclear power. The CHS combines Thermal Reactors (for operability, safety, and cost) and Integral Fast Reactors (for waste treatment and actinide burning) in a symbiotic large scale system. The CHS addresses the safety and cost issues through the use of advanced reactor designs, the waste management issuemore » through the use of actinide burning, and the proliferation resistance issue through the use of an integral fuel cycle with co-located components. There are nine major components in the Combined Hybrid System linked by nineteen nuclear material mass flow streams. A computer code, CHASM, is used to analyze the mass flow rates CHS, and the reactor support ratio (the ratio of thermal/fast reactors), IFR of the system. The primary advantages of the CHS are its essentially actinide-free high-level radioactive waste, plus improved reactor safety, uranium utilization, and widening of the option base. The primary disadvantages of the CHS are the large capacity of IFRs required (approximately one MW{sub e} IFR capacity for every three MW{sub e} Thermal Reactor) and the novel radioactive waste streams produced by the CHS. The capability of the IFR to burn pure transuranic fuel, a primary assumption of this study, has yet to be proven. The Combined Hybrid System represents an attractive option for future nuclear power development; that disposal of the essentially actinide-free radioactive waste produced by the CHS provides an excellent alternative to the disposal of intact actinide-bearing Light Water Reactor spent fuel (reducing the toxicity based lifetime of the waste from roughly 360,000 years to about 510 years).« less

Radiochemical Analyses of the Filter Cake, Granular Activated Carbon, and Treated Ground Water from the DTSC Stringfellow Superfund Site Pretreatment Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Esser, B K; McConachie, W; Fischer, R

2005-09-16

The Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) requested that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) evaluate the treatment process currently employed at the Department's Stringfellow Superfund Site Pretreatment Plant (PTP) site to determine if wastes originating from the site were properly managed with regards to their radioactivity. In order to evaluate the current management strategy, LLNL suggested that DTSC characterize the effluents from the waste treatment system for radionuclide content. A sampling plan was developed; samples were collected and analyzed for radioactive constituents. Following is brief summary of those results and what implications for waste characterization may be made. (1) Themore » sampling and analysis provides strong evidence that the radionuclides present are Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). (2) The greatest source of radioactivity in the samples was naturally occurring uranium. The sample results indicate that the uranium concentration in the filter cake is higher than the Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) samples. (11 -14 and 2-6 ppm respectively). (3) No radiologic background for geologic materials has been established for the Stringfellow site, and comprehensive testing of the process stream has not been conducted. Without site-specific testing of geologic materials and waste process streams, it is not possible to conclude if filter cake and spent GAC samples contain radioactivity concentrated above natural background levels, or if radionuclides are being concentrated by the waste treatment process. Recommendation: The regulation of Technologically Enhanced, Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (T-NORM) is complex. Since the results of this study do not conclusively demonstrate that natural radioactive materials have not been concentrated by the treatment process it is recommended that the DTSC consult with the Department of Health Services (DHS) Radiological Health Branch to determine if any further action is warranted. If it were deemed desirable to establish a background for the Stringfellow setting LLNL would recommend that additional samples be taken and analyzed by LLNL using the same methods presented in this report.« less

Declassification of radioactive water from a pool type reactor after nuclear facility dismantling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnal, J. M.; Sancho, M.; García-Fayos, B.; Verdú, G.; Serrano, C.; Ruiz-Martínez, J. T.

2017-09-01

This work is aimed to the treatment of the radioactive water from a dismantled nuclear facility with an experimental pool type reactor. The main objective of the treatment is to declassify the maximum volume of water and thus decrease the volume of radioactive liquid waste to be managed. In a preliminary stage, simulation of treatment by the combination of reverse osmosis (RO) and evaporation have been performed. Predicted results showed that the combination of membrane and evaporation technologies would result in a volume reduction factor higher than 600. The estimated time to complete the treatment was around 650 h (25-30 days). For different economical and organizational reasons which are explained in this paper, the final treatment of the real waste had to be reduced and only evaporation was applied. The volume reduction factor achieved in the real treatment was around 170, and the time spent for treatment was 194 days.

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, China.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-07

Detector Response , Projection Sampling on the Contrast of CT Reconstructed Images (Qu Jianxiong; ZHONGGUO KEXUE JISHU DAXUE XUEBAO, No 3, Sep 86) 5...Plan’ Update 92 Hunan Soft Sciences Research Association 92 Burgeoning Technology Market .92 Radioactive Waste Depots Set...DETECTOR RESPONSE , PROJECTION SAMPLING ON THE CONTRAST OF CT RECONSTRUCTED IMAGES Hefei ZHONGGUO KEXUE JISHU DAXUE XUEBAO [JOURNAL OF CHINA

10 CFR 72.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Provisions § 72.1 Purpose. The... receive, transfer, and possess power reactor spent fuel, power reactor-related Greater than Class C (GTCC... reactor spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, power reactor-related GTCC waste, and other radioactive...

10 CFR 72.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Provisions § 72.1 Purpose. The... receive, transfer, and possess power reactor spent fuel, power reactor-related Greater than Class C (GTCC... reactor spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, power reactor-related GTCC waste, and other radioactive...

10 CFR 62.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

.... Emergency access means access to an operating non-Federal or regional low-level radioactive waste disposal... regional low-level radioactive waste disposal facility or facilities for a period not to exceed 180 days... waste. Non-Federal disposal facility means a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility that is...

Radioactive waste management in a hospital.

PubMed

Khan, Shoukat; Syed, At; Ahmad, Reyaz; Rather, Tanveer A; Ajaz, M; Jan, Fa

2010-01-01

Most of the tertiary care hospitals use radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Safe disposal of the radioactive waste is a vital component of the overall management of the hospital waste. An important objective in radioactive waste management is to ensure that the radiation exposure to an individual (Public, Radiation worker, Patient) and the environment does not exceed the prescribed safe limits. Disposal of Radioactive waste in public domain is undertaken in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Safe disposal of radioactive waste) rules of 1987 promulgated by the Indian Central Government Atomic Energy Act 1962. Any prospective plan of a hospital that intends using radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures needs to have sufficient infrastructural and manpower resources to keep its ambient radiation levels within specified safe limits. Regular monitoring of hospital area and radiation workers is mandatory to assess the quality of radiation safety. Records should be maintained to identify the quality and quantity of radioactive waste generated and the mode of its disposal. Radiation Safety officer plays a key role in the waste disposal operations.

Hanford Site annual dangerous waste report: Volume 2, Generator dangerous waste report, radioactive mixed waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-12-31

This report contains information on radioactive mixed wastes at the Hanford Site. Information consists of shipment date, physical state, chemical nature, waste description, waste number, waste designation, weight, and waste designation.

DWPF Safely Dispositioning Liquid Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-01-05

The only operating radioactive waste glassification plant in the nation, the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) converts the liquid radioactive waste currently stored at the Savannah River Site (SRS) into a solid glass form suitable for long-term storage and disposal. Scientists have long considered this glassification process, called “vitrification,” as the preferred option for treating liquid radioactive waste.

National profile on commercially generated low-level radioactive mixed waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klein, J.A.; Mrochek, J.E.; Jolley, R.L.

1992-12-01

This report details the findings and conclusions drawn from a survey undertaken as part of a joint US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and US Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored project entitled ``National Profile on Commercially Generated Low-Level Radioactive Mixed Waste.`` The overall objective of the work was to compile a national profile on the volumes, characteristics, and treatability of commercially generated low-level mixed waste for 1990 by five major facility categories-academic, industrial, medical, and NRC-/Agreement State-licensed goverment facilities and nuclear utilities. Included in this report are descriptions of the methodology used to collect and collate the data, the procedures used to estimate themore » mixed waste generation rate for commercial facilities in the United States in 1990, and the identification of available treatment technologies to meet applicable EPA treatment standards (40 CFR Part 268) and, if possible, to render the hazardous component of specific mixed waste streams nonhazardous. The report also contains information on existing and potential commercial waste treatment facilities that may provide treatment for specific waste streams identified in the national survey. The report does not include any aspect of the Department of Energy`s (DOES) management of mixed waste and generally does not address wastes from remedial action activities.« less

Radioactive Wastes. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Charles H.

This publication is one of a series of information booklets for the general public published by the United States Atomic Energy Commission. This booklet deals with the handling, processing and disposal of radioactive wastes. Among the topics discussed are: The Nature of Radioactive Wastes; Waste Management; and Research and Development. There are…

Investigation of some process parameters using microwave plasma technology for the treatment of radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trnovcevic, J.; Schneider, F.; Scherer, U. W.

2017-02-01

The production of nuclear energy and the application of other nuclear technologies produce large volumes of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes. To investigate a novel means of treating such wastes, plasma is investigated for its efficacy. Plasma treatment promises to simultaneously treat all waste types without any previous sorting or pre-treatment. Microwave-driven plasma torches have the advantage of high-energy efficiency and low-electrode wear. In small-scale experiments, several design variations of an open plasma oven were assembled in order to investigate constraints caused by the materials and oven geometry. The experimental set-up was modified several times in order to test the design characteristics and the variation of plasma-specific proprieties related to the radioactive waste treatment and in order to find a suitable solution with the minimum complexity that allows a representative reproducibility of the results obtained. A plasma torch controlled by a 2.45 GHz microwave signal of up to 200 W was used, employing air as the primary plasma gas with a flow rate of ∼2 L/min. Different organic and inorganic materials in different shapes and sizes were treated besides a standardized mixture resembling mixed wastes from nuclear plants. The results prove that the chosen microwave plasma torch is suitable for a combined combustion and melting of organic and in-organic materials. Investigation of the specimen size to be treated is influential in this process: the power is still too low to melt larger samples, but the temperature is sufficient to treat all kinds of material. When glass particles are added, materials melt together to form an amorphous substance, proving the possibility to vitrify material with this plasma torch. By optimization of the oven configuration, the time needed to combust 25 g of standard sample was reduced by ∼50%. Typical energy efficiencies were found in the range of 8-20% for melting of metal chipping, and ∼90% for melting of zinc powder.

Carbon bed mercury emissions control for mixed waste treatment.

PubMed

Soelberg, Nick; Enneking, Joe

2010-11-01

Mercury has various uses in nuclear fuel reprocessing and other nuclear processes, and so it is often present in radioactive and mixed (radioactive and hazardous) wastes. Compliance with air emission regulations such as the Hazardous Waste Combustor (HWC) Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards can require off-gas mercury removal efficiencies up to 99.999% for thermally treating some mixed waste streams. Test programs have demonstrated this level of off-gas mercury control using fixed beds of granular sulfur-impregnated activated carbon. Other results of these tests include (1) the depth of the mercury control mass transfer zone was less than 15-30 cm for the operating conditions of these tests; (2) MERSORB carbon can sorb mercury up to 19 wt % of the carbon mass; and (3) the spent carbon retained almost all (98.3-99.99%) of the mercury during Toxicity Characteristic Leachability Procedure (TCLP) tests, but when even a small fraction of the total mercury dissolves, the spent carbon can fail the TCLP test when the spent carbon contains high mercury concentrations.

Method for acid oxidation of radioactive, hazardous, and mixed organic waste materials

DOEpatents

Pierce, Robert A.; Smith, James R.; Ramsey, William G.; Cicero-Herman, Connie A.; Bickford, Dennis F.

1999-01-01

The present invention is directed to a process for reducing the volume of low level radioactive and mixed waste to enable the waste to be more economically stored in a suitable repository, and for placing the waste into a form suitable for permanent disposal. The invention involves a process for preparing radioactive, hazardous, or mixed waste for storage by contacting the waste starting material containing at least one organic carbon-containing compound and at least one radioactive or hazardous waste component with nitric acid and phosphoric acid simultaneously at a contacting temperature in the range of about 140.degree. C. to about 210 .degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to oxidize at least a portion of the organic carbon-containing compound to gaseous products, thereby producing a residual concentrated waste product containing substantially all of said radioactive or inorganic hazardous waste component; and immobilizing the residual concentrated waste product in a solid phosphate-based ceramic or glass form.

10 CFR 961.1 - Purpose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... STANDARD CONTRACT FOR DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND/OR HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE General § 961.1... fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) as provided in section 302 of the Nuclear Waste... title to, transport, and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and/or high-level radioactive waste delivered to...

78 FR 53793 - Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to... total of 5,500 ``Ultimate Foreign XW012/04 radioactive tons of low- Consignee(s).'' No other 11005699 waste). level waste). changes to the existing license which authorizes the export of non-conforming...

76 FR 58543 - Draft Policy Statement on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-21

...-Level Radioactive Waste Management AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Reopening of comment... for public comment a draft Policy Statement on Volume Reduction and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management that updates the 1981 Policy Statement on Low-Level Waste Volume Reduction. The revised Policy...

Transporting Radioactive Waste: An Engineering Activity. Grades 5-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HAZWRAP, The Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program.

This brochure contains an engineering activity for upper elementary, middle school, and high school students that examines the transportation of radioactive waste. The activity is designed to inform students about the existence of radioactive waste and its transportation to disposal sites. Students experiment with methods to contain the waste and…

Review of potential processing techniques for the encapsulation of wastes in thermoplastic polymers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, B.R.; Lageraaen, P.R.; Kalb, P.D.

1995-08-01

Thermoplastic encapsulation has been extensively studied at Brookhaven National Laboratory`s (BNL) Environmental and Waste Technology Center (EWTC) as a waste encapsulation technology applicable to a wide range of waste types including radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. Encapsulation involves processing thermoplastic and waste materials into a waste form product by heating and mixing both materials into a homogeneous molten mixture. Cooling of the melt results in a solid monolithic waste form in which contaminants have been completely surrounded by a polymer matrix. Heating and mixing requirements for successful waste encapsulation can be met using proven technologies available in various types ofmore » commercial equipment. Processing techniques for thermoplastic materials, such as low density polyethylene (LDPE), are well established within the plastics industry. The majority of commercial polymer processing is accomplished using extruders, mixers or a combination of these technologies. Extruders and mixers are available in a broad range of designs and are used during the manufacture of consumer and commercial products as well as for compounding applications. Compounding which refers to mixing additives such as stabilizers and/or colorants with polymers, is analogous to thermoplastic encapsulation. Several processing technologies were investigated for their potential application in encapsulating residual sorbent waste in selected thermoplastic polymers, including single-screw extruders, twin-screw extruders, continuous mixers, batch mixers as well as other less conventional devices. Each was evaluated based on operational ease, quality control, waste handling capabilities as well as degree of waste pretreatment required. Based on literature review, this report provides a description of polymer processing technologies, a discussion of the merits and limitations of each and an evaluation of their applicability to the encapsulation of sorbent wastes.« less

LITERATURE REVIEWS TO SUPPORT ION EXCHANGE TECHNOLOGY SELECTION FOR MODULAR SALT PROCESSING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, W

2007-11-30

This report summarizes the results of literature reviews conducted to support the selection of a cesium removal technology for application in a small column ion exchange (SCIX) unit supported within a high level waste tank. SCIX is being considered as a technology for the treatment of radioactive salt solutions in order to accelerate closure of waste tanks at the Savannah River Site (SRS) as part of the Modular Salt Processing (MSP) technology development program. Two ion exchange materials, spherical Resorcinol-Formaldehyde (RF) and engineered Crystalline Silicotitanate (CST), are being considered for use within the SCIX unit. Both ion exchange materials havemore » been studied extensively and are known to have high affinities for cesium ions in caustic tank waste supernates. RF is an elutable organic resin and CST is a non-elutable inorganic material. Waste treatment processes developed for the two technologies will differ with regard to solutions processed, secondary waste streams generated, optimum column size, and waste throughput. Pertinent references, anticipated processing sequences for utilization in waste treatment, gaps in the available data, and technical comparisons will be provided for the two ion exchange materials to assist in technology selection for SCIX. The engineered, granular form of CST (UOP IE-911) was the baseline ion exchange material used for the initial development and design of the SRS SCIX process (McCabe, 2005). To date, in-tank SCIX has not been implemented for treatment of radioactive waste solutions at SRS. Since initial development and consideration of SCIX for SRS waste treatment an alternative technology has been developed as part of the River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant (RPP-WTP) Research and Technology program (Thorson, 2006). Spherical RF resin is the baseline media for cesium removal in the RPP-WTP, which was designed for the treatment of radioactive waste supernates and is currently under construction in Hanford, WA. Application of RF for cesium removal in the Hanford WTP does not involve in-riser columns but does utilize the resin in large scale column configurations in a waste treatment facility. The basic conceptual design for SCIX involves the dissolution of saltcake in SRS Tanks 1-3 to give approximately 6 M sodium solutions and the treatment of these solutions for cesium removal using one or two columns supported within a high level waste tank. Prior to ion exchange treatment, the solutions will be filtered for removal of entrained solids. In addition to Tanks 1-3, solutions in two other tanks (37 and 41) will require treatment for cesium removal in the SCIX unit. The previous SCIX design (McCabe, 2005) utilized CST for cesium removal with downflow supernate processing and included a CST grinder following cesium loading. Grinding of CST was necessary to make the cesium-loaded material suitable for vitrification in the SRS Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). Because RF resin is elutable (and reusable) and processing requires conversion between sodium and hydrogen forms using caustic and acidic solutions more liquid processing steps are involved. The WTP baseline process involves a series of caustic and acidic solutions (downflow processing) with water washes between pH transitions across neutral. In addition, due to resin swelling during conversion from hydrogen to sodium form an upflow caustic regeneration step is required. Presumably, one of these basic processes (or some variation) will be utilized for MSP for the appropriate ion exchange technology selected. CST processing involves two primary waste products: loaded CST and decontaminated salt solution (DSS). RF processing involves three primary waste products: spent RF resin, DSS, and acidic cesium eluate, although the resin is reusable and typically does not require replacement until completion of multiple treatment cycles. CST processing requires grinding of the ion exchange media, handling of solids with high cesium loading, and handling of liquid wash and conditioning solutions. RF processing requires handling and evaporation of cesium eluates, disposal of spent organic resin, and handling of the various liquid wash and regenerate solutions used. In both cases, the DSS will be immobilized in a low activity waste form. It appears that both technologies are mature, well studied, and generally suitable for this application. Technology selection will likely be based on downstream impacts or preferences between the various processing options for the two materials rather than on some unacceptable performance property identified for one material. As a result, the following detailed technical review and summary of the two technologies should be useful to assist in technology selection for SCIX.« less

Topic I: Induced changes in hydrology at low-level radioactive waste repository sites: A section in Safe disposal of radionuclides in low-level radioactive-waste repository sites; Low-level radioactive-waste disposal workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, July 11-16, 1987, Big Bear Lake, Calif., Proceedings (Circular 1036)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prudic, David E.; Dennehy, Kevin F.; Bedinger, Marion S.; Stevens, Peter R.

1990-01-01

Engineering practices, including the excavation of trenches, placement of waste, nature of waste forms, backfilling procedures and materials, and trench-cover construction and materials at low-level radioactive-waste repository sites greatly affect the geohydrology of the sites. Engineering practices are dominant factors in eventual stability and isolation of the waste. The papers presented relating to Topic I were discussions of the hydrogeologic setting at existing low-level radioactive-waste repository sites and changes in the hydrology induced by site operations. Papers summarizing detailed studies presented at this workshop include those at sites near Sheffield, Ill.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tenn.; West Valley, N.Y.; Maxey Flats, Ky.; Barnwell, S.C.; and Beatty, Nev. 

[Investigation of radioactivity measurement of medical radioactive waste].

PubMed

Koizumi, Kiyoshi; Masuda, Kazutaka; Kusakabe, Kiyoko; Kinoshita, Fujimi; Kobayashi, Kazumi; Yamamoto, Tetsuo; Kanaya, Shinichi; Kida, Tetsuo; Yanagisawa, Masamichi; Iwanaga, Tetsuo; Ikebuchi, Hideharu; Kusama, Keiji; Namiki, Nobuo; Okuma, Hiroshi; Fujimura, Yoko; Horikoshi, Akiko; Tanaka, Mamoru

2004-11-01

To explore the possibility of which medical radioactive wastes could be disposed as general wastes after keeping them a certain period of time and confirming that their radioactivity reach a background level (BGL), we made a survey of these wastes in several nuclear medicine facilities. The radioactive wastes were collected for one week, packed in a box according to its half-life, and measured its radioactivity by scintillation survey meter with time. Some wastes could reach a BGL within 10 times of half-life, but 19% of the short half-life group (group 1) including 99mTc and 123I, and 8% of the middle half-life group (group 2) including 67Ga, (111)In, and 201Tl did not reach a BGL within 20 times of half-life. A reason for delaying the time of reaching a BGL might be partially attributed to high initial radiation dose rate or heavy package weight. However, mixing with the nuclides of longer half-life was estimated to be the biggest factor affecting this result. When disposing medical radioactive wastes as general wastes, it is necessary to avoid mixing with radionuclide of longer half-life and confirm that it reaches a BGL by actual measurement.

Hanford Site annual dangerous waste report: Volume 4, Waste Management Facility report, Radioactive mixed waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-12-31

This report contains information on radioactive mixed wastes at the Hanford Site. Information consists of shipment date, physical state, chemical nature, waste description, handling method and containment vessel, waste number, waste designation and amount of waste.

78 FR 9746 - Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-11

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to... radioactive disposition. Amend which was imported mixed waste) in to: 1) add four from Canada under NRC a....; docket No. country Diversified Scientific Class A radioactive Up to a maximum Return of non- Canada...

76 FR 53980 - Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR... Hitachi Nuclear Energy, LLC. Radioactive waste Up to 210 Cobalt- Recycling, China August 1, 2011, August 5, consisting of 60 sealed forensic testing 2011, IW030. used Cobalt-60 sources. or storage and radioactive...

75 FR 76054 - Detroit Edison Company Fermi, Unit 2; Exemption

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... licensee anticipates using rail to ship radioactive waste. From the licensee's experience with radioactive..., section III.E, to investigate and file a report to the NRC if shipments of low-level radioactive waste are... exemption would extend the time period that can elapse during shipments of low-level radioactive waste...

DWPF Safely Dispositioning Liquid Waste

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-21

The only operating radioactive waste glassification plant in the nation, the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) converts the liquid radioactive waste currently stored at the Savannah River Site (SRS) into a solid glass form suitable for long-term storage and disposal. Scientists have long considered this glassification process, called “vitrification,” as the preferred option for treating liquid radioactive waste.

The radioactive waste debate in the United States and nuclear technology for peaceful purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tehan, Terrence Norbert

Many ethical, cultural, and economic concerns have accompanied the rapid growth of Western technology. Nuclear technology in particular has experienced considerable opposition because of its perceived dangers, especially disposal of atomic waste. While this field of science remains in its infancy, many legal, political and ecological groups oppose any further application of nuclear technology--including the significant medical, environmental, and economic benefits possible from a safe and responsible application of nuclear energy. Complete and objective knowledge of this technology is needed to balance a healthy respect for the danger of atomic power with its many advantages. This study focuses on one aspect of nuclear technology that has particularly aroused political and social controversy: nuclear waste. Finding ways of disposing safely of nuclear waste has become an extremely volatile issue because of the popular misconception that there is no permanent solution to this problem. This investigation will demonstrate that the supposedly enduring waste problem has been resolved in several industrial countries that now outstrip the United States in safe commercial applications of nuclear science. This dissertation offers a reasoned and objective contribution to the continuing national debate on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. This debate becomes more crucial as the nation seeks a dependable substitute for the non-renewable sources of energy now rapidly being exhausted.

[Current status on storage, processing and risk communication of medical radioactive waste in Japan].

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Kida, Tetsuo; Hiraki, Hitoshi; Fujibuchi, Toshioh; Maehara, Yoshiaki; Tsukamoto, Atsuko; Koizumi, Mitsue; Kimura, Yumi; Horitsugi, Genki

2013-03-01

Decay-in-storage for radioactive waste including that of nuclear medicine has not been implemented in Japan. Therefore, all medical radioactive waste is collected and stored at the Japan Radioisotope Association Takizawa laboratory, even if the radioactivity has already decayed out. To clarify the current situation between Takizawa village and Takizawa laboratory, we investigated the radiation management status and risk communication activities at the laboratory via a questionnaire and site visiting survey in June 2010. Takizawa laboratory continues to maintain an interactive relationship with local residents. As a result, Takizawa village permitted the acceptance of new medical radioactive waste containing Sr-89 and Y-90. However, the village did not accept any non-medical radioactive waste such as waste from research laboratories. To implement decay-in-storage in Japan, it is important to obtain agreement with all stakeholders. We must continue to exert sincere efforts to acquire the trust of all stakeholders.

Kansas State Briefing Book on low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-07-01

The Kansas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Kansas. The profile is the result of a survey of radioactive material licensees in Kansas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developedmore » through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may affect waste management practices in Kansas.« less

FY 1994 program summary: Office of Technology Development, Office of Research and Development, Office of Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1994-10-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management, formerly the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM), was established in November 1989 as the first step toward correcting contamination problems resulting from nearly 50 years of nuclear weapons production and fuel processing activities. EM consolidates several DOE organizations previously responsible for the handling, treatment, and disposition of radioactive and hazardous waste. Within EM, the Office of Technology Development (OTD/EM-50) is responsible for developing technologies to meet DOE`s goal for environmental restoration. OTD manages an aggressive national program of applied research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation (RDDT andmore » E) for environmental cleanup, waste management, and related technologies. The program is designed to resolve major technical issues, to rapidly advanced beyond current technologies for environmental restoration and waste management operations, and to expedite compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. This report summarizes Fiscal Year 1994 (FY94) programmatic information, accomplishments, and planned activities relevant to the individual activities within OTD`s RDDT and E.« less

Development and application of a safety assessment methodology for waste disposals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Little, R.H.; Torres, C.; Schaller, K.H.

1996-12-31

As part of a European Commission funded research programme, QuantiSci (formerly the Environmental Division of Intera Information Technologies) and Instituto de Medio Ambiente of the Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y Tecnologicas (IMA/CIEMAT) have developed and applied a comprehensive, yet practicable, assessment methodology for post-disposal safety assessment of land-based disposal facilities. This Safety Assessment Comparison (SACO) Methodology employs a systematic approach to the collection, evaluation and use of waste and disposal system data. It can be used to assess engineered barrier performance, the attenuating properties of host geological formations, and the long term impacts of a facility on the environmentmore » and human health, as well as allowing the comparison of different disposal options for radioactive, mixed and non-radioactive wastes. This paper describes the development of the methodology and illustrates its use.« less

Potential environmental and regulatory implications of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM).

PubMed

Paschoa, A S

1998-03-01

The immense volume of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) wastes produced annually by extracting industries throughout the world deserves to come to the attention of international and national environmental protection agencies and regulatory bodies. Although a great deal of work has been done in the fields of radiation protection and remedial actions concerning uranium and other mines, the need to dispose of diffuse NORM wastes will have environmental and regulatory implications that thus far are not fully appreciated. NORM wastes constitute, by and large, unwanted byproducts of industrial activities as diverse as thorium and uranium milling, niobium, tin and gold mining extraction, water treatment, and the production of oil, gas, phosphate fertilizer, coal fire and aluminum. The volumes of NORM wastes produced annually could reach levels so high that the existing low level radioactive waste (LLRW) facilities would be readily occupied by NORM if controlled disposal procedures were not adopted. On the other hand, NORM cannot just be ignored as being below radiological concern (BRC) or lower than exempt concentration levels (ECLs), because sometimes NORM concentrations reach levels as high as 1 x 10(3) kBq/kg for 226Ra, and not much less for 228Ra. Unfortunately, thus far there is not enough information available concerning NORM wastes in key industries, though the international scientific community has been concerned, for a long time now, with technologically enhanced natural radiation exposures (TENRE). This article is written with the intention of examining, to the extent possible, the potential environmental and regulatory implications of NORM wastes being produced in selected industries.

Hanford High-Level Waste Vitrification Program at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory: technology development - annotated bibliography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, D.E.

1996-09-01

This report provides a collection of annotated bibliographies for documents prepared under the Hanford High-Level Waste Vitrification (Plant) Program. The bibliographies are for documents from Fiscal Year 1983 through Fiscal Year 1995, and include work conducted at or under the direction of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The bibliographies included focus on the technology developed over the specified time period for vitrifying Hanford pretreated high-level waste. The following subject areas are included: General Documentation; Program Documentation; High-Level Waste Characterization; Glass Formulation and Characterization; Feed Preparation; Radioactive Feed Preparation and Glass Properties Testing; Full-Scale Feed Preparation Testing; Equipment Materials Testing; Meltermore » Performance Assessment and Evaluations; Liquid-Fed Ceramic Melter; Cold Crucible Melter; Stirred Melter; High-Temperature Melter; Melter Off-Gas Treatment; Vitrification Waste Treatment; Process, Product Control and Modeling; Analytical; and Canister Closure, Decontamination, and Handling« less

Radioactive Wastes.

PubMed

Choudri, B S; Charabi, Yassine; Baawain, Mahad; Ahmed, Mushtaque

2017-10-01

Papers reviewed herein present a general overview of radioactive waste related activities around the world in 2016. The current reveiw include studies related to safety assessments, decommission and decontamination of nuclear facilities, fusion facilities, transportation. Further, the review highlights on management solutions for the final disposal of low and high level radioactive wastes (LLW and HLW), interim storage and final disposal options for spent fuel (SF), and tritiated wastes, with a focus on environmental impacts due to the mobility of radionuclides in ecosystem, water and soil alongwith other progress made in the management of radioactive wastes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

Pre-treatment of radioactive waste is the first step in waste management program that occurs after waste generation from various applications in Turkey. Pre-treatment and characterization practices are carried out in Radioactive Waste Management Unit (RWMU) at Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (CNRTC) in Istanbul. This facility has been assigned to take all low-level radioactive wastes generated by nuclear applications in Turkey. The wastes are generated from research and nuclear applications mainly in medicine, biology, agriculture, quality control in metal processing and construction industries. These wastes are classified as low- level radioactive wastes. Pre-treatment practices cover several steps. In thismore » paper, main steps of pre-treatment and characterization are presented. Basically these are; collection, segregation, chemical adjustment, size reduction and decontamination operations. (author)« less

78 FR 26812 - Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-08

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to...; XW012/03; 11005699. A radioactive total of 5,500 Energy of Canada waste). tons of low- Limited facilities as level waste). ``Ultimate Foreign Consignee(s).'' No other changes to the existing license which...

78 FR 26813 - Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-08

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to..., 2013, April 23, material (Class to a maximum the licensee name 2013, IW022/03, 11005700. A radioactive total of 5,500 from ``Perma-Fix waste). tons of low- Environmental level waste). Services, Inc.'' to...

10 CFR 62.12 - Contents of a request for emergency access: General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... EMERGENCY ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission... the person(s) or company(ies) generating the low-level radioactive waste for which the determination...) Certification that the radioactive waste for which emergency access is requested is low-level radioactive waste...

76 FR 35137 - Vulnerability and Threat Information for Facilities Storing Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-16

... High-Level Radioactive Waste AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Public meeting... Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste, and Reactor-Related Greater Than Class C Waste,'' and 73... Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) storage facilities. The draft regulatory...

Radioactive Waste Management in A Hospital

PubMed Central

Khan, Shoukat; Syed, AT; Ahmad, Reyaz; Rather, Tanveer A.; Ajaz, M; Jan, FA

2010-01-01

Most of the tertiary care hospitals use radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Safe disposal of the radioactive waste is a vital component of the overall management of the hospital waste. An important objective in radioactive waste management is to ensure that the radiation exposure to an individual (Public, Radiation worker, Patient) and the environment does not exceed the prescribed safe limits. Disposal of Radioactive waste in public domain is undertaken in accordance with the Atomic Energy (Safe disposal of radioactive waste) rules of 1987 promulgated by the Indian Central Government Atomic Energy Act 1962. Any prospective plan of a hospital that intends using radioisotopes for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures needs to have sufficient infrastructural and manpower resources to keep its ambient radiation levels within specified safe limits. Regular monitoring of hospital area and radiation workers is mandatory to assess the quality of radiation safety. Records should be maintained to identify the quality and quantity of radioactive waste generated and the mode of its disposal. Radiation Safety officer plays a key role in the waste disposal operations. PMID:21475524

Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management in the United States: What Have We Wrought? The Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award - 12222

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobi, Lawrence R.

2012-07-01

In 1979, radioactive waste disposal was an important national issue. State governors were closing the gates on the existing low-level radioactive waste disposal sites and the ultimate disposition of spent fuel was undecided. A few years later, the United States Congress thought they had solved both problems by passing the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1981, which established a network of regional compacts for low-level radioactive waste disposal, and by passing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to set out how a final resting place for high-level waste would be determined. Upon passage of the acts, State, Regionalmore » and Federal officials went to work. Here we are some 30 years later with little to show for our combined effort. The envisioned national repository for high-level radioactive waste has not materialized. Efforts to develop the Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste disposal facility were abandoned after spending $13 billion on the failed project. Recently, the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future issued its draft report that correctly concludes the existing policy toward high-level nuclear waste is 'all but completely broken down'. A couple of new low-level waste disposal facilities have opened since 1981, but neither were the result of efforts under the act. What the Act has done is interject a system of interstate compacts with a byzantine interstate import and export system to complicate the handling of low-level radioactive waste, with attendant costs. As this paper is being written in the fourth-quarter of 2011, after 30 years of political and bureaucratic turmoil, a new comprehensive low-level waste disposal facility at Andrews Texas is approaching its initial operating date. The Yucca Mountain project might be completed or it might not. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is commencing a review of their 1981 volume reduction policy statement. The Department of Energy after 26 years has yet to figure out how to implement its obligations under the 1985 amendments to the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act. But, the last three decades have not been a total loss. A great deal has been learned about radioactive waste disposal since 1979 and the efforts of the public and private sector have shaped and focused the work to be done in the future. So, this lecturer asks the question: 'What have we wrought?' to which he provides his perspective and his recommendations for radioactive waste management policy for the next 30 years. (author)« less

NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR CONDUCTING RADIATION HAZARD ASSESSMENTS: THE APPLICATION OF THE UNDERWATER RADIATION SPECTRAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (URSIS) AT THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY INDUSTRIAL WASTE (SITE) (U.S.A.)

EPA Science Inventory

The Underwater Radiation Spectral Identification System (URSIS) is a portable spectrometer used for the in situ detection of radioactivity in the marine environment. This paper reports on the first time application of this technology to assess, in a preliminary manner, the potent...

Status of the waste assay for nonradioactive disposal (WAND) project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnone, Gaetano L.; Foster, Lynn A.; Foxx, Charles L.; Hagan, Roland C.; Martin, E. R.; Myers, Steven C.; Parker, Jack L.

1999-01-01

The WAND (Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal) system scans thought-to-be-clean, low-density waste (mostly paper and plastics) to verify the absence of radioactive contaminants at very low-levels. Much of the low-density waste generated in radiologically controlled areas, formally considered `suspect' radioactive, is now disposed more cheaply at the Los Alamos County Landfill as opposed to the LANL Radioactive Waste Landfill.

Molten salt oxidation: a versatile and promising technology for the destruction of organic-containing wastes.

PubMed

Yao, Zhitong; Li, Jinhui; Zhao, Xiangyang

2011-08-01

Molten salt oxidation (MSO), a robust thermal but non-flame process, has the inherent capability of destroying organic constituents in wastes, while retaining inorganic and radioactive materials in situ. It has been considered as an alternative to incineration and may be a solution to many waste disposal problems. The present review first describes the history and development of MSO, as well as design and engineering details, and then focuses on reaction mechanisms and its potential applications in various wastes, including hazardous wastes, medical wastes, mixed wastes, and energetic materials. Finally, the current status of and prospects for the MSO process and directions for future research are considered. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Strength of Ethical Matrixes as a Tool for Normative Analysis Related to Technological Choices: The Case of Geological Disposal for Radioactive Waste.

PubMed

Kermisch, Céline; Depaus, Christophe

2018-02-01

The ethical matrix is a participatory tool designed to structure ethical reflection about the design, the introduction, the development or the use of technologies. Its collective implementation, in the context of participatory decision-making, has shown its potential usefulness. On the contrary, its implementation by a single researcher has not been thoroughly analyzed. The aim of this paper is precisely to assess the strength of ethical matrixes implemented by a single researcher as a tool for conceptual normative analysis related to technological choices. Therefore, the ethical matrix framework is applied to the management of high-level radioactive waste, more specifically to retrievable and non-retrievable geological disposal. The results of this analysis show that the usefulness of ethical matrixes is twofold and that they provide a valuable input for further decision-making. Indeed, by using ethical matrixes, implicit ethically relevant issues were revealed-namely issues of equity associated with health impacts and differences between close and remote future generations regarding ethical impacts. Moreover, the ethical matrix framework was helpful in synthesizing and comparing systematically the ethical impacts of the technologies under scrutiny, and hence in highlighting the potential ethical conflicts.

Gamma-ray spectrometry method used for radioactive waste drums characterization for final disposal at National Repository for Low and Intermediate Radioactive Waste--Baita, Romania.

PubMed

Done, L; Tugulan, L C; Dragolici, F; Alexandru, C

2014-05-01

The Radioactive Waste Management Department from IFIN-HH, Bucharest, performs the conditioning of the institutional radioactive waste in concrete matrix, in 200 l drums with concrete shield, for final disposal at DNDR - Baita, Bihor county, in an old exhausted uranium mine. This paper presents a gamma-ray spectrometry method for the characterization of the radioactive waste drums' radionuclides content, for final disposal. In order to study the accuracy of the method, a similar concrete matrix with Portland cement in a 200 l drum was used. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Glasses for immobilization of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laverov, N. P.; Omel'yanenko, B. I.; Yudintsev, S. V.; Stefanovsky, S. V.; Nikonov, B. S.

2013-03-01

Reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) for recovery of fissionable elements is a precondition of long-term development of nuclear energetics. Solution of this problem is hindered by the production of a great amount of liquid waste; 99% of its volume is low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). The volume of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), which is characterized by high heat release, does not exceed a fraction of a percent. Solubility of glasses at an elevated temperature makes them unfit for immobilization of HLW, the insulation of which is ensured only by mineral-like matrices. At the same time, glasses are a perfect matrix for LILW, which are distinguished by low heat release. The solubility of borosilicate glass at a low temperature is so low that even a glass with relatively low resistance enables them to retain safety of under-ground LILW depositories without additional engineering barriers. The optimal technology of liquid confinement is their concentration and immobilization in borosilicate glasses, which are disposed in shallow-seated geological repositories. The vitrification of 1 m3 liquid LILW with a salt concentration of ˜300 kg/m3 leaves behind only 0.2 m3 waste, that is, 4-6 times less than by bitumen impregnation and 10 times less than by cementation. Environmental and economic advantages of LILW vitrification result from (1) low solubility of the vitrified LILW in natural water; (2) significant reduction of LILW volume; (3) possibility to dispose the vitrified waste without additional engineering barriers under shallow conditions and in diverse geological media; (4) the strength of glass makes its transportation and storage possible; and finally (5) reliable longterm safety of repositories. When the composition of the glass matrix for LILW is being chosen, attention should be paid to the factors that ensure high technological and economic efficiency of vitrification. The study of vitrified LILW from the Kursk nuclear power plant with high-power channel reactors (HPCR; equivalent Russian acronym, RBMK) and the Kalinin nuclear power plant with pressurized water reactors (PWR; equivalent Russian acronym VVER) after their 14-yr storage in the shallow-seated repository at the MosNPO Radon testing ground has confirmed the safety of repositories ensured by confinement properties of borosilicate matrix. The most efficient vitrification technology is based on cold crucible induction melting. If the content of a chemical element in waste exceeds its solubility in glass, a crystalline phase is formed in the course of vitrification, so that the glass ceramics become a matrix for such waste. Vitrified waste with high Fe; Na and Al; Na, Fe, and Al; Na and B is characterized. The composition of frit and its proportion to waste depends on waste composition. This procedure requires careful laboratory testing.

Site environmental report for calendar year 2002. DOE operations at the Boeing Company, Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2003-09-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2002 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of Boeing' s Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL)). In the past, the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations at ETEC included development, fabrication, and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities at ETEC involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing liquid metal fast breeder components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988, and,more » subsequently, all radiological work has been directed toward decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Closure of the liquid metal test facilities began in 1996. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2002 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property ( land, structures, waste), and recycling. All radioactive w astes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes are released into the environment, and no structural debris from buildings w as transferred to municipal landfills or recycled in 2002.« less

Uranium mill tailings: nuclear waste and natural laboratory for geochemical and radioecological investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landa, Edward R.

2004-01-01

Uranium mill tailings (UMT) are a high volume, low specific activity radioactive waste typically disposed in surface impoundments. This review focuses on research on UMT and related earth materials during the past decade relevant to the assessment of: (1) mineral hosts of radionuclides; (2) the use of soil analogs in predicting long-term fate of radionuclides; (3) microbial and diagenetic processes that may alter radionuclide mobility in the surficial environment; (4) waste-management technologies to limit radionuclide migration; and (5) the impact of UMT on biota.

An industry perspective on commercial radioactive waste disposal conditions and trends.

PubMed

Romano, Stephen A

2006-11-01

The United States is presently served by Class-A, -B and -C low-level radioactive waste and naturally-occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material disposal sites in Washington and South Carolina; a Class-A and mixed waste disposal site in Utah that also accepts naturally-occurring radioactive material; and hazardous and solid waste facilities and uranium mill tailings sites that accept certain radioactive materials on a site-specific basis. The Washington site only accepts low-level radioactive waste from 11 western states due to interstate Compact restrictions on waste importation. The South Carolina site will be subject to geographic service area restrictions beginning 1 July 2008, after which only three states will have continued access. The Utah site dominates the commercial Class-A and mixed waste disposal market due to generally lower state fees than apply in South Carolina. To expand existing commercial services, an existing hazardous waste site in western Texas is seeking a Class-A, -B and -C and mixed waste disposal license. With that exception, no new Compact facilities are proposed. This fluid, uncertain situation has inspired national level rulemaking initiatives and policy studies, as well as alternative disposal practices for certain low-activity materials.

Mixed-layered bismuth--oxygen--iodine materials for capture and waste disposal of radioactive iodine

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krumhansl, James L; Nenoff, Tina M

2015-01-06

Materials and methods of synthesizing mixed-layered bismuth oxy-iodine materials, which can be synthesized in the presence of aqueous radioactive iodine species found in caustic solutions (e.g. NaOH or KOH). This technology provides a one-step process for both iodine sequestration and storage from nuclear fuel cycles. It results in materials that will be durable for repository conditions much like those found in Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and estimated for Yucca Mountain (YMP). By controlled reactant concentrations, optimized compositions of these mixed-layered bismuth oxy-iodine inorganic materials are produced that have both a high iodine weight percentage and a low solubility inmore » groundwater environments.« less

The safe disposal of radioactive wastes

PubMed Central

Kenny, A. W.

1956-01-01

A comprehensive review is given of the principles and problems involved in the safe disposal of radioactive wastes. The first part is devoted to a study of the basic facts of radioactivity and of nuclear fission, the characteristics of radioisotopes, the effects of ionizing radiations, and the maximum permissible levels of radioactivity for workers and for the general public. In the second part, the author describes the different types of radioactive waste—reactor wastes and wastes arising from the use of radioisotopes in hospitals and in industry—and discusses the application of the maximum permissible levels of radioactivity to their disposal and treatment, illustrating his discussion with an account of the methods practised at the principal atomic energy establishments. PMID:13374534

Opportunities and challenges for structural health monitoring of radioactive waste systems and structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giurgiutiu, Victor; Mendez Torres, Adrian E.

2013-07-01

Radioactive waste systems and structures (RWSS) are safety-critical facilities in need of monitoring over prolonged periods of time. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an emerging technology that aims at monitoring the state of a structure through the use of networks of permanently mounted sensors. SHM technologies have been developed primarily within the aerospace and civil engineering communities. This paper addresses the issue of transitioning the SHM concept to the monitoring of RWSS and evaluates the opportunities and challenges associated with this process. Guided wave SHM technologies utilizing structurally-mounted piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) have a wide range of applications basedmore » on both propagating-wave and standing-wave methodologies. Hence, opportunities exist for transitioning these SHM technologies into RWSS monitoring. However, there exist certain special operational conditions specific to RWSS such as: radiation field, caustic environments, marine environments, and chemical, mechanical and thermal stressors. In order to address the high discharge of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and the limited space in the storage pools the U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) has adopted a 'Strategy for the Management and Disposal of Used Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste' (January 2013). This strategy endorses the key principles that underpin the Blue Ribbon Commission's on America's Nuclear Future recommendations to develop a sustainable program for deploying an integrated system capable of transporting, storing, and disposing of UNF and high-level radioactive waste from civilian nuclear power generation, defense, national security, and other activities. This will require research to develop monitoring, diagnosis, and prognosis tools that can aid to establish a strong technical basis for extended storage and transportation of UNF. Monitoring of such structures is critical for assuring the safety and security of the nation's spent nuclear fuel until a national policy for closure of the nuclear fuel cycle is defined and implemented. In addition, such tools can provide invaluable and timely information for verification of the predicted mechanical performance of RWSS (e.g. concrete or steel barriers) during off-normal occurrence and accident events such as the tsunami and earthquake event that affected Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The ability to verify the conditions, health, and degradation behavior of RWSS over time by applying nondestructive testing (NDT) as well as development of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) tools for new degradation processes will become challenging. The paper discusses some of the challenges associated to verification and diagnosis for RWSS and identifies SHM technologies which are more readily available for transitioning into RWSS applications. Fundamental research objectives that should be considered for the transition of SHM technologies (e.g., radiation hardened piezoelectric materials) for RWSS applications are discussed. The paper ends with summary, conclusions, and suggestions for further work. (authors)« less

Hydrogeologic factors in the selection of shallow land burial sites for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, John N.

1986-01-01

In the United States, low-level radioactive waste is disposed of by shallow land burial. Commercial low-level radioactive waste has been buried at six sites, and low-level radioactive waste generated by the Federal Government has been buried at nine major and several minor sites. Several existing low-level radioactive waste sites have not provided expected protection of the environment. These shortcomings are related, at least in part, to an inadequate understanding of site hydrogeology at the time the sites were selected. To better understand the natural systems and the effect of hydrogeologic factors on long-term site performance, the U.S. Geological Survey has conducted investigations at five of the six commercial low-level radioactive waste sites and at three Federal sites. These studies, combined with those of other Federal and State agencies, have identified and confirmed important hydrogeologic factors in the effective disposal of low-level radioactive waste by shallow land burial. These factors include precipitation, surface drainage, topography, site stability, geology, thickness of the host soil-rock horizon, soil and sediment permeability, soil and water chemistry, and depth to the water table.

Management of radioactive waste in Belgium: ONDRAF/NIRAS and Belgoprocess as major actors of the waste acceptance system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zaelen, Gunter van; Verheyen, Annick

2007-07-01

The management of radioactive waste in Belgium is undertaken by the national agency for radioactive waste and enriched fissile materials, ONDRAF/NIRAS, and its industrial partner Belgoprocess. ONDRAF/NIRAS has set up a management system designed to guarantee that the general public and the environment are protected against the potential hazards arising from radioactive waste. Belgoprocess is a private company, founded in 1984 and located in Dessel, Belgium. It is a subsidiary of ONDRAF/NIRAS and its activities focus on the safe processing and storage of radioactive waste. The management system of ONDRAF/NIRAS includes two aspects: a) an integrated system and b) anmore » acceptance system. The integrated system covers all aspects of management ranging from the origin of waste to its transport, processing, interim storage and long-term management. The safety of radioactive waste management not only depends on the quality of the design and construction of the processing, temporary storage or disposal infrastructure, but also on the quality of the waste accepted by ONDRAF/NIRAS. In order to be manage d safely, both in the short and the long term, the waste transferred to ONDRAF/NIRAS must meet certain specific requirements. To that end, ONDRAF/NIRAS has developed an acceptance system. (authors)« less

Secondary Waste Form Down Selection Data Package – Ceramicrete

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cantrell, Kirk J.; Westsik, Joseph H.

2011-08-31

As part of high-level waste pretreatment and immobilized low activity waste processing, liquid secondary wastes will be generated that will be transferred to the Effluent Treatment Facility on the Hanford Site for further treatment. These liquid secondary wastes will be converted to stable solid waste forms that will be disposed in the Integrated Disposal Facility. Currently, four waste forms are being considered for stabilization and solidification of the liquid secondary wastes. These waste forms are Cast Stone, Ceramicrete, DuraLith, and Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer. The preferred alternative will be down selected from these four waste forms. Pacific Northwest National Laboratorymore » is developing data packages to support the down selection process. The objective of the data packages is to identify, evaluate, and summarize the existing information on the four waste forms being considered for stabilization and solidification of the liquid secondary wastes. The information included will be based on information available in the open literature and from data obtained from testing currently underway. This data package is for the Ceramicrete waste form. Ceramicrete is a relatively new engineering material developed at Argonne National Laboratory to treat radioactive and hazardous waste streams (e.g., Wagh 2004; Wagh et al. 1999a, 2003; Singh et al. 2000). This cement-like waste form can be used to treat solids, liquids, and sludges by chemical immobilization, microencapsulation, and/or macroencapsulation. The Ceramicrete technology is based on chemical reaction between phosphate anions and metal cations to form a strong, dense, durable, low porosity matrix that immobilizes hazardous and radioactive contaminants as insoluble phosphates and microencapsulates insoluble radioactive components and other constituents that do not form phosphates. Ceramicrete is a type of phosphate-bonded ceramic, which are also known as chemically bonded phosphate ceramics. The Ceramicrete binder is formed through an acid-base reaction between calcined magnesium oxide (MgO; a base) and potassium hydrogen phosphate (KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}; an acid) in aqueous solution. The reaction product sets at room temperature to form a highly crystalline material. During the reaction, the hazardous and radioactive contaminants also react with KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4} to form highly insoluble phosphates. In this data package, physical property and waste acceptance data for Ceramicrete waste forms fabricated with wastes having compositions that were similar to those expected for secondary waste effluents, as well as secondary waste effluent simulants from the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant were reviewed. With the exception of one secondary waste form formulation (25FA+25 W+1B.A. fabricated with the mixed simulant did not meet the compressive strength requirement), all the Ceramicrete waste forms that were reviewed met or exceeded Integrated Disposal Facility waste acceptance criteria.« less

The Use of Induction Melting for the Treatment of Metal Radioactive Waste - 13088

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zherebtsov, Alexander; Pastushkov, Vladimir; Poluektov, Pavel

2013-07-01

The aim of the work is to assess the efficacy of induction melting metal for recycling radioactive waste in order to reduce the volume of solid radioactive waste to be disposed of, and utilization of the metal. (authors)

Evaluation of alternative nonflame technologies for destruction of hazardous organic waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwinkendorf, W.E.; Musgrave, B.C.; Drake, R.N.

1997-04-01

The US Department of Energy`s Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) commissioned an evaluation of mixed waste treatment technologies that are alternatives to incineration for destruction of hazardous organic wastes. The purpose of this effort is to evaluate technologies that are alternatives to open-flame, free-oxygen combustion (as exemplified by incinerators), and recommend to the Waste Type Managers and the MWFA which technologies should be considered for further development. Alternative technologies were defined as those that have the potential to: destroy organic material without use of open-flame reactions with free gas-phase oxygen as the reaction mechanism; reduce the offgas volume and associatedmore » contaminants (metals, radionuclides, and particulates) emitted under normal operating conditions; eliminate or reduce the production of dioxins and furans; and reduce the potential for excursions in the process that can lead to accidental release of harmful levels of chemical or radioactive materials. Twenty-three technologies were identified that have the potential for meeting these requirements. These technologies were rated against the categories of performance, readiness for deployment, and environment safety, and health. The top ten technologies that resulted from this evaluation are Steam Reforming, Electron Beam, UV Photo-Oxidation, Ultrasonics, Eco Logic reduction process, Supercritical Water oxidation, Cerium Mediated Electrochemical Oxidation, DETOX{sup SM}, Direct Chemical Oxidation (peroxydisulfate), and Neutralization/Hydrolysis.« less

DESTRUCTION OF TETRAPHENYLBORATE IN TANK 48H USING WET AIR OXIDATION BATCH BENCH SCALE AUTOCLAVE TESTING WITH ACTUAL RADIOACTIVE TANK 48H WASTE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adu-Wusu, K; Paul Burket, P

2009-03-31

Wet Air Oxidation (WAO) is one of the two technologies being considered for the destruction of Tetraphenylborate (TPB) in Tank 48H. Batch bench-scale autoclave testing with radioactive (actual) Tank 48H waste is among the tests required in the WAO Technology Maturation Plan. The goal of the autoclave testing is to validate that the simulant being used for extensive WAO vendor testing adequately represents the Tank 48H waste. The test objective was to demonstrate comparable test results when running simulated waste and real waste under similar test conditions. Specifically: (1) Confirm the TPB destruction efficiency and rate (same reaction times) obtainedmore » from comparable simulant tests, (2) Determine the destruction efficiency of other organics including biphenyl, (3) Identify and quantify the reaction byproducts, and (4) Determine off-gas composition. Batch bench-scale stirred autoclave tests were conducted with simulated and actual Tank 48H wastes at SRNL. Experimental conditions were chosen based on continuous-flow pilot-scale simulant testing performed at Siemens Water Technologies Corporation (SWT) in Rothschild, Wisconsin. The following items were demonstrated as a result of this testing. (1) Tetraphenylborate was destroyed to below detection limits during the 1-hour reaction time at 280 C. Destruction efficiency of TPB was > 99.997%. (2) Other organics (TPB associated compounds), except biphenyl, were destroyed to below their respective detection limits. Biphenyl was partially destroyed in the process, mainly due to its propensity to reside in the vapor phase during the WAO reaction. Biphenyl is expected to be removed in the gas phase during the actual process, which is a continuous-flow system. (3) Reaction byproducts, remnants of MST, and the PUREX sludge, were characterized in this work. Radioactive species, such as Pu, Sr-90 and Cs-137 were quantified in the filtrate and slurry samples. Notably, Cs-137, boron and potassium were shown as soluble as a result of the WAO reaction. (4) Off-gas composition was measured in the resulting gas phase from the reaction. Benzene and hydrogen were formed during the reaction, but they were reasonably low in the off-gas at 0.096 and 0.0063 vol% respectively. Considering the consistency in replicating similar test results with simulated waste and Tank 48H waste under similar test conditions, the results confirm the validity of the simulant for other WAO test conditions.« less

Radioactive waste material melter apparatus

DOEpatents

Newman, D.F.; Ross, W.A.

1990-04-24

An apparatus for preparing metallic radioactive waste material for storage is disclosed. The radioactive waste material is placed in a radiation shielded enclosure. The waste material is then melted with a plasma torch and cast into a plurality of successive horizontal layers in a mold to form a radioactive ingot in the shape of a spent nuclear fuel rod storage canister. The apparatus comprises a radiation shielded enclosure having an opening adapted for receiving a conventional transfer cask within which radioactive waste material is transferred to the apparatus. A plasma torch is mounted within the enclosure. A mold is also received within the enclosure for receiving the melted waste material and cooling it to form an ingot. The enclosure is preferably constructed in at least two parts to enable easy transport of the apparatus from one nuclear site to another. 8 figs.

Radioactive waste material melter apparatus

DOEpatents

Newman, Darrell F.; Ross, Wayne A.

1990-01-01

An apparatus for preparing metallic radioactive waste material for storage is disclosed. The radioactive waste material is placed in a radiation shielded enclosure. The waste material is then melted with a plasma torch and cast into a plurality of successive horizontal layers in a mold to form a radioactive ingot in the shape of a spent nuclear fuel rod storage canister. The apparatus comprises a radiation shielded enclosure having an opening adapted for receiving a conventional transfer cask within which radioactive waste material is transferred to the apparatus. A plasma torch is mounted within the enclosure. A mold is also received within the enclosure for receiving the melted waste material and cooling it to form an ingot. The enclosure is preferably constructed in at least two parts to enable easy transport of the apparatus from one nuclear site to another.

Characterization, monitoring, and sensor technology catalogue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Matalucci, R.V.; Esparza-Baca, C.; Jimenez, R.D.

1995-12-01

This document represents a summary of 58 technologies that are being developed by the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Science and Technology (OST) to provide site, waste, and process characterization and monitoring solutions to the DOE weapons complex. The information was compiled to provide performance data on OST-developed technologies to scientists and engineers responsible for preparing Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Studies (RI/FSs) and preparing plans and compliance documents for DOE cleanup and waste management programs. The information may also be used to identify opportunities for partnering and commercialization with industry, DOE laboratories, other federal and state agencies, and the academic community.more » Each technology is featured in a format that provides: (1) a description, (2) technical performance data, (3) applicability, (4) development status, (5) regulatory considerations, (6) potential commercial applications, (7) intellectual property, and (8) points-of-contact. Technologies are categorized into the following areas: (1) Bioremediation Monitoring, (2) Decontamination and Decommissioning, (3) Field Analytical Laboratories, (4) Geophysical and Hydrologic Characterization, (5) Hazardous Inorganic Contaminant Analysis, (6) Hazardous Organic Contaminant Analysis, (7) Mixed Waste, (8) Radioactive Contaminant Analysis, (9) Remote Sensing,(10)Sampling and Drilling, (11) Statistically Guided Sampling, and (12) Tank Waste.« less

Radioactive Waste Management in Non-Nuclear Countries - 13070

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kubelka, Dragan; Trifunovic, Dejan

2013-07-01

This paper challenges internationally accepted concepts of dissemination of responsibilities between all stakeholders involved in national radioactive waste management infrastructure in the countries without nuclear power program. Mainly it concerns countries classified as class A and potentially B countries according to International Atomic Energy Agency. It will be shown that in such countries long term sustainability of national radioactive waste management infrastructure is very sensitive issue that can be addressed by involving regulatory body in more active way in the infrastructure. In that way countries can mitigate possible consequences on the very sensitive open market of radioactive waste management services,more » comprised mainly of radioactive waste generators, operators of end-life management facilities and regulatory body. (authors)« less

4th Quarter Transportation Report FY 2014: Radioactive Waste Shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory, Louis

2014-12-02

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. There was one shipment of two drums sent for offsite treatment and disposal. This report summarizes the 4th quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. This report also includes annualmore » summaries for FY 2014.« less

NEVADA TEST SITE WASTE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA, JUNE 2006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION NEVADA SITE OFFICE

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) waste acceptance criteria (WAC). The WAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada Test Site (NTS) will accept low-level radioactive (LLW) and mixed waste (MW) for disposal. It includes requirements for the generator waste certification program, characterization, traceability, waste form, packaging, and transfer. The criteria apply to radioactive waste received at the NTS Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) for storage or disposal.

Nevada Test Site Waste Acceptance Criteria

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U. S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office

This document establishes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) waste acceptance criteria (WAC). The WAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada Test Site (NTS) will accept low-level radioactive (LLW) and mixed waste (MW) for disposal. It includes requirements for the generator waste certification program, characterization, traceability, waste form, packaging, and transfer. The criteria apply to radioactive waste received at the NTS Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) for storage or disposal.

10 CFR 1800.10 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... NORTHEAST INTERSTATE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMMISSION DECLARATION OF PARTY STATE ELIGIBILITY FOR NORTHEAST INTERSTATE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMPACT § 1800.10 Purpose and scope. Pursuant to Articles IV.i.(1), (7), (15), and VII.e. of the Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact...

10 CFR 1800.10 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... NORTHEAST INTERSTATE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMMISSION DECLARATION OF PARTY STATE ELIGIBILITY FOR NORTHEAST INTERSTATE LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE COMPACT § 1800.10 Purpose and scope. Pursuant to Articles IV.i.(1), (7), (15), and VII.e. of the Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact...

NEVADA TEST SITE WASTE ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, NEVADA SITE OFFICE

This document establishes the U. S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) waste acceptance criteria (WAC). The WAC provides the requirements, terms, and conditions under which the Nevada Test Site will accept low-level radioactive and mixed waste for disposal. Mixed waste generated within the State of Nevada by NNSA/NSO activities is accepted for disposal. It includes requirements for the generator waste certification program, characterization, traceability, waste form, packaging, and transfer. The criteria apply to radioactive waste received at the Nevada Test Site Area 3 and Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site for storage or disposal.

Multi-discipline Waste Acceptance Process at the Nevada National Security Site - 13573

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Carilli, Jhon T.; Krenzien, Susan K.

2013-07-01

The Nevada National Security Site low-level radioactive waste disposal facility acceptance process requires multiple disciplines to ensure the protection of workers, the public, and the environment. These disciplines, which include waste acceptance, nuclear criticality, safety, permitting, operations, and performance assessment, combine into the overall waste acceptance process to assess low-level radioactive waste streams for disposal at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site. Four waste streams recently highlighted the integration of these disciplines: the Oak Ridge Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators and Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project material, West Valley Melter, and classified waste. (authors)

``Recycling'' Nuclear Power Plant Waste: Technical Difficulties and Proliferation Concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyman, Edwin

2007-04-01

One of the most vexing problems associated with nuclear energy is the inability to find a technically and politically viable solution for the disposal of long-lived radioactive waste. The U.S. plan to develop a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is in jeopardy, as a result of managerial incompetence, political opposition and regulatory standards that may be impossible to meet. As a result, there is growing interest in technologies that are claimed to have the potential to drastically reduce the amount of waste that would require geologic burial and the length of time that the waste would require containment. A scenario for such a vision was presented in the December 2005 Scientific American. While details differ, these technologies share a common approach: they require chemical processing of spent fuel to extract plutonium and other long-lived actinide elements, which would then be ``recycled'' into fresh fuel for advanced reactors and ``transmuted'' into shorter-lived fission products. Such a scheme is the basis for the ``Global Nuclear Energy Partnership,'' a major program unveiled by the Department of Energy (DOE) in early 2006. This concept is not new, but has been studied for decades. Major obstacles include fundamental safety issues, engineering feasibility and cost. Perhaps the most important consideration in the post-9/11 era is that these technologies involve the separation of plutonium and other nuclear weapon-usable materials from highly radioactive fission products, providing opportunities for terrorists seeking to obtain nuclear weapons. While DOE claims that it will only utilize processes that do not produce ``separated plutonium,'' it has offered no evidence that such technologies would effectively deter theft. It is doubtful that DOE's scheme can be implemented without an unacceptable increase in the risk of nuclear terrorism.

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Geological Challenges in Radioactive Waste Isolation—Fifth Worldwide Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faybishenko, Boris; Birkholzer, Jens; Sassani, David

The overall objective of the Fifth Worldwide Review (WWR-5) is to document the current state-of-the-art of major developments in a number of nations throughout the World pursuing geological disposal programs, and to summarize challenging problems and experience that have been obtained in siting, preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating nuclear waste repositories. The scope of the Review is to address current specific technical issues and challenges in safety case development along with the interplay of technical feasibility, siting, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. In particular, the chapters included inmore » the report present the following types of information: the current status of the deep geological repository programs for high level nuclear waste and low- and intermediate level nuclear waste in each country, concepts of siting and radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management in different countries (with the emphasis of nuclear waste disposal under different climatic conditions and different geological formations), progress in repository site selection and site characterization, technology development, buffer/backfill materials studies and testing, support activities, programs, and projects, international cooperation, and future plans, as well as regulatory issues and transboundary problems.« less

Immobilization of organic radioactive and non-radioactive liquid waste in a composite matrix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Galkin, Anatoliy; Gelis, Artem V.; Castiglioni, Andrew J.

A method for immobilizing liquid radioactive waste is provided, the method having the steps of mixing waste with polymer to form a non-liquid waste; contacting the non-liquid waste with a solidifying agent to create a mixture, heating the mixture to cause the polymer, waste, and filler to irreversibly bind in a solid phase, and compressing the solid phase into a monolith. The invention also provides a method for immobilizing liquid radioactive waste containing tritium, the method having the steps of mixing liquid waste with polymer to convert the liquid waste to a non-liquid waste, contacting the non-liquid waste with amore » solidifying agent to create a mixture, heating the mixture to form homogeneous, chemically stable solid phase, and compressing the chemically stable solid phase into a final waste form, wherein the polymer comprises approximately a 9:1 weight ratio mixture of styrene block co-polymers and cross linked co-polymers of acrylamides.« less

Radioactive waste management in Poland status and strategy for the future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wlodarski, J.

1995-12-01

Site selection for a new radioactive waste repository in Poland has been started. The repository will contain low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes and spent fuel. Superficial, shallow underground and deep underground disposal options were considered; 39 potential sites have been selected. Issues to be resolved regarding waste management in Poland are also outlined in this paper.

France's State of the Art Distributed Optical Fibre Sensors Qualified for the Monitoring of the French Underground Repository for High Level and Intermediate Level Long Lived Radioactive Wastes.

PubMed

Delepine-Lesoille, Sylvie; Girard, Sylvain; Landolt, Marcel; Bertrand, Johan; Planes, Isabelle; Boukenter, Aziz; Marin, Emmanuel; Humbert, Georges; Leparmentier, Stéphanie; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Ouerdane, Youcef

2017-06-13

This paper presents the state of the art distributed sensing systems, based on optical fibres, developed and qualified for the French Cigéo project, the underground repository for high level and intermediate level long-lived radioactive wastes. Four main parameters, namely strain, temperature, radiation and hydrogen concentration are currently investigated by optical fibre sensors, as well as the tolerances of selected technologies to the unique constraints of the Cigéo's severe environment. Using fluorine-doped silica optical fibre surrounded by a carbon layer and polyimide coating, it is possible to exploit its Raman, Brillouin and Rayleigh scattering signatures to achieve the distributed sensing of the temperature and the strain inside the repository cells of radioactive wastes. Regarding the dose measurement, promising solutions are proposed based on Radiation Induced Attenuation (RIA) responses of sensitive fibres such as the P-doped ones. While for hydrogen measurements, the potential of specialty optical fibres with Pd particles embedded in their silica matrix is currently studied for this gas monitoring through its impact on the fibre Brillouin signature evolution.

SRS stainless steel beneficial reuse program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boettinger, W.L.

1997-02-01

The US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) has thousands of tons of stainless steel radioactive scrap metal (RSNI). Much of the metal is volumetrically contaminated. There is no {open_quotes}de minimis{close_quotes} free release level for volumetric material, and therefore no way to recycle the metal into the normal commercial market. If declared waste, the metal would qualify as low level radioactive waste (LLW) and ultimately be dispositioned through shallow land buried at a cost of millions of dollars. The metal however could be recycled in a {open_quotes}controlled release{close_quote} manner, in the form of containers to hold other typesmore » of radioactive waste. This form of recycle is generally referred to as {open_quotes}Beneficial Reuse{close_quotes}. Beneficial reuse reduces the amount of disposal space needed and reduces the need for virgin containers which would themselves become contaminated. Stainless steel is particularly suited for long term storage because of its resistance to corrosion. To assess the practicality of stainless steel RSM recycle the SRS Benficial Reuse Program began a demonstration in 1994, funded by the DOE Office of Science and Technology. This paper discusses the experiences gained in this program.« less

France’s State of the Art Distributed Optical Fibre Sensors Qualified for the Monitoring of the French Underground Repository for High Level and Intermediate Level Long Lived Radioactive Wastes

PubMed Central

Delepine-Lesoille, Sylvie; Girard, Sylvain; Landolt, Marcel; Bertrand, Johan; Planes, Isabelle; Boukenter, Aziz; Marin, Emmanuel; Humbert, Georges; Leparmentier, Stéphanie; Auguste, Jean-Louis; Ouerdane, Youcef

2017-01-01

This paper presents the state of the art distributed sensing systems, based on optical fibres, developed and qualified for the French Cigéo project, the underground repository for high level and intermediate level long-lived radioactive wastes. Four main parameters, namely strain, temperature, radiation and hydrogen concentration are currently investigated by optical fibre sensors, as well as the tolerances of selected technologies to the unique constraints of the Cigéo’s severe environment. Using fluorine-doped silica optical fibre surrounded by a carbon layer and polyimide coating, it is possible to exploit its Raman, Brillouin and Rayleigh scattering signatures to achieve the distributed sensing of the temperature and the strain inside the repository cells of radioactive wastes. Regarding the dose measurement, promising solutions are proposed based on Radiation Induced Attenuation (RIA) responses of sensitive fibres such as the P-doped ones. While for hydrogen measurements, the potential of specialty optical fibres with Pd particles embedded in their silica matrix is currently studied for this gas monitoring through its impact on the fibre Brillouin signature evolution. PMID:28608831

NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, S. Y.; Napier, Bruce

Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities. The Committee continues to identify such issues in the future.

Maine State Briefing Book on low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-08-01

The Maine State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and Federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Maine. The profile is the result of a survey of radioactive material licensees in Maine. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested partices including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developedmore » through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant goverment agencies and activities, all of which may impact management practices in Maine.« less

High-Level Radioactive Waste: Safe Storage and Ultimate Disposal.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dukert, Joseph M.

Described are problems and techniques for safe disposal of radioactive waste. Degrees of radioactivity, temporary storage, and long-term permanent storage are discussed. Included are diagrams of estimated waste volumes to the year 2000 and of an artist's conception of a permanent underground disposal facility. (SL)

Nuclear Waste: Increasing Scale and Sociopolitical Impacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

La Porte, Todd R.

1978-01-01

Discusses the impact of radioactive waste management system on social and political development. The article also presents (1) types of information necessary to estimate the costs and consequences of radioactive waste management; and (2) an index of radioactive hazards to improve the basis for policy decisions. (HM)

40 CFR 147.3005 - Radioactive waste injection wells.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Radioactive waste injection wells. 147.3005 Section 147.3005 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER... the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, and All Other New Mexico Tribes § 147.3005 Radioactive waste injection...

10 CFR 2.1027 - Sua sponte.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Applicable to Proceedings for the Issuance of Licenses for the Receipt of High-Level Radioactive Waste at a... construction authorization for a high-level radioactive waste repository at a geologic repository operations...-level radioactive waste at a geologic repository operations area under parts 60 or 63 of this chapter...

40 CFR 147.3005 - Radioactive waste injection wells.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Radioactive waste injection wells. 147... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) STATE, TRIBAL, AND EPA-ADMINISTERED UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL PROGRAMS Lands of the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, and All Other New Mexico Tribes § 147.3005 Radioactive waste injection...

40 CFR 147.3005 - Radioactive waste injection wells.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Radioactive waste injection wells. 147... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) STATE, TRIBAL, AND EPA-ADMINISTERED UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL PROGRAMS Lands of the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, and All Other New Mexico Tribes § 147.3005 Radioactive waste injection...

40 CFR 147.3005 - Radioactive waste injection wells.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Radioactive waste injection wells. 147... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) STATE, TRIBAL, AND EPA-ADMINISTERED UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL PROGRAMS Lands of the Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, and All Other New Mexico Tribes § 147.3005 Radioactive waste injection...

Robotics crosscutting program: Technology summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The Office of Environmental Management (EM) is responsible for cleaning up the legacy of radioactive and chemically hazardous waste at contaminated sites and facilities throughout the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex, preventing further environmental contamination, and instituting responsible environmental management. Initial efforts to achieve this mission resulted in the establishment of environmental restoration and waste management programs. However, as EM began to execute its responsibilities, decision makers became aware that the complexity and magnitude of this mission could not be achieved efficiently, affordably, safely, or reasonably with existing technology. Once the need for advanced cleanup technologies becamemore » evident, EM established an aggressive, innovative program of applied research and technology development. The Office of Technology Development (OTD) was established in November 1989 to advance new and improved environmental restoration and waste management technologies that would reduce risks to workers, the public, and the environment; reduce cleanup costs; and devise methods to correct cleanup problems that currently have no solutions. In 1996, OTD added two new responsibilities - management of a Congressionally mandated environmental science program and development of risk policy, requirements, and guidance. OTD was renamed the Office of Science and Technology (OST). This documents presents information concerning robotics tank waste retrieval overview, robotic chemical analysis automation, robotics decontamination and dismantlement, and robotics crosscutting and advanced technology.« less

1st Quarter Transportation Report FY 2015: Radioactive Waste Shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory, Louis

2015-02-20

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. This report summarizes the 1st quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. Tabular summaries are provided which include the following: Sources of and carriers for LLW and MLLW shipments tomore » and from the NNSS; Number and external volume of LLW and MLLW shipments; Highway routes used by carriers; and Incident/accident data applicable to LLW and MLLW shipments. In this report shipments are accounted for upon arrival at the NNSS, while disposal volumes are accounted for upon waste burial. The disposal volumes presented in this report include minor volumes of non-radioactive classified waste/material that were approved for disposal (non-radioactive classified or nonradioactive classified hazardous). Volume reports showing cubic feet generated using the Low-Level Waste Information System may vary slightly due to rounding conventions for volumetric conversions from cubic meters to cubic feet.« less

New Jersey State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The New Jersey state Briefing Book is one of a series of State briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in New Jersey. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in New Jersey. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessmentmore » was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in New Jersey.« less

Mississippi State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

The Mississippi State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state an federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Mississippi. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Mississippi. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Mississippi.« less

North Carolina State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The North Carolina State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in North Carolina. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in North Carolina. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessmentmore » was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in North Carolina.« less

Wyoming State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Wyoming State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Wyoming. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Wyoming. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Wyoming.« less

Puerto Rico State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Puerto Rico State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Puerto Rico. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Puerto Rico. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessmentmore » was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Puerto Rico.« less

Ohio State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The Ohio State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Ohio. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Ohio. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Ohio.« less

Massachusetts State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-03-12

The Massachusetts State Briefing Book is one of a series of State briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist State and Federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Massachusetts. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Massachusetts. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Massachusetts.« less

Vermont State Briefing Book on low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-07-01

The Vermont State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Vermont. The profile is the result of a survey of Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees in Vermont. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment wasmore » developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may affect waste management practices in Vermont.« less

HANDBOOK: APPROACHES FOR REMEDIATION OF FEDERAL FACILITY SITES CONTAMINATED WITH EXPLOSIVE OR RADIOACTIVE WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

This publication was developed by the Center for Environmental Research Information (CERI), Office of Research and Development, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The information in the document is based primarily on presentations at two technology transfer semina...

[The status and current problems of the radiation protection support for Naval personnel].

PubMed

Sharaevskiĭ, G Iu; Murin, M B; Belikov, A D; Petrov, O I

1999-07-01

The article focuses on the radiation problems for the Navy personnel dealing with the nuclear and radioactive waste, since the existing standards become obsolete due to some new technologies in the development of the materials, endangering the environment and people's health.

77 FR 73054 - Application for a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Application for a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70(b) ``Public Notice of Receipt of an Application,'' please take notice that the Nuclear..., October 25, 2012, XW020, radioactive 1178 pounds disposal by the 11006061. waste in the (approximately...

76 FR 56489 - Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR... quantity End use country Duratek Services, Inc., August Class A radioactive Radionuclide Non-conforming Canada. 17, 2011, August 18, 2011, waste in the form reallocation: materials XW010/02, 11005620. of...

78 FR 9747 - Request To Amend A License To Import; Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-11

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request To Amend A License To Import; Radioactive Waste Pursuant to... Country from application no.; docket no. Diversified Scientific Class A radioactive Up to 378,000 Volume reduction...... Canada Services, Inc.; January 10, mixed waste kilograms. Amend to: (1) add four 2013...

75 FR 74104 - Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70 (b) ``Public Notice of Receipt of an Application,'' please take notice that the Nuclear..., August 27, Radioactive waste Not to exceed Return to two Germany. 2010, November 3, 2010, XW018...

75 FR 74107 - Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70(b) ``Public Notice of Receipt of an Application,'' please take notice that the Nuclear.... EnergySolutions, August 27, Radioactive waste 1,000 tons Incineration for Germany. 2010, November 3, 2010...

10 CFR 961.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ENERGY STANDARD CONTRACT FOR DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND/OR HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE General... means any person who has title to spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste. Purchaser means... (42 U.S.C. 2133, 2134) or who has title to spent nuclear fuel or high level radioactive waste and who...

77 FR 20078 - Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70 (b) ``Public Notice of Receipt of an Application,'' please take notice that the Nuclear.... docket No. Perma-Fix Northwest Richland, Radioactive waste Up to 500 tons of Thermal Mexico. Inc...

75 FR 27842 - Request for a License to Export Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-18

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License to Export Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR... Duratek Services, Inc. (a Class A Approximately 680 Storage or Canada. subsidiary of radioactive pounds (53 cubic disposal by the EnergySolutions), April 19, waste in the feet) of dry original 2010, April...

75 FR 68840 - Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste Pursuant to 10 CFR 110.70 (b) ``Public Notice of Receipt of an Application,'' please take notice that the Nuclear.... Oregon Specialty Metals......... Radioactive Waste 186,000 kilograms Return of U.S. Canada August 30...

77 FR 25760 - Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management and Volume Reduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0183] Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management and Volume.... Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is revising its 1981 Policy Statement on Low-Level..., the NRC staff issued SECY-10-0043, ``Blending of Low-Level Radioactive Waste'' (ADAMS Accession No...

Assessment of public perception of radioactive waste management in Korea.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trone, Janis R.; Cho, SeongKyung; Whang, Jooho

2011-11-01

The essential characteristics of the issue of radioactive waste management can be conceptualized as complex, with a variety of facets and uncertainty. These characteristics tend to cause people to perceive the issue of radioactive waste management as a 'risk'. This study was initiated in response to a desire to understand the perceptions of risk that the Korean public holds towards radioactive waste and the relevant policies and policy-making processes. The study further attempts to identify the factors influencing risk perceptions and the relationships between risk perception and social acceptance.

Radioactive waste management: review on clearance levels and acceptance criteria legislation, requirements and standards.

PubMed

Maringer, F J; Suráň, J; Kovář, P; Chauvenet, B; Peyres, V; García-Toraño, E; Cozzella, M L; De Felice, P; Vodenik, B; Hult, M; Rosengård, U; Merimaa, M; Szücs, L; Jeffery, C; Dean, J C J; Tymiński, Z; Arnold, D; Hinca, R; Mirescu, G

2013-11-01

In 2011 the joint research project Metrology for Radioactive Waste Management (MetroRWM)(1) of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) started with a total duration of three years. Within this project, new metrological resources for the assessment of radioactive waste, including their calibration with new reference materials traceable to national standards will be developed. This paper gives a review on national, European and international strategies as basis for science-based metrological requirements in clearance and acceptance of radioactive waste. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated data base report--1996: US spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste inventories, projections, and characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-12-01

The Integrated Data Base Program has compiled historic data on inventories and characteristics of both commercial and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and commercial and U.S. government-owned radioactive wastes. Inventories of most of these materials are reported as of the end of fiscal year (FY) 1996, which is September 30, 1996. Commercial SNF and commercial uranium mill tailings inventories are reported on an end-of-calendar year (CY) basis. All SNF and radioactive waste data reported are based on the most reliable information available from government sources, the open literature, technical reports, and direct contacts. The information forecastedmore » is consistent with the latest DOE/Energy Information Administration (EIA) projections of U.S. commercial nuclear power growth and the expected DOE-related and private industrial and institutional activities. The radioactive materials considered, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, are SNF, high-level waste, transuranic waste, low-level waste, uranium mill tailings, DOE Environmental Restoration Program contaminated environmental media, naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material, and mixed (hazardous and radioactive) low-level waste. For most of these categories, current and projected inventories are given through FY 2030, and the radioactivity and thermal power are calculated based on reported or estimated isotopic compositions.« less

The Optimized Integration of the Decontamination Plan and the Radwaste Management Plan into Decommissioning Plan to the VVR-S Research Reactor from Romania

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barariu, G.

2008-07-01

The paper presents the progress of the Decontamination Plan and Radioactive Waste Management Plan which accompanies the Decommissioning Plan for research reactor VVR-S located in Magurele, Ilfov, near Bucharest, Romania. The new variant of the Decommissioning Plan was elaborated taking into account the IAEA recommendation concerning radioactive waste management. A new feasibility study for VVR-S decommissioning was also elaborated. The preferred safe management strategy for radioactive wastes produced by reactor decommissioning is outlined. The strategy must account for reactor decommissioning, as well as rehabilitation of the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant and the upgrade of the Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilitymore » at Baita-Bihor. Furthermore, the final rehabilitation of the laboratories and reusing of cleaned reactor building is envisaged. An inventory of each type of radioactive waste is presented. The proposed waste management strategy is selected in accordance with the IAEA assistance. Environmental concerns are a part of the radioactive waste management strategy. In conclusion: The current version 8 of the Draft Decommissioning Plan which include the Integrated concept of Decontamination and Decommissioning and Radwaste Management, reflects the substantial work that has been incorporated by IFIN-HH in collaboration with SITON, which has resulted in substantial improvement in document The decommissioning strategy must take into account costs for VVR-S Reactor decommissioning, as well as costs for much needed refurbishments to the radioactive waste treatment plant and the Baita-Bihor waste disposal repository. Several improvements to the Baita-Bihor repository and IFIN-HH waste treatment facility were proposed. The quantities and composition of the radioactive waste generated by VVR-S Reactor dismantling were again estimated by streams and the best demonstrated practicable processing solution was proposed. The estimated quantities of materials to be managed in the near future raise some issues that need to be solved swiftly, such as treatment of aluminum and lead and graphite management. It is envisaged that these materials to be treated to Subsidiary for Nuclear Research (SCN) Pitesti. (authors)« less

10 CFR 60.135 - Criteria for the waste package and its components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Section 60.135 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES... for the waste package and its components. (a) High-level-waste package design in general. (1) Packages... package's permanent written records. (c) Waste form criteria for HLW. High-level radioactive waste that is...

10 CFR 72.120 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... waste, and/or high level waste including possible reaction with water during wet loading and unloading... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design... reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or to store spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor...

10 CFR 72.120 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... waste, and/or high level waste including possible reaction with water during wet loading and unloading... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design... reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or to store spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor...

Basis for a Waste Management Public Communication Policy: Actual Situation Analysis and Implementation of Corrective Actions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jolivet, L. A.; Maset, E. R.

2002-02-28

Argentina will require new sites for the location of radioactive waste final disposal systems. It is currently mandatory to have social and political consensus to obtain the corresponding agreements. The experience obtained with the cancellation of the project ''Feasibility Study and Engineering Project--Repository for High Level Radioactive Waste'', reinforces even more the necessity to count with the acceptance of the public to carry out projects of this kind. The first phase of the former was developed in the 80's: geological, geophysical and hydrogeological studies were performed in a compact granitic rock located in Sierra del Medio, Chubut province. This projectmore » had to be called off in the early 90's due to strong social rejection. This decision was closely related to the poor attention given to social communication issues. The governmental decision-makers in charge underwent a lot of pressure from social groups claiming for the cancellation of the project due to the lack of information and the fear it triggered. Thus, the lesson learnt: ''social communication activities must be carefully undertaken in order to achieve the appropriate management of the radioactive waste produced in our country.'' The same as in other countries, the specific National Law demands the formulation of a Strategic Plan which will not only include the research into radioactive waste, but the design of a Social Communication Programme as well. The latter will be in charge of informing the population clearly and objectively about the latest scientific and technological advances in the issue. A tentative perception-attitude pattern of the Argentine society about the overall nuclear issue is outlined in this paper. It is meant to contribute to the understanding of the public's adverse reaction to this kind of project. A communication programme is also presented. Its objective is to install the waste management topic in the public's opinion with a positive real outlook.« less

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gray, P.

1997-02-01

This paper discusses the broad problems presented by Naturally Occuring Radioactive Materials (NORM). Technologically Enhanced naturally occuring radioactive material includes any radionuclides whose physical, chemical, radiological properties or radionuclide concentration have been altered from their natural state. With regard to NORM in particular, radioactive contamination is radioactive material in an undesired location. This is a concern in a range of industries: petroleum; uranium mining; phosphorus and phosphates; fertilizers; fossil fuels; forestry products; water treatment; metal mining and processing; geothermal energy. The author discusses in more detail the problem in the petroleum industry, including the isotopes of concern, the hazards theymore » present, the contamination which they cause, ways to dispose of contaminated materials, and regulatory issues. He points out there are three key programs to reduce legal exposure and problems due to these contaminants: waste minimization; NORM assesment (surveys); NORM compliance (training).« less

Monte Carlo simulations of radioactive waste encapsulated by bisphenol-A polycarbonate and effect of bismuth-III oxide filler material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özdemir, Tonguç

2017-06-01

Radioactive waste generated from the nuclear industry and non-power applications should carefully be treated, conditioned and disposed according to the regulations set by the competent authority(ies). Bisphenol-a polycarbonate (BPA-PC), a very widely used polymer, might be considered as a potential candidate material for low level radioactive waste encapsulation. In this work, the dose rate distribution in the radioactive waste drum (containing radioactive waste and the BPA-PC polymer matrix) was determined using Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, the change of mechanical properties of BPA-PC was estimated and their variation within the waste drum was determined for the periods of 15, 30 and 300 years after disposal to the final disposal site. The change of the dose rate within the waste drum with different contents of bismuth-III oxide were also simulated. It was concluded that addition of bismuth-III oxide filler decreases the dose delivered to the polymeric matrix due to photoelectric effect.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1999-07-20

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1998-03-24

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, Paul D.; Colombo, Peter

1997-01-01

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogenous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a "clean" polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment.

Geohydrologic aspects for siting and design of low-level radioactive-waste disposal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bedinger, M.S.

1989-01-01

The objective for siting and design of low-level radioactive-waste repository sites is to isolate the waste from the biosphere until the waste no longer poses an unacceptable hazard as a result of radioactive decay. Low-level radioactive waste commonly is isolated at shallow depths with various engineered features to stabilize the waste and to reduce its dissolution and transport by ground water. The unsaturated zone generally is preferred for isolating the waste. Low-level radioactive waste may need to be isolated for 300 to 500 years. Maintenance and monitoring of the repository site are required by Federal regulations for only the first 100 years. Therefore, geohydrology of the repository site needs to provide natural isolation of the waste for the hazardous period following maintenance of the site. Engineering design of the repository needs to be compatible with the natural geohydrologic conditions at the site. Studies at existing commercial and Federal waste-disposal sites provide information on the problems encountered and the basis for establishing siting guidelines for improved isolation of radioactive waste, engineering design of repository structures, and surveillance needs to assess the effectiveness of the repositories and to provide early warning of problems that may require remedial action.Climate directly affects the hydrology of a site and probably is the most important single factor that affects the suitability of a site for shallow-land burial of low-level radioactive waste. Humid and subhumid regions are not well suited for shallow isolation of low-level radioactive waste in the unsaturated zone; arid regions with zero to small infiltration from precipitation, great depths to the water table, and long flow paths to natural discharge areas are naturally well suited to isolation of the waste. The unsaturated zone is preferred for isolation of low-level radioactive waste. The guiding rationale is to minimize contact of water with the waste and to minimize transport of waste from the repository. The hydrology of a flow system containing a repository is greatly affected by the engineering of the repository site. Prediction of the performance of the repository is a complex problem, hampered by problems of characterizing the natural and manmade features of the flow system and by the limitations of models to predict flow and geochemical processes in the saturated and unsaturated zones. Disposal in low-permeability unfractured clays in the saturated zone may be feasible where the radionuclide transport is controlled by diffusion rather than advection.

Evaluation of Flygt Propeller Xixers for Double Shell Tank (DST) High Level Waste Auxiliary Solids Mobilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

PACQUET, E.A.

The River Protection Project (RPP) is planning to retrieve radioactive waste from the single-shell tanks (SST) and double-shell tanks (DST) underground at the Hanford Site. This waste will then be transferred to a waste treatment plant to be immobilized (vitrified) in a stable glass form. Over the years, the waste solids in many of the tanks have settled to form a layer of sludge at the bottom. The thickness of the sludge layer varies from tank to tank, from no sludge or a few inches of sludge to about 15 ft of sludge. The purpose of this technology and engineeringmore » case study is to evaluate the Flygt{trademark} submersible propeller mixer as a potential technology for auxiliary mobilization of DST HLW solids. Considering the usage and development to date by other sites in the development of this technology, this study also has the objective of expanding the knowledge base of the Flygt{trademark} mixer concept with the broader perspective of Hanford Site tank waste retrieval. More specifically, the objectives of this study delineated from the work plan are described.« less

Assessment of the disposal of radioactive petroleum industry waste in nonhazardous landfills using risk-based modeling.

PubMed

Smith, Karen P; Arnish, John J; Williams, Gustavious P; Blunt, Deborah L

2003-05-15

Certain petroleum production activities cause naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) to accumulate in concentrations above natural background levels, making safe and cost-effective management of such technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM) a key issue for the petroleum industry. As a result, both industry and regulators are interested in identifying cost-effective disposal alternatives that provide adequate protection of human health and the environment One such alternative, currently allowed in Michigan with restrictions, is the disposal of TENORM wastes in nonhazardous waste landfills. The disposal of petroleum industry wastes containing radium-226 (Ra-226) in nonhazardous landfills was modeled to evaluate the potential radiological doses and health risks to workers and the public. Multiple scenarios were considered in evaluating the potential risks associated with landfill operations and the future use of the property. The scenarios were defined, in part, to evaluate the Michigan policy; sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the impact of key parameters on potential risks. The results indicate that the disposal of petroleum industry TENORM wastes in nonhazardous landfills in accordance with the Michigan policy and existing landfill regulations presents a negligible risk to most of the potential receptors considered in this study.

Derivation of the Korean radwaste scaling factor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwang Yong Jee; Hong Joo Ahn; Se Chul Sohn

2007-07-01

The concentrations of several radionuclides in low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) drums have to be determined before shipping to disposal facilities. A notice, by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the Korean Government, related to the disposal of LILW drums came into effect at the beginning of 2005, with regards to a radionuclide regulation inside a waste drum. MOST allows for an indirect radionuclide assay using a scaling factor to measure the inventories due to the difficulty of nondestructively measuring the essential {alpha} and {beta}-emitting nuclides inside a drum. That is, a scaling factor calculated throughmore » a correlation of the {alpha} or {beta}-emitting nuclide (DTM, Difficult-To-Measure) with a {gamma}-emitting nuclide (ETM, Easy-To-Measure) which has systematically similar properties with DTM nuclides. In this study, radioactive wastes, such as spent resin and dry active waste which were generated at different sites of a PWR and a site of a PHWR type Korean NPP, were partially sampled and analyzed for regulated radionuclides by using radiochemical methods. According to a reactor type and a waste form, the analysis results of each radionuclide were classified. Korean radwaste scaling factor was derived from database of radionuclide concentrations. (authors)« less

Waste separation and pretreatment using crystalline silicotitanate ion exchangers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tadros, M.E.; Miller, J.E.; Anthony, R.G.

1997-10-01

A new class of inorganic ion exchangers called crystalline silicotitanates (CSTs) has been developed jointly by Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University to selectively remove Cs and other radionuclides from a wide spectrum of radioactive defense wastes. The CST exhibits high selectivity and affinity for Cs and Sr under a wide range of conditions. Tests show it can remove part-per-million concentrations of Cs{sup +} from highly alkaline, high-sodium simulated radioactive waste solutions modeled after those at Hanford, Oak Ridge, and Savannah River. The materials exhibit ion exchange properties based on ionic size selectivity. Specifically, crystalline lattice spacing is controlledmore » to be highly selective for Cs ions even in waste streams containing very high (5 to 10 M) concentrations of sodium. The CST technology is being demonstrated with actual waste at several DOE facilities. The use of inorganic ion exchangers. The inorganics are more resistant to chemical, thermal, and radiation degradation. Their high selectivities result in more efficient operations offering the possibility of a simple single-pass operation. In contrast, regenerable organic ion exchangers require additional processing equipment to handle the regeneration liquids and the eluant with the dissolved Cs.« less

Final repository for Denmark's low- and intermediate level radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nilsson, B.; Gravesen, P.; Petersen, S. S.; Binderup, M.

2012-12-01

Bertel Nilsson*, Peter Gravesen, Stig A. Schack Petersen, Merete Binderup Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Øster Voldgade 10, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark, * email address bn@geus.dk The Danish Parliament decided in 2003 that the temporal disposal of the low- and intermediate level radioactive waste at the nuclear facilities at Risø should find another location for a final repository. The Danish radioactive waste must be stored on Danish land territory (exclusive Greenland) and must hold the entire existing radioactive waste, consisting of the waste from the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities at Risø, and the radioactive waste produced in Denmark from hospitals, universities and industry. The radioactive waste is estimated to a total amount of up to 10,000 m3. The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, GEUS, is responsible for the geological studies of suitable areas for the repository. The task has been to locate and recognize non-fractured Quaternary and Tertiary clays or Precambrian bedrocks with low permeability which can isolate the radioactive waste from the surroundings the coming more than 300 years. Twenty two potential areas have been located and sequential reduced to the most favorable two to three locations taking into consideration geology, hydrogeology, nature protection and climate change conditions. Further detailed environmental and geology investigations will be undertaken at the two to three potential localities in 2013 to 2015. This study together with a study of safe transport of the radioactive waste and an investigation of appropriate repository concepts in relation to geology and safety analyses will constitute the basis upon which the final decision by the Danish Parliament on repository concept and repository location. The final repository is planned to be established and in operation at the earliest 2020.

Robotics Scoping Study to Evaluate Advances in Robotics Technologies that Support Enhanced Efficiencies for Yucca Mountain Repository Operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. Burgess; M. Noakes; P. Spampinato

This paper presents an evaluation of robotics and remote handling technologies that have the potential to increase the efficiency of handling waste packages at the proposed Yucca Mountain High-Level Nuclear Waste Repository. It is expected that increased efficiency will reduce the cost of operations. The goal of this work was to identify technologies for consideration as potential projects that the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, Office of Science and Technology International Programs, could support in the near future, and to assess their ''payback'' value. The evaluation took into account the robotics and remote handling capabilitiesmore » planned for incorporation into the current baseline design for the repository, for both surface and subsurface operations. The evaluation, completed at the end of fiscal year 2004, identified where significant advantages in operating efficiencies could accrue by implementing any given robotics technology or approach, and included a road map for a multiyear R&D program for improvements to remote handling technology that support operating enhancements.« less

IONSIV(R) IE-911 Performance in Savannah River Site Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, D.D.

2001-06-04

This report describes cesium sorption from high-level radioactive waste solutions onto IONSIV(R) IE-911 at ambient temperature. Researchers characterized six radioactive waste samples from five high-level waste tanks in the Savannah River Site tank farm, diluted the wastes to 5.6 M Na+, and made equilibrium and kinetic measurements of cesium sorption. The equilibrium measurements were compared to ZAM (Zheng, Anthony, and Martin) model predictions. The kinetic measurements were compared to simulant solutions whose column performance has been measured.

[Nationwide survey on radioactive waste management related to positron emission tomography in Japan].

PubMed

Nagaoka, Hiroaki; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Fujibuchi, Toshioh; Kida, Tetsuo; Tanaka, Shinji

2009-12-20

A clearance system for medical radioactive solid waste has not yet been implemented in Japan. Since 2004 new regulations have allowed institutions using positron emission tomography(PET)to handle totally decayed radioactive waste as non-radioactive waste after decay-in-storage. It was expected that this new regulation would mediate the installation of clearance systems in Japan. In order to assess the current situation of radiation safety management in PET institutions, we conducted a nationwide survey. The study design was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted by questionnaire. The subjects of this survey were all the PET institutions in Japan. Among 224 institutes, 128 institutes are equipped with cyclotrons and 96 institutes are not. The number of returned questionnaires was 138. Among institutes that are using delivered radiopharmaceuticals, 80% treat their waste as non-radioactive according to the new regulation. The impact of new regulations for reducing radioactive waste in PET institutes without a cyclotron was estimated at about $400 thousand per year. The main concern of medical institutes was assessment of the contamination caused by by-products of radioactive nuclides generated in target water during the operation of a cyclotron. It was thought that a rational rule based on scientific risk management should be established because these by-products of radioactive nuclides are negligible for radiation safety. New regulation has had a good influence on medical PET institutes, and it is expected that a clearance system for medical radioactive waste will be introduced in the near future, following these recent experiences in PET institutes.

Beneficial Uses Program. Progress report, period ending March 31, 1976. [Radiosterilization of sewage sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-07-01

This is a comprehensive program to develop technologies for cost-beneficial uses of existing and future surplus radioactive materials. Major portion of the work was conducted in two sub-programs: the waste resources utilization program and the separation technology and source development program. Purpose of the waste resources utilization program is to develop a technology to utilize /sup 137/Cs as a ..gamma.. source to sterilize sewage sludge for safe application as a fertilizer or as an animal feed supplement. Determinations were made of inactivation rates for Salmonella species, coliforms, and fecal strep in sewage sludge when radiation and thermoradiation were applied whilemore » bubbling O/sub 2/ through the sludge.« less

Low-Activity Radioactive Wastes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 2003 EPA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to collect public comment on alternatives for disposal of waste containing low concentrations of radioactive material ('low-activity' waste).

[The main directions of improving the system of state accounting and control of radioactive substances and radioactive waste products].

PubMed

2012-01-01

This paper describes a modification of the basic directions of state accounting and control of radioactive substances and radioactive waste products, whose implementation will significantly improve the efficiency of its operation at the regional level. Selected areas are designed to improve accounting and control system for the submission of the enterprises established by the reporting forms, the quality of the information contained in them, as well as structures of information and process for collecting, analyzing and data processing concerning radioactive substances and waste products.

76 FR 54808 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... the Independent Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level Radioactive Waste and Reactor-Related... receive, transfer, package and possess power reactor spent fuel, high-level waste, and other radioactive..., package, and possess power reactor spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and other associated...

75 FR 15423 - U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Technical Evaluation Report for the Phase 1 Decommissioning...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-29

... DOE to carry out a high-level radioactive waste management demonstration project at the Western New... solidification of high-level radioactive waste for disposal in a Federal repository for permanent disposal. The... and other facilities where the solidified high-level radioactive waste was stored, the facilities used...

75 FR 70707 - Detroit Edison Company; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... extend the time period that can elapse during shipments of low-level radioactive waste before the... extend the time period for the licensee to receive acknowledgment that the low-level radioactive waste...-level radioactive waste are not acknowledged by the intended recipient within 20 days after transfer to...

78 FR 6149 - Final Interim Staff Guidance Assessing the Radiological Consequences of Accidental Releases of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-29

... Accidental Releases of Radioactive Materials From Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for... Radioactive Materials from Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for Combined License Applications... Radioactive Materials from Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for Combined License Applications...

Development of an air flow calorimeter prototype for the measurement of thermal power released by large radioactive waste packages.

PubMed

Razouk, R; Beaumont, O; Failleau, G; Hay, B; Plumeri, S

2018-03-01

The estimation and control of the thermal power released by the radioactive waste packages are a key parameter in the management of radioactive waste geological repository sites. In the framework of the European project "Metrology for decommissioning nuclear facilities," the French National Agency of Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA) collaborates with Laboratoire National de Métrologie et D'essais in order to measure the thermal power up to 500 W of typical real size radioactive waste packages (of at least 0.175 m 3 ) with an uncertainty better than 5% by using a measurement method traceable to the international system of units. One of the selected metrological approaches is based on the principles of air flow calorimetry. This paper describes in detail the development of the air flow calorimeter prototype as well as the design of a radioactive waste package simulator used for its calibration. Results obtained from the calibration of the calorimeter and from the determination of thermal powers are presented here with an investigation of the measurement uncertainties.

[Investigation of actual condition of management and disposal of medical radioactive waste in Korea].

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi; Nagaoka, Hiroaki; Yamaguchi, Ichiro; Horiuchi, Shoji; Imoto, Atsushi

2009-07-20

In order to realize the rational management and disposal of radioactive waste like DIS or its clearance as performed in Europe, North America, and Japan, we investigated the situation of medical radioactive waste in Korea and its enforcement. We visited three major Korean facilities in May 2008 and confirmed details of the procedure being used by administering a questionnaire after our visit. From the results, we were able to verify that the governmental agency had established regulations for the clearance of radioactive waste as self-disposal based on the clearance level of IAEA in Korea and that the medical facilities performed suitable management and disposal of radioactive waste based on the regulations and superintendence of a radiation safety officer. The type of nuclear medicine was almost the same as that in Japan, and the half-life of all radiopharmaceuticals was 60 days or less. While performing regulatory adjustment concerning the rational management and disposal of radioactive waste in Korea for reference also in this country, it is important to provide an enforcement procedure with quality assurance in the regulations.

Development of an air flow calorimeter prototype for the measurement of thermal power released by large radioactive waste packages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razouk, R.; Beaumont, O.; Failleau, G.; Hay, B.; Plumeri, S.

2018-03-01

The estimation and control of the thermal power released by the radioactive waste packages are a key parameter in the management of radioactive waste geological repository sites. In the framework of the European project "Metrology for decommissioning nuclear facilities," the French National Agency of Radioactive Waste Management (ANDRA) collaborates with Laboratoire National de Métrologie et D'essais in order to measure the thermal power up to 500 W of typical real size radioactive waste packages (of at least 0.175 m3) with an uncertainty better than 5% by using a measurement method traceable to the international system of units. One of the selected metrological approaches is based on the principles of air flow calorimetry. This paper describes in detail the development of the air flow calorimeter prototype as well as the design of a radioactive waste package simulator used for its calibration. Results obtained from the calibration of the calorimeter and from the determination of thermal powers are presented here with an investigation of the measurement uncertainties.

Ceramics in nuclear waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chikalla, T D; Mendel, J E

1979-05-01

Seventy-three papers are included, arranged under the following section headings: national programs for the disposal of radioactive wastes, waste from stability and characterization, glass processing, ceramic processing, ceramic and glass processing, leaching of waste materials, properties of nuclear waste forms, and immobilization of special radioactive wastes. Separate abstracts were prepared for all the papers. (DLC)

Resource Management Plan for the US Department of Energy Oak Ridge Reservation. Volume 15, Appendix P: waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, B.A.

1984-07-01

Since their inception, the DOE facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation have been the source of a variety of airborne, liquid, and solid wastes which are characterized as nonhazardous, hazardous, and/or radioactive. The major airborne releases come from three primary sources: steam plant emissions, process discharge, and cooling towers. Liquid wastes are handled in various manners depending upon the particular waste, but in general, major corrosive waste streams are neutralized prior to discharge with the discharge routed to holding or settling ponds. The major solid wastes are derived from construction debris, sanitary operation, and radioactive processes, and the machining operationsmore » at Y-12. Nonradioactive hazardous wastes are disposed in solid waste storage areas, shipped to commercial disposal facilities, returned in sludge ponds, or sent to radioactive waste burial areas. The radioactive-hazardous wastes are treated in two manners: storage of the waste until acceptable disposal options are developed, or treatment of the waste to remove or destroy one of the components prior to disposal. 5 references, 4 figures, 13 tables.« less

Comparative Evaluation of Cutting Methods of Activated Concrete from Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning - 13548

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, HakSoo; Chung, SungHwan; Maeng, SungJun

2013-07-01

The amount of radioactive wastes from decommissioning of a nuclear power plant varies greatly depending on factors such as type and size of the plant, operation history, decommissioning options, and waste treatment and volume reduction methods. There are many methods to decrease the amount of decommissioning radioactive wastes including minimization of waste generation, waste reclassification through decontamination and cutting methods to remove the contaminated areas. According to OECD/NEA, it is known that the radioactive waste treatment and disposal cost accounts for about 40 percentage of the total decommissioning cost. In Korea, it is needed to reduce amount of decommissioning radioactivemore » waste due to high disposal cost, about $7,000 (as of 2010) per a 200 liter drum for the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). In this paper, cutting methods to minimize the radioactive waste of activated concrete were investigated and associated decommissioning cost impact was assessed. The cutting methods considered are cylindrical and volume reductive cuttings. The study showed that the volume reductive cutting is more cost-effective than the cylindrical cutting. Therefore, the volume reductive cutting method can be effectively applied to the activated bio-shield concrete. (authors)« less

Joint Assessment of Renewable Energy and Water Desalination Research Center (REWDC) Program Capabilities and Facilities In Radioactive Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bissani, M; Fischer, R; Kidd, S

2006-04-03

The primary goal of this visit was to perform a joint assessment of the Renewable Energy and Water Desalination Center's (REWDC) program in radioactive waste management. The visit represented the fourth technical and scientific interaction with Libya under the DOE/NNSA Sister Laboratory Arrangement. Specific topics addressed during the visit focused on Action Sheet P-05-5, ''Radioactive Waste Management''. The Team, comprised of Mo Bissani (Team Lead), Robert Fischer, Scott Kidd, and Jim Merrigan, consulted with REWDC management and staff. The team collected information, discussed particulars of the technical collaboration and toured the Tajura facility. The tour included the waste treatment facility,more » waste storage/disposal facility, research reactor facility, hot cells and analytical labs. The assessment team conducted the first phase of Task A for Action Sheet 5, which involved a joint assessment of the Radioactive Waste Management Program. The assessment included review of the facilities dedicated to the management of radioactive waste at the Tourja site, the waste management practices, proposed projects for the facility and potential impacts on waste generation and management.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, J.R.; Danneels, J.; Kenagy, W.D.

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a significant number of nuclear facilities from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Because of past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting there is now an enormous radioactive waste problem at Al Tuwaitha. Al Tuwaitha contains uncharacterised radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals. The current security situation in Iraq hampers all aspects of radioactive waste management. Further, Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility, which means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive waste and material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposalmore » Program (the NDs Program) has been initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS has funded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide technical assistance to the GOI via a Technical Cooperation Project. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with U.S. and GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and for providing waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for the vast majority of the implementation of the NDs Program. (authors)« less

Radioactive Waste.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blaylock, B. G.

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of radioactive waste disposal, covering publications of 1976-77. Some of the studies included are: (1) high-level and long-lived wastes, and (2) release and burial of low-level wastes. A list of 42 references is also presented. (HM)

Electromagnetic mixed waste processing system for asbestos decontamination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kasevich, R.S.; Vaux, W.; Ulerich, N.

The overall objective of this three-phase program is to develop an integrated process for treating asbestos-containing material that is contaminated with radioactive and hazardous constituents. The integrated process will attempt to minimize processing and disposal costs. The objectives of Phase 1 were to establish the technical feasibility of asbestos decomposition, inorganic radionuclide nd heavy metal removal, and organic volatilization. Phase 1 resulted in the successful bench-scale demonstration of the elements required to develop a mixed waste treatment process for asbestos-containing material (ACM) contaminated with radioactive metals, heavy metals, and organics. Using the Phase 1 data, a conceptual process was developed.more » The Phase 2 program, currently in progress, is developing an integrated system design for ACM waste processing. The Phase 3 program will target demonstration of the mixed waste processing system at a DOE facility. The electromagnetic mixed waste processing system employs patented technologies to convert DOE asbestos to a non-hazardous, radionuclide-free, stable waste. The dry, contaminated asbestos is initially heated with radiofrequency energy to remove organic volatiles. Second,the radionuclides are removed by solvent extraction coupled with ion exchange solution treatment. Third, the ABCOV method converts the asbestos to an amorphous silica suspension at low temperature (100{degrees}C). Finally the amorphous silica is solidified for disposal.« less

Solidification of radioactive waste resins using cement mixed with organic material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Laili, Zalina, E-mail: liena@nm.gov.my; Waste and Environmental Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency; Yasir, Muhamad Samudi

2015-04-29

Solidification of radioactive waste resins using cement mixed with organic material i.e. biochar is described in this paper. Different percentage of biochar (0%, 5%, 8%, 11%, 14% and 18%) was investigated in this study. The characteristics such as compressive strength and leaching behavior were examined in order to evaluate the performance of solidified radioactive waste resins. The results showed that the amount of biochar affect the compressive strength of the solidified resins. Based on the data obtained for the leaching experiments performed, only one formulation showed the leached of Cs-134 from the solidified radioactive waste resins.

The mixed low-level waste problem in BE/NWN capsule

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hensley, D.C.

1999-07-01

The Boh Environmental, LLC (BE) and Northwest Nuclear, LLC (NWN) program addresses the problem of diminishing capacity in the United States to store mixed waste. A lack of an alternative program has caused the US Department of Energy (DOE) to indefinitely store all of its mixed waste in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) compliant storage facilities. Unfortunately, this capacity is fast approaching the administrative control limit. The combination of unique BE encapsulation and NWN waste characterization technologies provides an effective solution to DOE's mixed-waste dilemma. The BE ARROW-PAK technique encapsulates mixed low-level waste (MLLW) in extra-high molecular weight, high-densitymore » polyethylene, pipe-grade resin cylinders. ARROW-PAK applications include waste treatment, disposal, transportation (per 49 CFR 173), vault encasement, and interim/long-term storage for 100 to 300 yr. One of the first demonstrations of this treatment/storage technique successfully treated 880 mixed-waste debris drums at the DOE Hanford Site in 1997. NWN, deploying the APNea neutron assay technology, provides the screening and characterization capability necessary to ensure that radioactive waste is correctly categorized as either transuranic (TRU) or LLW. MLLW resulting from D and D activities conducted at the Oak Ridge East Tennessee Technology Park will be placed into ARROW-PAK containers following comprehensive characterization of the waste by NWN. The characterized and encapsulated waste will then be shipped to a commercial disposal facility, where the shipments meet all waste acceptance criteria of the disposal facility including treatment criteria.« less

Active and passive computed tomography mixed waste focus area final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberson, G P

1998-08-19

The Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) Characterization Development Strategy delineates an approach to resolve technology deficiencies associated with the characterization of mixed wastes. The intent of this strategy is to ensure the availability of technologies to support the Department of Energy's (DOE) mixed waste low-level or transuranic (TRU) contaminated waste characterization management needs. To this end the MWFA has defined and coordinated characterization development programs to ensure that data and test results necessary to evaluate the utility of non-destructive assay technologies are available to meet site contact handled waste management schedules. Requirements used as technology development project benchmarks are basedmore » in the National TRU Program Quality Assurance Program Plan. These requirements include the ability to determine total bias and total measurement uncertainty. These parameters must be completely evaluated for waste types to be processed through a given nondestructive waste assay system constituting the foundation of activities undertaken in technology development projects. Once development and testing activities have been completed, Innovative Technology Summary Reports are generated to provide results and conclusions to support EM-30, -40, or -60 end user/customer technology selection. The Active and Passive Computed Tomography non-destructive assay system is one of the technologies selected for development by the MWFA. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) is developing the Active and Passive Computed Tomography (A&PCT) nondestructive assay (NDA) technology to identify and accurately quantify all detectable radioisotopes in closed containers of waste. This technology will be applicable to all types of waste regardless of .their classification; low level, transuranic or provide results and conclusions to support EM-30, -40, or -60 end user/customer technology selection. The Active and Passive Computed Tomography non-destructive assay system is one of the technologies selected for development by the MWFA. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) is developing the Active and Passive Computed Tomography (A&PCT) nondestructive assay (NDA) technology to identify and accurately quantify all detectable radioisotopes in closed containers of waste. This technology will be applicable to all types of waste regardless of .their classification; low level, transuranic or mixed, which contains radioactivity and hazardous organic species. The scope of our technology is to develop a non-invasive waste-drum scanner that employs the principles of computed tomography and gamma-ray spectral analysis to identify and quantify all of the detectable radioisotopes. Once this and other applicable technologies are developed, waste drums can be non- destructively and accurately characterized to satisfy repository and regulatory guidelines prior to disposal.« less

Magnetic iron oxides in the cementation technology of the boron-containing radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedotov, M. A.; Gorbunova, O. A.; Fedorova, O. V.; Folmanis, G. E.; Kovalenko, L. V.

2015-04-01

Two ways of synthesis of non-detachable dispersed particles of magnetic materials useful for the boron-containing waste cementation process regulation were developed. Powder XRD showed that the method of carbothermic recovery of nanoscale iron hydroxide allows obtaining a mixture of iron oxides with content of the magnetic phase up to 70%. Method of low-temperature hydrogen reduction of the raw materials allows obtaining various compositions of a-iron and iron oxides with the possibility to change the size of the final particles in a wide range. The possibility of using composites of magnetic iron oxides and metal oxide compositions instead of ferromagnetic rods with VEP of boron-containing liquid radioactive waste in the fluidized field was studied. It was shown that the use of fine and nano particles of the iron oxides in the pre-treatment of the boron-containing LRW increases the strength of the final compounds and accelerates the cement setting compounds from 13 to 5-9 days.

Operational Strategies for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Site in Egypt - 13513

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, Yasser T.

The ultimate aims of treatment and conditioning is to prepare waste for disposal by ensuring that the waste will meet the waste acceptance criteria of a disposal facility. Hence the purpose of low-level waste disposal is to isolate the waste from both people and the environment. The radioactive particles in low-level waste emit the same types of radiation that everyone receives from nature. Most low-level waste fades away to natural background levels of radioactivity in months or years. Virtually all of it diminishes to natural levels in less than 300 years. In Egypt, The Hot Laboratories and Waste Management Centermore » has been established since 1983, as a waste management facility for LLW and ILW and the disposal site licensed for preoperational in 2005. The site accepts the low level waste generated on site and off site and unwanted radioactive sealed sources with half-life less than 30 years for disposal and all types of sources for interim storage prior to the final disposal. Operational requirements at the low-level (LLRW) disposal site are listed in the National Center for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control NCNSRC guidelines. Additional procedures are listed in the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Standards Manual. The following describes the current operations at the LLRW disposal site. (authors)« less

10 CFR 72.120 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design... reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or to store spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor... be designed to store spent fuel and/or solid reactor-related GTCC waste. (1) Reactor-related GTCC...

10 CFR 72.120 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design... reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or to store spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related GTCC waste in an MRS must include the design criteria for the proposed storage installation. These...

10 CFR 72.120 - General considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General Design... reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or to store spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related GTCC waste in an MRS must include the design criteria for the proposed storage installation. These...

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, P.D.; Colombo, P.

1997-07-15

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogeneous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a ``clean`` polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment. 2 figs.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, P.D.; Colombo, P.

1998-03-24

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogeneous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a ``clean`` polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment. 2 figs.

Composition and process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Kalb, P.D.; Colombo, P.

1999-07-20

The present invention provides a composition and process for disposal of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes. The present invention preferably includes a process for multibarrier encapsulation of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially simultaneously dry waste powder, a non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer and an anhydrous additive in an extruder to form a homogeneous molten matrix. The molten matrix may be directed in a clean'' polyethylene liner, allowed to cool, thus forming a monolithic waste form which provides a multibarrier to the dispersion of wastes into the environment. 2 figs.

Task 3 - Pyrolysis of Plastic Waste. Semiannual report, November 1, 1996--March 31, 1997

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ness, Robert O.; Aulich, Ted R.

1997-12-31

Over the last 50 years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has produced a wide variety of radioactive wastes from activities associated with nuclear defense and nuclear power generation. These wastes include low-level radioactive solid wastes, mixed wastes, and transuranic (TRU) wastes. A portion of these wastes consists of high- organic-content materials, such as resins, plastics, and other polymers; synthetic and natural rubbers; cellulosic-based materials; and oils, organic solvents, and chlorinated organic solvents. Many of these wastes contain hazardous and/or pyrophoric materials in addition to radioactive species. Physical forms of the waste include ion-exchange resins used to remove radioactive elementsmore » from nuclear reactor cooling water, lab equipment and tools (e.g., measurement and containment vessels, hoses, wrappings, equipment coverings and components, and countertops), oil products (e.g., vacuum pump and lubrication oils), bags and other storage containers (for liquids, solids, and gases), solvents, gloves, lab coats and anti-contamination clothing, and other items. Major polymer and chemical groups found in high-organic-content radioactive wastes include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), Teflon(TM), polystyrene (PS), nylon, latex, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), vinyl, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polycarbonate, nitriles, Tygon(R), butyl, and Tyvec(R).« less

Disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Impact on the medical profession

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brill, D.R.; Allen, E.W.; Lutzker, L.G.

1985-11-01

During 1985, low-level radioactive waste disposal has become a critical concern. The issue has been forced by the threatened closure of the three commercial disposal sites. The medical community has used radioactive isotopes for decades in nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, radioimmunoassay, and biomedical research. Loss of disposal capacity for radioactive wastes generated by these activities, by the suppliers of radioisotopes, and by pharmaceutical companies will have a profound impact on the medical profession.

THE DOE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE PROGRAM: OVERVIEW OF TECHNICAL TASKS AND RESULTS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marra, J.; Fox, K.; Farfan, E.

2009-12-08

The DOE Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) Office of Engineering and Technology is responsible for implementing EM's International Cooperative Program. Over the past 15 years, collaborative work has been conducted through this program with researchers in Russia, Ukraine, France, United Kingdom and Republic of Korea. Currently, work is being conducted with researchers in Russia and Ukraine. Efforts aimed at evaluating and advancing technologies to support U.S. high-level waste (HLW) vitrification initiatives are being conducted in collaboration with Russian researchers. Work at Khlopin Radium Institute (KRI) is targeted at improving the throughput of current vitrification processes by increasing melting rate. Thesemore » efforts are specifically targeted at challenging waste types identified at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and Hanford Site. The objectives of current efforts at SIA Radon are to gain insight into vitrification process limits for the cold crucible induction melter (CCIM) technology. Previous demonstration testing has shown that the CCIM offers the potential for dramatic increases in waste loading and waste throughput. However, little information is known regarding operational limits that could affect long-term, efficient CCIM operations. Collaborative work with the Russian Electrotechnical University (ETU) 'LETI' is aimed at advancing CCIM process monitoring, process control and design. The goal is to further mature the CCIM technology and to establish it as a viable HLW vitrification technology. The greater than two year effort conducted with the International Radioecology Laboratory in the Ukraine recently completed. The objectives of this study were: to assess the long-term impacts to the environment from radiation exposure in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ); and to provide information on remediation guidelines and ecological risk assessment within radioactively contaminated territories around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) based on the results of long-term field monitoring, analytical measurements, and numerical modeling of soils and groundwater radioactive contamination.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, L.H.

In its beginning, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) viewed private industry as lacking adequate technology know-how to meet demands of hazardous and radioactive waste problems at the DOE`s laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities. In November 1989, EM`s Office of Technology Development (recently renamed the Office of Science and Technology) embarked on a bold program of developing and demonstrating {open_quotes}innovative{close_quotes} waste cleanup technologies that would be safer, faster, more effective, and less expensive than the {open_quotes}baseline{close_quotes} commercial methods. This program has engaged DOE sites, national laboratories, and universities to produce preferred solutions to the problems of handling and treating DOE wastes. More recently, much of this work has shifted to joint efforts with private industry partners to accelerate the use of newly developed technologies and to enhance existing commercial methods. To date, the total funding allocation to the Office of Science and Technology program has been aboutmore » $2.8 billion. If the technology applications` projects of the EM Offices of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management are included, the total funding is closer to $$4 billion. Yet, the environmental industry generally has not been very receptive to EM`s innovative technology offerings. And, essentially the same can be said for DOE sites. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office in an August 1994 report, {open_quotes}Although DOE has spent a substantial amount to develop waste cleanup technologies, little new technology finds its way into the agency`s cleanup actions{close_quotes}. The DOE Baseline Environmental Management Report estimated cleanups of DOE`s Cold War legacy of wastes to require the considerable cost of $$226 billion over a period of 75 years. 1 tab.« less

25 CFR 170.903 - Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste? 170.903 Section 170.903 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER... § 170.903 Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste? The Department of Energy (DOE) has...

25 CFR 170.903 - Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste? 170.903 Section 170.903 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER... § 170.903 Who notifies tribes of the transport of radioactive waste? The Department of Energy (DOE) has...

Radioactive waste disposal package

DOEpatents

Lampe, Robert F.

1986-11-04

A radioactive waste disposal package comprising a canister for containing vitrified radioactive waste material and a sealed outer shell encapsulating the canister. A solid block of filler material is supported in said shell and convertible into a liquid state for flow into the space between the canister and outer shell and subsequently hardened to form a solid, impervious layer occupying such space.

Radioactive waste disposal package

DOEpatents

Lampe, Robert F.

1986-01-01

A radioactive waste disposal package comprising a canister for containing vitrified radioactive waste material and a sealed outer shell encapsulating the canister. A solid block of filler material is supported in said shell and convertible into a liquid state for flow into the space between the canister and outer shell and subsequently hardened to form a solid, impervious layer occupying such space.

ONDRAF/NIRAS and high-level radioactive waste management in Belgium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Decamps, F.

1993-12-31

The National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials, ONDRAF/NIRAS, is a public body with legal personality in charge of managing all radioactive waste on Belgian territory, regardless of its origin and source. It is also entrusted with tasks related to the management of enriched fissile materials, plutonium containing materials and used or unused nuclear fuel, and with certain aspects of the dismantling of closed down nuclear facilities. High-level radioactive waste management comprises essentially and for the time being the storage of high-level liquid waste produced by the former EUROCHEMIC reprocessing plant and of high-level and very high-level heatmore » producing waste resulting from the reprocessing in France of Belgian spent fuel, as well as research and development (R and D) with regard to geological disposal in clay of this waste type.« less

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident.

PubMed

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management.

Radiological protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations resulting from a nuclear accident

PubMed Central

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

In environmental remediation after nuclear accidents, radioactive wastes have to be appropriately managed in existing exposure situations with contamination resulting from the emission of radionuclides by such accidents. In this paper, a framework of radiation protection from radioactive waste management in existing exposure situations for application to the practical and reasonable waste management in contaminated areas, referring to related ICRP recommendations was proposed. In the proposed concept, intermediate reference levels for waste management are adopted gradually according to the progress of the reduction in the existing ambient dose in the environment on the basis of the principles of justification and optimisation by taking into account the practicability of the management of radioactive waste and environmental remediation. It is essential to include the participation of relevant stakeholders living in existing exposure situations in the selection of reference levels for the existing ambient dose and waste management. PMID:22719047

An overview of radioactive waste disposal procedures of a nuclear medicine department

PubMed Central

Ravichandran, R.; Binukumar, J. P.; Sreeram, Rajan; Arunkumar, L. S.

2011-01-01

Radioactive wastes from hospitals form one of the various types of urban wastes, which are managed in developed countries in a safe and organized way. In countries where growth of nuclear medicine services are envisaged, implementations of existing regulatory policies and guidelines in hospitals in terms of handling of radioactive materials used in the treatment of patients need a good model. To address this issue, a brief description of the methods is presented. A designed prototype waste storage trolley is found to be of great help in decaying the I-131 solid wastes from wards before releasing to waste treatment plant of the city. Two delay tanks with collection time of about 2 months and delay time of 2 months alternately result in 6 releases of urine toilet effluents to the sewage treatment plant (STP) of the hospital annually. Samples of effluents collected at releasing time documented radioactive releases of I-131 much below recommended levels of bi-monthly release. External counting of samples showed good statistical correlation with calculated values. An overview of safe procedures for radioactive waste disposal is presented. PMID:21731225

An overview of radioactive waste disposal procedures of a nuclear medicine department.

PubMed

Ravichandran, R; Binukumar, J P; Sreeram, Rajan; Arunkumar, L S

2011-04-01

Radioactive wastes from hospitals form one of the various types of urban wastes, which are managed in developed countries in a safe and organized way. In countries where growth of nuclear medicine services are envisaged, implementations of existing regulatory policies and guidelines in hospitals in terms of handling of radioactive materials used in the treatment of patients need a good model. To address this issue, a brief description of the methods is presented. A designed prototype waste storage trolley is found to be of great help in decaying the I-131 solid wastes from wards before releasing to waste treatment plant of the city. Two delay tanks with collection time of about 2 months and delay time of 2 months alternately result in 6 releases of urine toilet effluents to the sewage treatment plant (STP) of the hospital annually. Samples of effluents collected at releasing time documented radioactive releases of I-131 much below recommended levels of bi-monthly release. External counting of samples showed good statistical correlation with calculated values. An overview of safe procedures for radioactive waste disposal is presented.

LANL OPERATING EXPERIENCE WITH THE WAND AND HERCULES PROTOTYPE SYSTEMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

K. M. GRUETZMACHER; C. L. FOXX; S. C. MYERS

2000-09-01

The Waste Assay for Nonradioactive Disposal (WAND) and the High Efficiency Radiation Counters for Ultimate Low Emission Sensitivity (HERCULES) prototype systems have been operating at Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) Solid Waste Operation's (SWO'S) non-destructive assay (NDA) building since 1997 and 1998, respectively. These systems are the cornerstone of the verification program for low-density Green is Clean (GIC) waste at the Laboratory. GIC waste includes all non-regulated waste generated in radiological controlled areas (RCAS) that has been actively segregated as clean (i.e., nonradioactive) through the use of waste generator acceptable knowledge (AK). The use of this methodology alters LANL's pastmore » practice of disposing of all room trash generated in nuclear facilities in radioactive waste landfills. Waste that is verified clean can be disposed of at the Los Alamos County Landfill. It is estimated that 50-90% of the low-density room trash from radioactive material handling areas at Los Alamos might be free of contamination. This approach avoids the high cost of disposal of clean waste at a radioactive waste landfill. It also reduces consumption of precious space in the radioactive waste landfill where disposal of this waste provides no benefit to the public or the environment. Preserving low level waste (LLW) disposal capacity for truly radioactive waste is critical in this era when expanding existing radioactive waste landfills or permitting new ones is resisted by regulators and stakeholders. This paper describes the operating experience with the WAND and HERCULES since they began operation at SWO. Waste for verification by the WAND system has been limited so far to waste from the Plutonium Facility and the Solid Waste Operations Facility. A total of461 ft3 (13.1 m3) of low-density shredded waste and paper have been verified clean by the WAND system. The HERCULES system has been used to verify waste from four Laboratory facilities. These are the Solid Waste Operations Facility, the TA-48 Chemistry Facility, the Shops Facility, and the Environmental Facility. A total of 3150 ft3 (89.3 m3) of low-density waste has been verified clean by the HERCULES system.« less

DOE Waste Treatability Group Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirkpatrick, T.D.

1995-01-01

This guidance presents a method and definitions for aggregating U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) waste into streams and treatability groups based on characteristic parameters that influence waste management technology needs. Adaptable to all DOE waste types (i.e., radioactive waste, hazardous waste, mixed waste, sanitary waste), the guidance establishes categories and definitions that reflect variations within the radiological, matrix (e.g., bulk physical/chemical form), and regulated contaminant characteristics of DOE waste. Beginning at the waste container level, the guidance presents a logical approach to implementing the characteristic parameter categories as part of the basis for defining waste streams and as the solemore » basis for assigning streams to treatability groups. Implementation of this guidance at each DOE site will facilitate the development of technically defined, site-specific waste stream data sets to support waste management planning and reporting activities. Consistent implementation at all of the sites will enable aggregation of the site-specific waste stream data sets into comparable national data sets to support these activities at a DOE complex-wide level.« less

Application of Radiation Chemistry to Some Selected Technological Issues Related to the Development of Nuclear Energy.

PubMed

Bobrowski, Krzysztof; Skotnicki, Konrad; Szreder, Tomasz

2016-10-01

The most important contributions of radiation chemistry to some selected technological issues related to water-cooled reactors, reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes, and fuel evolution during final radioactive waste disposal are highlighted. Chemical reactions occurring at the operating temperatures and pressures of reactors and involving primary transients and stable products from water radiolysis are presented and discussed in terms of the kinetic parameters and radiation chemical yields. The knowledge of these parameters is essential since they serve as input data to the models of water radiolysis in the primary loop of light water reactors and super critical water reactors. Selected features of water radiolysis in heterogeneous systems, such as aqueous nanoparticle suspensions and slurries, ceramic oxides surfaces, nanoporous, and cement-based materials, are discussed. They are of particular concern in the primary cooling loops in nuclear reactors and long-term storage of nuclear waste in geological repositories. This also includes radiation-induced processes related to corrosion of cladding materials and copper-coated iron canisters, dissolution of spent nuclear fuel, and changes of bentonite clays properties. Radiation-induced processes affecting stability of solvents and solvent extraction ligands as well oxidation states of actinide metal ions during recycling of the spent nuclear fuel are also briefly summarized.

Natural diatomite process for removal of radioactivity from liquid waste.

PubMed

Osmanlioglu, Ahmet Erdal

2007-01-01

Diatomite has a number of unique physical properties and has found diversified industrial utilization. The filtration characteristics are particularly significant in the purification of liquids. The purpose of this study was to test natural diatomaceous earth (diatomite) as an alternative material that could be used for removal of radioactivity from liquid waste. A pilot-scale column-type device was designed. Natural diatomite samples were ground, sieved and prepared to use as sorption media. In this study, real waste liquid was used as radioactive liquid having special conditions. The liquid waste contained three radionuclides (Cs-137, Cs-134 and Co-60). Following the treatment by diatomite, the radioactivity of liquid waste was reduced from the initial 2.60 Bq/ml to less than 0.40 Bq/ml. The results of this study show that most of the radioactivity was removed from the solution by processing with diatomite.

Evaluating awareness and practices pertaining to radioactive waste management among scrap dealers in Delhi, India.

PubMed

Makkar, Nayani; Chandra, Tany; Agrawal, Prachi; Bansal, Harshit; Singh, Simranjeet; Anand, Tanu; Gupta, Mannan Kumar; Kumar, Rajesh

2014-01-01

With nuclear technology rapidly taking the spotlight in the last 50 years, radiation accidents seem to be a harsh reality of the modern world. The Mayapuri Radiation accident of 2010 was the worst radiation accident India has yet dealt with. Two years thereafter, we designed a study to assess the awareness and practices regarding radioactive waste among scrap dealers aiming to assess deficiencies in radiation disaster preparedness. A community based cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 209 volunteers (from 108 scrap dealerships) including 108 shop-owners and 101 workers segregated as Group A consisting of 54 dealerships in Mayapuri and Group B of 54 dealerships from the rest of the city. Subjects were then interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Awareness about radioactive waste varied significantly with level of education (p = 0.024), Kuppuswamy's socio-economic scale (p = 0.005), age of the scrap dealer (p = 0.049) and his work experience (p = 0.045). The larger dealerships in Mayapuri were more aware about radioactive waste (p = 0.0004), the accident in 2010 (p = 0.0002), the symbol for radiation hazard (p = 0.016), as well as the emergency guidelines and the agencies to contact in the event of a radiation accident. Our findings seem to signify that while governmental and non-governmental agencies were successful in implementing prompt disaster response and awareness programs, the community continues to be inadequately prepared. These go on to suggest that though concerted awareness and training programs do benefit the affected community, economic and social development is the key to disaster prevention and mitigation.

Evaluating Awareness and Practices Pertaining to Radioactive Waste Management among Scrap Dealers in Delhi, India

PubMed Central

Makkar, Nayani; Chandra, Tany; Agrawal, Prachi; Bansal, Harshit; Singh, Simranjeet; Anand, Tanu; Gupta, Mannan Kumar; Kumar, Rajesh

2014-01-01

Objectives With nuclear technology rapidly taking the spotlight in the last 50 years, radiation accidents seem to be a harsh reality of the modern world. The Mayapuri Radiation accident of 2010 was the worst radiation accident India has yet dealt with. Two years thereafter, we designed a study to assess the awareness and practices regarding radioactive waste among scrap dealers aiming to assess deficiencies in radiation disaster preparedness. Methodology A community based cross-sectional study. The study population consisted of 209 volunteers (from 108 scrap dealerships) including 108 shop-owners and 101 workers segregated as Group A consisting of 54 dealerships in Mayapuri and Group B of 54 dealerships from the rest of the city. Subjects were then interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results Awareness about radioactive waste varied significantly with level of education (p = 0.024), Kuppuswamy's socio-economic scale (p = 0.005), age of the scrap dealer (p = 0.049) and his work experience (p = 0.045). The larger dealerships in Mayapuri were more aware about radioactive waste (p = 0.0004), the accident in 2010 (p = 0.0002), the symbol for radiation hazard (p = 0.016), as well as the emergency guidelines and the agencies to contact in the event of a radiation accident. Conclusions Our findings seem to signify that while governmental and non-governmental agencies were successful in implementing prompt disaster response and awareness programs, the community continues to be inadequately prepared. These go on to suggest that though concerted awareness and training programs do benefit the affected community, economic and social development is the key to disaster prevention and mitigation. PMID:24622341

Radioactive waste from decommissioning of fast reactors (through the example of BN-800)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybin, A. A.; Momot, O. A.

2017-01-01

Estimation of volume of radioactive waste from operating and decommissioning of fast reactors is introduced. Preliminary estimation has shown that the volume of RW from decommissioning of BN-800 is amounted to 63,000 cu. m. Comparison of the amount of liquid radioactive waste derived from operation of different reactor types is performed. Approximate costs of all wastes disposal for complete decommissioning of BN-800 reactor are estimated amounting up to approx. 145 million.

10 CFR 72.8 - Denial of licensing by Agreement States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General... the storage of spent fuel and reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or the storage of spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and reactor-related GTCC waste in an MRS. [66 FR 51839, Oct. 11, 2001] ...

10 CFR 72.8 - Denial of licensing by Agreement States.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General... the storage of spent fuel and reactor-related GTCC waste in an ISFSI or the storage of spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and reactor-related GTCC waste in an MRS. [66 FR 51839, Oct. 11, 2001] ...

High-Level Radioactive Waste.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Howard C.

1995-01-01

Presents a method to calculate the amount of high-level radioactive waste by taking into consideration the following factors: the fission process that yields the waste, identification of the waste, the energy required to run a 1-GWe plant for one year, and the uranium mass required to produce that energy. Briefly discusses waste disposal and…

NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues.

PubMed

Chen, S Y; Napier, Bruce

2016-02-01

Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The Committee completed a number of reports in these subject areas, most recently NCRP Report No. 175, Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities.

SELF SINTERING OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES

DOEpatents

McVay, T.N.; Johnson, J.R.; Struxness, E.G.; Morgan, K.Z.

1959-12-29

A method is described for disposal of radioactive liquid waste materials. The wastes are mixed with clays and fluxes to form a ceramic slip and disposed in a thermally insulated container in a layer. The temperature of the layer rises due to conversion of the energy of radioactivity to heat boillng off the liquid to fomn a dry mass. The dry mass is then covered with thermal insulation, and the mass is self-sintered into a leach-resistant ceramic cake by further conversion of the energy of radioactivity to heat.

Site Environmental Report for Calendar Year 2013. DOE Operations at The Boeing Company, Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Area IV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-06-30

This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for 2013 describes the environmental conditions related to work performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) at Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL). The Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a government-owned, company-operated test facility, was located in Area IV. The operations in Area IV included development, fabrication, operation and disassembly of nuclear reactors, reactor fuel, and other radioactive materials. Other activities in the area involved the operation of large-scale liquid metal facilities that were used for testing non-nuclear liquid metal fast breeder reactor components. All nuclear work was terminated in 1988,more » and all subsequent radiological work has been directed toward environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the former nuclear facilities and their associated sites. Liquid metal research and development ended in 2002. Since May 2007, the D&D operations in Area IV have been suspended by the DOE, but the environmental monitoring and characterization programs have continued. Results of the radiological monitoring program for the calendar year 2013 continue to indicate that there are no significant releases of radioactive material from Area IV of SSFL. All potential exposure pathways are sampled and/or monitored, including air, soil, surface water, groundwater, direct radiation, transfer of property (land, structures, waste), and recycling. Due to the suspension of D&D activities in Area IV, no effluents were released into the atmosphere during 2013. Therefore, the potential radiation dose to the general public through airborne release was zero. Similarly, the radiation dose to an offsite member of the public (maximally exposed individual) due to direct radiation from SSFL is indistinguishable from background. All radioactive wastes are processed for disposal at DOE disposal sites and/or other licensed sites approved by DOE for radioactive waste disposal. No liquid radioactive wastes were released into the environment in 2013.« less

Apparatus and method for radioactive waste screening

DOEpatents

Akers, Douglas W.; Roybal, Lyle G.; Salomon, Hopi; Williams, Charles Leroy

2012-09-04

An apparatus and method relating to screening radioactive waste are disclosed for ensuring that at least one calculated parameter for the measurement data of a sample falls within a range between an upper limit and a lower limit prior to the sample being packaged for disposal. The apparatus includes a radiation detector configured for detecting radioactivity and radionuclide content of the of the sample of radioactive waste and generating measurement data in response thereto, and a collimator including at least one aperture to direct a field of view of the radiation detector. The method includes measuring a radioactive content of a sample, and calculating one or more parameters from the radioactive content of the sample.

10 CFR 72.108 - Spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related greater than Class C waste...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE Siting Evaluation Factors § 72.108 Spent... proposed ISFSI or MRS must be evaluated with respect to the potential impact on the environment of the...

Low-level radioactive waste management handbook series: Low-level radioactive waste management in medical and biomedical research institutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-03-01

Development of this handbook began in 1982 at the request of the Radhealth Branch of the California Department of Health Services. California Assembly Bill 1513 directed the DHS to ''evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of (1) reducing the volume, reactivity, and chemical and radioactive hazard of (low-level radioactive) waste and (2) substituting nonradioactive or short-lived radioactive materials for those radionuclides which require long-term isolation from the environment. A contract awarded to the University of California at Irvine-UCI (California Std. Agreement 79902), to develop a document focusing on methods for decreasing low-level radioactive waste (LLW) generation in institutions was amore » result of that directive. In early 1985, the US Department of Energy, through EG and G Idaho, Inc., contracted with UCI to expand, update, and revise the California text for national release.« less

Supplemental Immobilization Cast Stone Technology Development and Waste Form Qualification Testing Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey; Pierce, Eric M.

2013-05-31

The Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is being constructed to treat the 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in 177 underground tanks at the Hanford Site. The WTP includes a pretreatment facility to separate the wastes into high-level waste (HLW) and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions for vitrification and disposal. The LAW will be converted to glass for final disposal at the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF). The pretreatment facility will have the capacity to separate all of the tank wastes into the HLW and LAW fractions, and the HLW Vitrification Facility will have the capacity to vitrifymore » all of the HLW. However, a second immobilization facility will be needed for the expected volume of LAW requiring immobilization. A number of alternatives, including Cast Stone—a cementitious waste form—are being considered to provide the additional LAW immobilization capacity.« less

Geological problems in radioactive waste isolation - A world wide review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witherspoon, P.A.

1991-06-01

The problem of isolating radioactive wastes from the biosphere presents specialists in the earth sciences with some of the most complicated problems they have ever encountered. This is especially true for high-level waste (HLW), which must be isolated in the underground and away from the biosphere for thousands of years. The most widely accepted method of doing this is to seal the radioactive materials in metal canisters that are enclosed by a protective sheath and placed underground in a repository that has been carefully constructed in an appropriate rock formation. Much new technology is being developed to solve the problemsmore » that have been raised, and there is a continuing need to publish the results of new developments for the benefit of all concerned. Table 1 presents a summary of the various formations under investigation according to the reports submitted for this world wide review. It can be seen that in those countries that are searching for repository sites, granitic and metamorphic rocks are the prevalent rock type under investigation. Six countries have developed underground research facilities that are currently in use. All of these investigations are in saturated systems below the water table, except the United States project, which is in the unsaturated zone of a fractured tuff.« less

Characterization of cartridge filters from the IEA-R1 Nuclear Reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The management of radioactive waste ensures safety to human health and the environment nowadays and for the future, without overwhelming the upcoming generations. The primary characterization of radioactive waste is one of the main steps in the management of radioactive waste. This step permits to choose the best treatment for the radioactive waste before forwarding it to its final disposal. The aim of the present work is the primary characterization of cartridge filters from the IEA-R1 nuclear reactor utilizing gamma-ray spectrometry, and the method of Monte Carlo for calibration. The IEA-R1 is located in the Nuclear and Energy Research Institutemore » (IPEN - CNEN) in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Cartridge filters are used for purification of the cooling water that is pumped through the core of the pool type nuclear research reactors. Once worn out, these filters are replaced and then become radioactive waste. Determination of the radioactive inventory is of paramount importance in the management of such radioactive waste, and one of the main methods for doing so is the gamma-ray spectrometry, which can identify and quantify high energy photon emitters. The technique chosen for the characterization of radioactive waste in the present work is the gamma-ray spectrometry with High purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors. From the energy identified in the experimental spectrum, three radioisotopes were identified in the cartridge filter: {sup 108m}Ag, {sup 110m}Ag, {sup 60}Co. For the estimated activity of the filter, the calibration in efficiency was made utilizing the MCNP4C code of the Monte Carlo method. Such method was chosen because there is no standard source available in the same geometry of the cartridge filter, therefore a simulation had to be developed in order to reach a calibration equation, necessary to estimate the activity of the radioactive waste. The results presented an activity value in the order of MBq for all radioisotopes. (authors)« less

A historical application of social amplification of risk model: Economic impacts of risk events at nuclear weapons facilities?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metz, W.C.

1996-12-31

Public perceptions of risk have proven to be a critical barrier to the federal government`s extensive, decade-long, technical and scientific effort to site facilities for the interim storage and permanent disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). The negative imagery, fear, and anxiety that are linked to ``nuclear`` and ``radioactive`` technologies, activities, and facilities by the public originate from the personal realities and experiences of individuals and the information they receive. These perceptions continue to be a perplexing problem for those responsible for making decisions about federal nuclear waste management policies and programs. The problem of understanding and addressing public perceptionsmore » is made even more difficult because there are decidedly different opinions about HLW held by the public and nuclear industry and radiation health experts.« less

Scenario for the safety assessment of near surface radioactive waste disposal in Serpong, Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Purnomo, A.S.

2007-07-01

Near surface disposal has been practiced for some decades, with a wide variation in sites, types and amounts of wastes, and facility designs employed. Experience has shown that the effective and safe isolation of waste depends on the performance of the overall disposal system, which is formed by three major components or barriers: the site, the disposal facility and the waste form. The objective of radioactive waste disposal is to isolate waste so that it does not result in undue radiation exposure to humans and the environment. In near surface disposal, the disposal facility is located on or below themore » ground surface, where the protective covering is generally a few meters thick. These facilities are intended to contain low and intermediate level waste without appreciable quantities of long-lived radionuclides. Safety is the most important aspect in the applications of nuclear technology and the implementation of nuclear activities in Indonesia. This aspect is reflected by a statement in the Act Number 10 Year 1997, that 'The Development and use of nuclear energy in Indonesia has to be carried out in such away to assure the safety and health of workers, the public and the protection of the environment'. Serpong are one of the sites for a nuclear research center facility, it is the biggest one in Indonesia. In the future will be developed the first near surface disposal on site of the nuclear research facility in Serpong. The paper will mainly focus on scenario of the safety assessments of near-surface radioactive waste disposal is often important to evaluate the performance of the disposal system (disposal facility, geosphere and biosphere). It will give detail, how at the present and future conditions, including anticipated and less probable events in order to prevent radionuclide migration to human and environment. Refer to the geology characteristic and ground water table is enable to place something Near Surface Disposal on unsaturated zone in Serpong site. (authors)« less

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the Materials and Energy Corporation Sealed Sources at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, Gregory

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Materials and Energy Corporation (M&EC) Sealed Source waste stream (PERM000000036, Revision 0) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the M&EC Sealed Source waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management Manual,” Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 1999). The M&EC Sealed Source waste stream is recommended for acceptance without conditions.

300 GPM Solids Removal System A True Replacement for Back Flushable Powdered Filter Systems - 13607

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ping, Mark R.; Lewis, Mark

2013-07-01

The EnergySolutions Solids Removal System (SRS) utilizes stainless steel cross-flow ultra-filtration (XUF) technology which allows it to reliably remove suspended solids greater than one (1) micron from liquid radwaste streams. The SRS is designed as a pre-treatment step for solids separation prior to processing through other technologies such as Ion Exchange Resin (IER) and/or Reverse Osmosis (RO), etc. Utilizing this pre-treatment approach ensures successful production of reactor grade water while 1) decreasing the amount of radioactive water being discharged to the environment; and 2) decreasing the amount of radioactive waste that must ultimately be disposed of due to the eliminationmore » of spent powdered filter media. (authors)« less

The status of LILW disposal facility construction in Korea

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Min-Seok; Chung, Myung-Sub; Park, Kyu-Wan

2013-07-01

In this paper, we discuss the experiences during the construction of the first LILW disposal facility in South Korea. In December 2005, the South Korean Government designated Gyeongju-city as a host city of Low- and Intermediate-Level Radioactive Waste(LILW) disposal site through local referendums held in regions whose local governments had applied to host disposal facility in accordance with the site selection procedures. The LILW disposal facility is being constructed in Bongilri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju. The official name of the disposal facility is called 'Wolsong Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center (LILW Disposal Center)'. It can dispose of 800,000 drumsmore » of radioactive wastes in a site of 2,100,000 square meters. At the first stage, LILW repository of underground silo type with disposal capacity of 100,000 drums is under construction expected to be completed by June of 2014. The Wolsong Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center consists of surface facilities and underground facilities. The surface facilities include a reception and inspection facility, an interim storage facility, a radioactive waste treatment building, and supporting facilities such as main control center, equipment and maintenance shop. The underground facilities consist of a construction tunnel for transport of construction equipment and materials, an operation tunnel for transport of radioactive waste, an entrance shaft for workers, and six silos for final disposal of radioactive waste. As of Dec. 2012, the overall project progress rate is 93.8%. (authors)« less

Radioactive and mixed waste - risk as a basis for waste classification. Symposium proceedings No. 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The management of risks from radioactive and chemical materials has been a major environmental concern in the United states for the past two or three decades. Risk management of these materials encompasses the remediation of past disposal practices as well as development of appropriate strategies and controls for current and future operations. This symposium is concerned primarily with low-level radioactive wastes and mixed wastes. Individual reports were processed separately for the Department of Energy databases.

Development of a universal solvent for the decontamination of acidic liquid radioactive wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, T. A.; Brewer, K. N.; Law, J. D.; Wood, D. J.; Herbest, R. S.; Romanovskiy, V. N.; Esimantovskiy, V. M.; Smirnov, I. V.; Babain, V. A.

1999-01-01

A teritiary solvent containing chlorinated cobalt dicarbollide, polyethylene glycol and diphenylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide was evaluated in different non-nitroaromatic diluents for the separation of cesium, strontium, actinides and rare earth elements from acidic liquid radioactive waste. Decontamination factors of >95% for Cs, 99.7% for Sr, and 99.99% for actinides were achieved in four successive batch contacts using actual radioactive waste. Pilot plant testing in centrifugal contactors using simulated wastes, has demonstrated removal of >99% of all targeted ions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The purpose of this analysis is to provide information necessary for the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the practical utility of the Nitrate to Ammonia and Ceramic or Glass (NAC/NAG/NAX) process, which is under development in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The NAC/NACx/NAX process can convert aqueous radioactive nitrate-laden waste to a glass, ceramic, or grout solid waste form. The tasks include, but are not limited to, the following: Identify current commercial technologies to meet hazardous and radiological waste disposal requirements. The technologies may be thermal or non-thermal but must be all inclusive (i.e., must convert a radionuclide-containing nitratemore » waste with a pH around 12 to a stable form that can be disposed at permitted facilities); evaluate and compare DOE-sponsored vitrification, grouting, and minimum additive waste stabilization projects for life-cycle costs; compare the technologies above with respect to material costs, capital equipment costs, operating costs, and operating efficiencies. For the NAC/NAG/NAX process, assume aluminum reactant is government furnished and ammonia gas may be marketed; compare the identified technologies with respect to frequency of use within DOE for environmental management applications with appropriate rationale for use; Assess the potential size of the DOE market for the NAC/NAG/NAX process; assess and off-gas issues; and compare with international technologies, including life-cycle estimates.« less

Balanced program plan. Analysis for biomedical and environmental research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-06-01

Major issues associated with the use of nuclear power are health hazards of exposure to radioactive materials; sources of radiation exposure; reactor accidents; sabotage of nuclear facilities; diversion of fissile material and its use for extortion; and the presence of plutonium in the environment. Fission fuel cycle technology is discussed with regard to milling, UF/sub 6/ production, uranium enrichment, plutonium fuel fabrication, power production, fuel processing, waste management, and fuel and waste transportation. The following problem areas of fuel cycle technology are briefly discussed: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; transport processes; health effects; ecological processes and effects; and integrated assessment. Estimatedmore » program unit costs are summarized by King-Muir Category. (HLW)« less

Canister arrangement for storing radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Lorenzo, D.K.; Van Cleve, J.E. Jr.

1980-04-23

The subject invention relates to a canister arrangement for jointly storing high level radioactive chemical waste and metallic waste resulting from the reprocessing of nuclear reactor fuel elements. A cylindrical steel canister is provided with an elongated centrally disposed billet of the metallic waste and the chemical waste in vitreous form is disposed in the annulus surrounding the billet.

Canister arrangement for storing radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Lorenzo, Donald K.; Van Cleve, Jr., John E.

1982-01-01

The subject invention relates to a canister arrangement for jointly storing high level radioactive chemical waste and metallic waste resulting from the reprocessing of nuclear reactor fuel elements. A cylindrical steel canister is provided with an elongated centrally disposed billet of the metallic waste and the chemical waste in vitreous form is disposed in the annulus surrounding the billet.

Journey to the Nevada Test Site Radioactive Waste Management Complex

ScienceCinema

None

2018-01-16

Journey to the Nevada Test Site Radioactive Waste Management Complex begins with a global to regional perspective regarding the location of low-level and mixed low-level waste disposal at the Nevada Test Site. For decades, the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) has served as a vital disposal resource in the nation-wide cleanup of former nuclear research and testing facilities. State-of-the-art waste management sites at the NNSS offer a safe, permanent disposal option for U.S. Department of Energy/U.S. Department of Defense facilities generating cleanup-related radioactive waste.

Tank 19F Folding Crawler Final Evaluation, Rev. 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nance, T.

2000-10-25

The Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to removing millions of gallons of high-level radioactive waste from 51 underground waste storage tanks at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The primary radioactive waste constituents are strontium, plutonium,and cesium. It is recognized that the continued storage of this waste is a risk to the public, workers, and the environment. SRS was the first site in the DOE complex to have emptied and operationally closed a high-level radioactive waste tank. The task of emptying and closing the rest of the tanks will be completed by FY28.

Geohydrology of the near-surface unsaturated zone adjacent to the disposal site for low-level radioactive waste near Beatty, Nevada: A section in Safe disposal of radionuclides in low-level radioactive-waste repository sites; Low-level radioactive-waste disposal workshop, U.S. Geological Survey, July 11-16, 1987, Big Bear Lake, Calif., Proceedings (Circular 1036)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fisher, Jeffrey M.; Bedinger, Marion S.; Stevens, Peter R.

1990-01-01

Shallow-land burial in arid areas is considered the best method for isolating low-level radioactive waste from the environment (Nichols and Goode, this report; Mercer and others, 1983). A major threat to waste isolation in shallow trenches is ground-water percolation. Repository sites in arid areas are believed to minimize the risk of ground-water contamination because such sites receive minimal precipitation and are underlain by thick unsaturated zones. Unfortunately, few data are available on rates of water percolation in an arid environment.

Special Analysis for the Disposal of the INL Waste Associated with the Unirradiated Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) Waste Stream at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shott, Gregory

This special analysis (SA) evaluates whether the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Waste Associated with the Unirradiated Light Water Breeder Reactor (LWBR) waste stream (INEL167203QR1, Revision 0) is suitable for shallow land burial (SLB) at the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Disposal of the INL Waste Associated with the Unirradiated LWBR waste meets all U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Manual DOE M 435.1-1, “Radioactive Waste Management Manual,” Chapter IV, Section P performance objectives (DOE 1999). The INL Waste Associated with the Unirradiated LWBR waste stream is recommended for acceptance with the conditionmore » that the total uranium-233 ( 233U) inventory be limited to 2.7E13 Bq (7.2E2 Ci).« less

Texas State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-08-01

The Texas State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactivee waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Texas. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Texas. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed throughmore » personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Texas.« less

Waste Information Record Keeping System (WIRKS) in Romania

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dogaru, D.M.; Raducea, D.; Dogaru, G.

2006-07-01

In Romania there is no common national WIRKS used by all waste management organizations. Each waste management organization uses an own WIRKS. The regulatory authority approves the WIRKS of each radioactive waste facility and checks the recordings during the process of authorization. This paper summarizes the regulatory requirements regarding to WIRKS, the types of the waste generators, facilities and their waste classification of radioactive waste. Also the paper summarizes the WIRKS applied to the most important waste generators. (authors)

Regulatory basis for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HOWARD,BRYAN A.; CRAWFORD,M.B.; GALSON,D.A.

2000-05-22

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is the first operational repository designed for the safe disposal of transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste from the defense programs of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for certifications and regulation of the WIPP facility for the radioactive components of the waste. The EPA has promulgated general radioactive waste disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 191. and WIPP-specific criteria to implement and interpret the generic disposal standards at 40 CFR Part 194. In October 1996. the DOE submitted its Compliance Certification Application (CCA) to the EPA tomore » demonstrate compliance with the disposal standards at Subparts B and C of 40 CFR Part 191. This paper summarizes the development of the overall legal framework for radioactive waste disposal at the WIPP, the parallel development of the WIPP performance assessment (PA), and how the EPA disposal standards and implementing criteria formed the basis for the CCA WIPP PA. The CCA resulted in a certification in May 1998 by the EPA of the WIPP'S compliance with the EPA's disposal standard, thus enabling the WIPP to begin radioactive waste disposal.« less

A review and overview of nuclear waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murray, R.L.

1984-12-31

An understanding of the status and issues in the management of radioactive wastes is based on technical information on radioactivity, radiation, biological hazard of radiation exposure, radiation standards, and methods of protection. The fission process gives rise to radioactive fission products and neutron bombardment gives activation products. Radioactive wastes are classified according to source: defense, commercial, industrial, and institutional; and according to physical features: uranium mill tailings, high-level, transuranic, and low-level. The nuclear fuel cycle, which contributes a large fraction of annual radioactive waste, starts with uranium ore, includes nuclear reactor use for electrical power generation, and ends with ultimatemore » disposal of residues. The relation of spent fuel storage and reprocessing is governed by technical, economic, and political considerations. Waste has been successfully solidified in glass and other forms and choices of the containers for the waste form are available. Methods of disposal of high-level waste that have been investigated are transmutation by neutron bombardment, shipment to Antartica, deep-hole insertion, subseabed placement, transfer by rocket to an orbit in space, and disposal in a mined cavity. The latter is the favored method. The choices of host geological media are salt, basalt, tuff, and granite.« less

Slovenian Experience with the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stritar, A.

Slovenia is a relatively small European country with only one operating nuclear power plant, one operating research reactor and one Central Interim Storage for Radioactive Waste from small producers. There are also a uranium mine and mill at Zirovski vrh, both in the decommissioning stage. The Slovenian Government, its public and neighboring countries are most interested in the managing of radioactive waste in the safest possible way by carefully utilizing best practices and existing human and financial resources. In order to achieve this goal the tight connection with the international community in the area of radioactive waste management is essential.more » Slovenia was among those countries involved in the process of preparation of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (Joint Convention) from the very beginning and was also among first ratifiers. Slovenia had prepared the first report under the Convention and took part in the first Review Meeting in November 2003. The preparation of this report was not regarded only as a fulfillment of obligation toward Joint Convention, but was considered primarily as a kind of self appraisal of the national radioactive management program. Therefore the preparation of the report primarily contributed to the improvements in the field of radioactive waste management and consequently enhanced the safety of our public. For the preparation of the second report for the review meeting in 2006 it was decided to follow the structure of the first report. Only updates were introduced and eventual changes in the area of radioactive waste management were reflected. (authors)« less

Radioactive Demonstration Of Mineralized Waste Forms Made From Hanford Low Activity Waste (Tank SX-105, Tank AN-103, And AZ-101/102) By Fluidized Bed Steam Reformation (FBSR)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jantzen, C. M.; Crawford, C. L.; Bannochie, C. J.

Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming (FBSR) is a robust technology for the immobilization of a wide variety of radioactive wastes. Applications have been tested at the pilot scale for the high sodium, sulfate, halide, organic and nitrate wastes at the Hanford site, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and the Savannah River Site (SRS). Due to the moderate processing temperatures, halides, sulfates, and technetium are retained in mineral phases of the feldspathoid family (nepheline, sodalite, nosean, carnegieite, etc). The feldspathoid minerals bind the contaminants such as Tc-99 in cage (sodalite, nosean) or ring (nepheline) structures to surrounding aluminosilicate tetrahedra in the feldspathoidmore » structures. The granular FBSR mineral waste form that is produced has a comparable durability to LAW glass based on the short term PCT testing in this study, the INL studies, SPFT and PUF testing from previous studies as given in the columns in Table 1-3 that represent the various durability tests. Monolithing of the granular product was shown to be feasible in a separate study. Macro-encapsulating the granular product provides a decrease in leaching compared to the FBSR granular product when the geopolymer is correctly formulated.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brown, N.W.; Wickenden, D.A.; Roberts, E.P.L.

Arvia{sup R}, working with Magnox Ltd, has developed the technology of adsorption coupled with electrochemical regeneration for the degradation of orphan radioactive oil wastes. The process results in the complete destruction of the organic phase where the radioactivity is transferred to liquid and solid secondary wastes that can then be processed using existing authorised on-site waste-treatment facilities.. Following on from successful laboratory and pilot scale trials, a full scale, site based demonstrator unit was commissioned at the Magnox Trawsfynydd decommissioning site to destroy 10 l of LLW and ILW radioactive oils. Over 99% of the emulsified oil was removed andmore » destroyed with the majority of activity (80 - 90%) being transferred to the aqueous phase. Secondary wastes were disposed of via existing routes with the majority being disposed of via the sites active effluent treatment plant. The regeneration energy required to destroy a litre of oil was 42.5 kWh/l oil. This on-site treatment approach eliminates the risks and cost associated with transporting the active waste oils off site for incineration or other treatment. The Arvia{sup R} process of adsorption coupled with electrochemical regeneration has successfully demonstrated the removal and destruction of LLW and ILW radioactive oils on a nuclear site. Over 99.9% of the emulsified oil was removed, with the majority of the radioactive species transferred to the aqueous, supernate, phase (typically 80 - 90 %). The exception to this is Cs-137 which appears to be more evenly distributed, with 43% associated with the liquid phase and 33 % with the Nyex, the remainder associated with the electrode bed. The situation with Plutonium may be similar, but this requires confirmation, hence further work is underway to understand the full nature of the electrode bed radioactive burden and its distribution within the body of the electrodes. - Tritium gaseous discharges were negligible; hence no off-gas treatment before direct discharge to atmosphere is necessary. All secondary wastes were suitable for disposal using existing disposal routes, with the majority of the activity being successfully discharged as active water via the site active drains. - Oil destruction was achieved at a rate of 28.2 ml/hr using a regeneration energy of 42.5 kWh/l oil. The treatment of different active and non-active oils was achieved using the same operating parameters, providing strong evidence that the process is robust and will treat a wide range of oils, organic wastes and additives. - Currently the design of a plant capable of processing 1000 ml/hr is being established in discussion with Magnox Ltd. The plant will run automatically with little operator attention and so process between 5-8 m{sup 3} of ILW oil per annum. (authors)« less

Source term evaluation model for high-level radioactive waste repository with decay chain build-up.

PubMed

Chopra, Manish; Sunny, Faby; Oza, R B

2016-09-18

A source term model based on two-component leach flux concept is developed for a high-level radioactive waste repository. The long-lived radionuclides associated with high-level waste may give rise to the build-up of activity because of radioactive decay chains. The ingrowths of progeny are incorporated in the model using Bateman decay chain build-up equations. The model is applied to different radionuclides present in the high-level radioactive waste, which form a part of decay chains (4n to 4n + 3 series), and the activity of the parent and daughter radionuclides leaching out of the waste matrix is estimated. Two cases are considered: one when only parent is present initially in the waste and another where daughters are also initially present in the waste matrix. The incorporation of in situ production of daughter radionuclides in the source is important to carry out realistic estimates. It is shown that the inclusion of decay chain build-up is essential to avoid underestimation of the radiological impact assessment of the repository. The model can be a useful tool for evaluating the source term of the radionuclide transport models used for the radiological impact assessment of high-level radioactive waste repositories.

[Problems of safety regulation under radioactive waste management in Russia].

PubMed

Monastyrskaia, S G; Kochetkov, O A; Barchukov, V G; Kuznetsova, L I

2012-01-01

Analysis of the requirements of Federal Law N 190 "About radioactive waste management and incorporation of changes into some legislative acts of the Russian Federation", as well as normative-legislative documents actual and planned to be published related to provision of radiation protection of the workers and the public have been done. Problems of safety regulation raised due to different approaches of Rospotrebnadzor, FMBA of Russia, Rostekhnadzor and Minprirody with respect to classification and categorization of the radioactive wastes, disposal, exemption from regulatory control, etc. have been discussed in the paper. Proposals regarding improvement of the system of safety regulation under radioactive waste management and of cooperation of various regulatory bodies have been formulated.

3rd Quarter Transportation Report FY 2014: Radioactive Waste Shipments to and from the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory, Louis

2014-09-20

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. This report summarizes the 3rd quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. This report also includes annual summaries for FY 2014 in Tables 4 and 5. Tabular summaries are provided which includemore » the following: Sources of and carriers for LLW and MLLW shipments to and from the NNSS; Number and external volume of LLW and MLLW shipments; Highway routes used by carriers; and Incident/accident data applicable to LLW and MLLW shipments. In this report shipments are accounted for upon arrival at the NNSS, while disposal volumes are accounted for upon waste burial. The disposal volumes presented in this report do not include minor volumes of non-radioactive materials that were approved for disposal. Volume reports showing cubic feet generated using the Low-Level Waste Information System may vary slightly due to differing rounding conventions.« less

Safety evaluation for packaging (onsite) concrete-lined waste packaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Romano, T.

1997-09-25

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a package to ship Type A, non-transuranic, fissile excepted quantities of liquid or solid radioactive material and radioactive mixed waste to the Central Waste Complex for storage on the Hanford Site.

Improved low-level radioactive waste management practices for hospitals and research institutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1983-07-01

This report provides a general overview and a compendium of source material on low-level radioactive waste management practices in the institutional sector. Institutional sector refers to hospitals, universities, clinics, and research facilities that use radioactive materials in scientific research and the practice of medicine, and the manufacturers of radiopharmaceuticals and radiography devices. This report provides information on effective waste management practices for institutional waste to state policymakers, regulatory agency officials, and waste generators. It is not intended to be a handbook for actual waste management, but rather a sourcebook of general information, as well as a survey of the moremore » detailed analysis.« less

Characteristics of solidified products containing radioactive molten salt waste.

PubMed

Park, Hwan-Seo; Kim, In-Tae; Cho, Yong-Zun; Eun, Hee-Chul; Kim, Joon-Hyung

2007-11-01

The molten salt waste from a pyroprocess to recover uranium and transuranic elements is one of the problematic radioactive wastes to be solidified into a durable wasteform for its final disposal. By using a novel method, named as the GRSS (gel-route stabilization/solidification) method, a molten salt waste was treated to produce a unique wasteform. A borosilicate glass as a chemical binder dissolves the silicate compounds in the gel products to produce one amorphous phase while most of the phosphates are encapsulated by the vitrified phase. Also, Cs in the gel product is preferentially situated in the silicate phase, and it is vitrified into a glassy phase after a heat treatment. The Sr-containing phase is mainly phosphate compounds and encapsulated by the glassy phase. These phenomena could be identified by the static and dynamic leaching test that revealed a high leach resistance of radionuclides. The leach rates were about 10(-3) - 10(-2) g/m2 x day for Cs and 10(-4) - 10(-3) g/m2 x day for Sr, and the leached fractions of them were predicted to be 0.89% and 0.39% at 900 days, respectively. This paper describes the characteristics of a unique wasteform containing a molten salt waste and provides important information on a newly developed immobilization technology for salt wastes, the GRSS method.

Closure Plan for the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site at the Nevada Test Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NSTec Environmental Management

The Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RMWS) at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is managed and operated by National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO). This document is the first update of the preliminary closure plan for the Area 5 RWMS at the NTS that was presented in the Integrated Closure and Monitoring Plan (DOE, 2005a). The major updates to the plan include a new closure schedule, updated closure inventory, updated site and facility characterization data, the Title II engineering cover design, and the closure processmore » for the 92-Acre Area of the RWMS. The format and content of this site-specific plan follows the Format and Content Guide for U.S. Department of Energy Low-Level Waste Disposal Facility Closure Plans (DOE, 1999a). This interim closure plan meets closure and post-closure monitoring requirements of the order DOE O 435.1, manual DOE M 435.1-1, Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 191, 40 CFR 265, Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 444.743, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements as incorporated into NAC 444.8632. The Area 5 RWMS accepts primarily packaged low-level waste (LLW), low-level mixed waste (LLMW), and asbestiform low-level waste (ALLW) for disposal in excavated disposal cells.« less

Process and equipment development for hot isostatic pressing treatability study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bateman, Ken; Wahlquist, Dennis; Malewitz, Tim

2015-03-01

Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA), LLC, has developed processes and equipment for a pilot-scale hot isostatic pressing (HIP) treatability study to stabilize and volume reduce radioactive calcine stored at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). In 2009, the U. S. Department of Energy signed a Record of Decision with the state of Idaho selecting HIP technology as the method to treat 5,800 yd^3 (4,400 m^3) of granular zirconia and alumina calcine produced between 1953 and 1992 as a waste byproduct of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. Since the 1990s, a variety of radioactive and hazardous waste forms have been remotely treated using HIP withinmore » INL hot cells. To execute the remote process at INL, waste is loaded into a stainless-steel or aluminum can, which is evacuated, sealed, and placed into a HIP furnace. The HIP simultaneously heats and pressurizes the waste, reducing its volume and increasing its durability. Two 1 gal cans of calcine waste currently stored in a shielded cask were identified as candidate materials for a treatability study involving the HIP process. Equipment and materials for cask-handling and calcine transfer into INL hot cells, as well as remotely operated equipment for waste can opening, particle sizing, material blending, and HIP can loading have been designed and successfully tested. These results demonstrate BEA’s readiness for treatment of INL calcine.« less

Radiation and Health: A Workshop for Science Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krieger, Kenneth

2010-03-01

This workshop covers nuclear science and technology topics suitable for science teachers to use in grade 4-12 classes. Subjects included are Fundamentals of Radiation, Exposure to natural and man- made Radiation, Cellular Biology and Radiation Effects, Radioactive Waste Management, Health Physics and Radiation Physics, and Career possibilities in Nuclear Technology. Schools of participants will receive a working Geiger Counter. Workshop presenter is a TEA-approved CPE Provider. Limited to 20 participants - 3 hours - Cost 2.00

Achievements and Perspectives of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Louvat, D.; Lacoste, A.C.

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management is the first legal instrument to directly address the safety of spent fuel and radioactive waste management on a global scale. The Joint Convention entered into force in 2001. This paper describes its process and its main achievements to date. The perspectives to establish of a Global Waste Safety Regime based on the Joint Convention are also discussed. (authors)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, John Russell

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a number of facilities from Saddam Hussan's nuclear weapons program. Past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting have created an enormous radioactive waste problem at the Al Tuwaitha complex, which contains various, uncharacterized radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals that must be constantly guarded. Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility and the lack of a disposal facility means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program (the NDs Program) has beenmore » initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS is funding the IAEA to provide technical assistance via Technical Cooperation projects. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for implementation of the NDs Program.« less

10 CFR 61.11 - General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Licenses § 61...) Plans for use of the land disposal facility for purposes other than disposal of radioactive wastes; and..., and first emplacement of waste at the proposed land disposal facility. ...

10 CFR 61.11 - General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Licenses § 61...) Plans for use of the land disposal facility for purposes other than disposal of radioactive wastes; and..., and first emplacement of waste at the proposed land disposal facility. ...

10 CFR 61.11 - General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Licenses § 61...) Plans for use of the land disposal facility for purposes other than disposal of radioactive wastes; and..., and first emplacement of waste at the proposed land disposal facility. ...

10 CFR 61.11 - General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Licenses § 61...) Plans for use of the land disposal facility for purposes other than disposal of radioactive wastes; and..., and first emplacement of waste at the proposed land disposal facility. ...

10 CFR 61.11 - General information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE Licenses § 61...) Plans for use of the land disposal facility for purposes other than disposal of radioactive wastes; and..., and first emplacement of waste at the proposed land disposal facility. ...

Protecting Lake Ontario - Treating Wastewater from the Remediated Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Facility - 13227

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Freihammer, Till; Chaput, Barb; Vandergaast, Gary

2013-07-01

The Port Granby Project is part of the larger Port Hope Area Initiative, a community-based program for the development and implementation of a safe, local, long-term management solution for historic low level radioactive waste (LLRW) and marginally contaminated soils (MCS). The Port Granby Project involves the relocation and remediation of up to 0.45 million cubic metres of such waste from the current Port Granby Waste Management Facility located in the Municipality of Clarington, Ontario, adjacent to the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The waste material will be transferred to a new suitably engineered Long-Term Waste Management Facility (LTWMF) to be locatedmore » inland approximately 700 m from the existing site. The development of the LTWMF will include construction and commissioning of a new Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) designed to treat wastewater consisting of contaminated surface run off and leachate generated during the site remediation process at the Port Granby Waste Management Facility as well as long-term leachate generated at the new LTWMF. Numerous factors will influence the variable wastewater flow rates and influent loads to the new WWTP during remediation. The treatment processes will be comprised of equalization to minimize impacts from hydraulic peaks, fine screening, membrane bioreactor technology, and reverse osmosis. The residuals treatment will comprise of lime precipitation, thickening, dewatering, evaporation and drying. The distribution of the concentration of uranium and radium - 226 over the various process streams in the WWTP was estimated. This information was used to assess potential worker exposure to radioactivity in the various process areas. A mass balance approach was used to assess the distribution of uranium and radium - 226, by applying individual contaminant removal rates for each process element of the WTP, based on pilot scale results and experience-based assumptions. The mass balance calculations were repeated for various flow and load scenarios. (authors)« less

Radioactive waste disposal in the marine environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, D. R.

In order to find the optimal solution to waste disposal problems, it is necessary to make comparisons between disposal media. It has become obvious to many within the scientific community that the single medium approach leads to over protection of one medium at the expense of the others. Cross media comparisons are being conducted in the Department of Energy ocean disposal programs for several radioactive wastes. Investigations in three areas address model development, comparisons of laboratory tests with field results and predictions, and research needs in marine disposal of radioactive waste. Tabulated data are included on composition of liquid high level waste and concentration of some natural radionuclides in the sea.

Shallow land burial of low-level radioactive wastes. A selected, annotated bibliography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fore, C.S.; Vaughan, N.D.; Tappen, J.

1978-06-01

The data file was built to provide information support to DOE researchers in the field of low-level radioactive waste disposal and management. The scope of the data base emphasizes studies which deal with the ''old'' Manhattan sites, commercial disposal sites, and the specific parameters which affect the soil and geologic migration of radionuclides. Specialized data fields have been incorporated into the data base to improve the ease and accuracy of locating pertinent references. Specific radionuclides for which data are presented are listed in the ''Measured Radionuclides'' field, and specific parameters which affect the migration of these radionuclides are presented inmore » the ''Measured Parameters'' field. The 504 references are rated indicating applicability to shallow land burial technology and whether interpretation is required. Indexes are provided for author, geographic location, title, measured parameters, measured radionuclides, keywords, subject categories, and publication description. (DLC)« less

Feasibility of space disposal of radioactive nuclear waste. 2: Technical summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The feasibility of transporting radioactive waste produced in the process of generating electricity in nuclear powerplants into space for ultimate disposal was investigated at the request of the AEC as a NASA in-house effort. The investigation is part of a broad AEC study of methods for long-term storage or disposal of radioactive waste. The results of the study indicate that transporting specific radioactive wastes, particularly the actinides with very long half-lives, into space using the space shuttle/tug as the launch system, appears feasible from the engineering and safety viewpoints. The space transportation costs for ejecting the actinides out of the solar system would represent less than a 5-percent increase in the average consumer's electric bill.

Considerations Related To Human Intrusion In The Context Of Disposal Of Radioactive Waste-The IAEA HIDRA Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seitz, Roger; Kumano, Yumiko; Bailey, Lucy

2014-01-09

The principal approaches for management of radioactive waste are commonly termed ‘delay and decay’, ‘concentrate and contain’ and ‘dilute and disperse’. Containing the waste and isolating it from the human environment, by burying it, is considered to increase safety and is generally accepted as the preferred approach for managing radioactive waste. However, this approach results in concentrated sources of radioactive waste contained in one location, which can pose hazards should the facility be disrupted by human action in the future. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Nuclear Energymore » Agency (OECD/NEA) agree that some form of inadvertent human intrusion (HI) needs to be considered to address the potential consequences in the case of loss of institutional control and loss of memory of the disposal facility. Requirements are reflected in national regulations governing radioactive waste disposal. However, in practice, these requirements are often different from country to country, which is then reflected in the actual implementation of HI as part of a safety case. The IAEA project on HI in the context of Disposal of RadioActive waste (HIDRA) has been started to identify potential areas for improved consistency in consideration of HI. The expected outcome is to provide recommendations on how to address human actions in the safety case in the future, and how the safety case may be used to demonstrate robustness and optimize siting, design and waste acceptance criteria within the context of a safety case.« less

(US low-level radioactive waste management facility design, construction, and operation): Foreign trip report, July 22--30, 1989

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Hoesen, S.D.; Bolinsky, J.

1989-08-02

The Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Team, consisting of representatives of the Engineering Division and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), participated in a technology exchange program on French and US low-level radioactive waste (LLW) management facility design, construction, and operation. Meetings were held at the Agence National pour la Gestion des Dechets Radioactif (ANDRA) offices in Paris to review the designs for the new French LLW disposal facility, the Cente de Stockage de l'Aube (CSA), and the new ORNL LLW disposal project, the Interim Waste Management Facility (IWMF), and the results of the French LLW disposal facility cover experiment atmore » St. Sauveur. Visits were made to the operating LLW disposal facility, the Centre de Stockage de la Manche (CSM), the LLW conditioning facilities at the La Hague Reprocessing Facility, and the St. Saueveur Disposal Cap Experiment to discuss design, construction, and operating experience. A visit was also made to the CSA site to view the progress made in construction of the new facility.« less

A proliferation of nuclear waste for the Southeast.

PubMed

Alvarez, Robert; Smith, Stephen

2007-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is being promoted as a program to bring about the expansion of worldwide nuclear energy. Here in the U.S. much of this proposed nuclear power expansion is slated to happen in the Southeast, including here in South Carolina. Under the GNEP plan, the United States and its nuclear partners would sell nuclear power plants to developing nations that agree not to pursue technologies that would aid nuclear weapons production, notably reprocessing and uranium enrichment. As part of the deal, the United States would take highly radioactive spent ("used") fuel rods to a reprocessing center in this country. Upon analysis of the proposal, it is clear that DOE lacks a credible plan for the safe management and disposal of radioactive wastes stemming from the GNEP program and that the high costs and possible public health and environmental impacts from the program pose significant risks, especially to this region. Given past failures to address waste problems before they were created, DOE's rush to invest major public funds for deployment of reprocessing should be suspended.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kot, Wing K.; Pegg, Ian L.; Brandys, Marek

One of the primary roles of waste pretreatment at the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is to separate the majority of the radioactive components from the majority of the nonradioactive components in retrieved tank wastes, producing a high level waste (HLW) stream and a low activity waste (LAW) stream. This separation process is a key element in the overall strategy to reduce the volume of HLW that requires vitrification and subsequent disposal in a national deep geological repository for high level nuclear waste. After removal of the radioactive constituents, the LAW stream, which has a much largermore » volume but smaller fraction of radioactivity than the HLW stream, will be immobilized and disposed of in near surface facilities at the Hanford site.« less

Innovative Process for Comprehensive Treatment of Liquid Radioactive Waste - 12551

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Penzin, R.A.; Sarychev, G.A.

This paper presents the results of research activities aimed at creation of a principally new LRW distilling treatment method. The new process is based on the instantaneous evaporation method widely used in distillation units. The main difference of the proposed process is that the vapor condensation is conducted without using heat exchangers in practically ideal mode by way of direct contacting in a vapor-liquid system. This process is conducted in a specially designed ejector unit in supersonic mode. Further recuperation of excess heat of vaporization is carried out in a standard heat exchanger. Such an arrangement of the process, togethermore » with use of the barometric height principle, allows to carry out LRW evaporation under low temperatures, which enables to use excess heat from NPS for heating initial LRW. Thermal calculations and model experiments have revealed that, in this case, the expenditure of energy for LRW treatment by distilling will not exceed 3 kilowatt-hour/m{sup 3}, which is comparable with the reverse-osmosis desalination method. Besides, the proposed devices are 4 to 5 times less metal-intensive than standard evaporation units. These devices are also characterized by versatility. Experiments have revealed that the new method can be used for evaporation of practically any types of LRW, including those containing a considerable amount of oil products. Owing to arrangement of the evaporation process at low temperatures, the new devices are not sensitive to 'scale formation'. This is why, they can be used for concentrating brines of up to 500-600 g/l. New types of such evaporating devices can be required both for LRW treatment processes at nuclear-power plants under design and for treating 'non-standard' LRW with complex physicochemical and radionuclide composition resulting from the disaster at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.) As a result of accidents at nuclear energy objects, as it has recently happened at NPP 'Fukushima-1', personnel faces the necessity to take emergency measures and to use marine water for cooling of reactor zone in contravention of the technological regulations. In these cases significant amount of liquid radioactive wastes of complex physicochemical composition is being generated, the purification of which by traditional methods is close to impossible. According to the practice of elimination of the accident after-effects at NPP 'Fukushima' there are still no technical means for the efficient purification of liquid radioactive wastes of complex composition like marine water from radionuclides. Therefore development of state-of-the-art highly efficient facilities capable of fast and safe purification of big amounts of liquid radioactive wastes of complex physicochemical composition from radionuclides turns to be utterly topical problem. Cesium radionuclides, being extremely dangerous for the environment, present over 90% of total radioactivity contained in liquid radioactive wastes left as a result of accidents at nuclear power objects. For the purpose of radiation accidents aftereffects liquidation VNIIHT proposes to create a plant for LRW reprocessing, consisting of 4 major technological modules: Module of LRW pretreatment to remove mechanical and organic impurities including oil products; Module of sorption purification of LWR by means of selective inorganic sorbents; Module of reverse osmotic purification and desalination; Module of deep evaporation of LRW concentrates. The first free modules are based on completed technological and designing concepts implemented by VNIIHT in the framework of LLRW Project in the period of 2000-2001 in Russia for comprehensive treatment of LWR of atomic fleet. These industrial plants proved to be highly efficient and secure during their long operation life. Module of deep evaporation is a new technological development. It will ensure conduction of evaporation and purification of LRW of different physicochemical composition, including those containing hardness salts, resulted in generation of LRW concentrate 300-600 g/l. The method is based on utilization of supersonic ejector for intensification of thermal physic processes and performance of evaporation in brine recycling mode. All proposed technological solutions are totally based on patented Russian developments. Proposed work will allow to construct modular plants, which will be totally prepared for efficient purification of any types of liquid radioactive wastes from radionuclides in case of force majeure. According to proposed scheme concentration level of cesium radionuclides in safe-for-storage form will make up not less than 5000. With respect to purification from cesium radionuclides of liquid radioactive wastes stored at NPP 'Fukushima' about 10 t of inorganic sorbents, loaded in 160 protective filter-containers, will be required for solving this problem. The amount of secondary wastes will be reduced approximately in 5 times in comparison with traditional schemes, applied in purification of secondary LRW of Fukushima-1 by Areva (France) and Kurion (USA) companies. All units of modular plants will be constructed and manufactured as totally automated, providing their twenty-four-hour safe operation. Modular design will ensure efficiency and let optimize the costs of secondary LRW treatment. In order to ensure off-line operation in emergency conditions the plant should be equipped with auxiliary modules: energy and ventilation ones. Under normal conditions these modules can be stored in 'mothballed' condition at special warehouses under the authority of federal bodies. It will be reasonable to choose required transport facilities, the most suitable for transportation of modules to target destination beforehand, using vessel classification list.« less

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT OF CROSS-FLOW FILTRATION FOR HIGH LEVEL WASTE TREATMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duignan, M.; Nash, C.; Poirier, M.

2011-01-12

In the interest of accelerating waste treatment processing, the DOE has funded studies to better understand filtration with the goal of improving filter fluxes in existing cross-flow equipment. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was included in those studies, with a focus on start-up techniques, filter cake development, the application of filter aids (cake forming solid precoats), and body feeds (flux enhancing polymers). This paper discusses the progress of those filter studies. Cross-flow filtration is a key process step in many operating and planned waste treatment facilities to separate undissolved solids from supernate slurries. This separation technology generally has themore » advantage of self-cleaning through the action of wall shear stress created by the flow of waste slurry through the filter tubes. However, the ability of filter wall self-cleaning depends on the slurry being filtered. Many of the alkaline radioactive wastes are extremely challenging to filtration, e.g., those containing compounds of aluminum and iron, which have particles whose size and morphology reduce permeability. Unfortunately, low filter flux can be a bottleneck in waste processing facilities such as the Savannah River Modular Caustic Side Solvent Extraction Unit and the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant. Any improvement to the filtration rate would lead directly to increased throughput of the entire process. To date increased rates are generally realized by either increasing the cross-flow filter axial flowrate, limited by pump capacity, or by increasing filter surface area, limited by space and increasing the required pump load. SRNL set up both dead-end and cross-flow filter tests to better understand filter performance based on filter media structure, flow conditions, filter cleaning, and several different types of filter aids and body feeds. Using non-radioactive simulated wastes, both chemically and physically similar to the actual radioactive wastes, the authors performed several tests to demonstrate increases in filter performance. With the proper use of filter flow conditions and filter enhancers, filter flow rates can be increased over rates currently realized today.« less

Solidification of Savannah River plant high level waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maher, R.; Shafranek, L. F.; Kelley, J. A.; Zeyfang, R. W.

1981-11-01

Authorization for construction of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is expected in FY-83. The optimum time for stage 2 authorization is about three years later. Detailed design and construction will require approximately five years for stage 1, with stage 2 construction completed about two to three years later. Production of canisters of waste glass would begin in 1988, and the existing backlog of high level waste sludge stored at SRP would be worked off by about the year 2000. Stage 2 operation could begin in 1990. The technology and engineering are ready for construction and eventual operation of the DWPF for immobilizing high level radioactive waste at Savannah River Plant (SRP). Proceeding with this project will provide the public, and the leadership of this country, with a crucial demonstration that a major quanitity of existing high level nuclear wastes can be safely and permanently immobilized.

Radiation safety requirements for radioactive waste management in the framework of a quality management system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salgado, M.M.; Benitez, J.C.; Pernas, R.

2007-07-01

The Center for Radiation Protection and Hygiene (CPHR) is the institution responsible for the management of radioactive wastes generated from nuclear applications in medicine, industry and research in Cuba. Radioactive Waste Management Service is provided at a national level and it includes the collection and transportation of radioactive wastes to the Centralized Waste Management Facilities, where they are characterized, segregated, treated, conditioned and stored. A Quality Management System, according to the ISO 9001 Standard has been implemented for the RWM Service at CPHR. The Management System includes the radiation safety requirements established for RWM in national regulations and in themore » Licence's conditions. The role of the Regulatory Body and the Radiation Protection Officer in the Quality Management System, the authorization of practices, training and personal qualification, record keeping, inspections of the Regulatory Body and internal inspection of the Radiation Protection Officer, among other aspects, are described in this paper. The Quality Management System has shown to be an efficient tool to demonstrate that adequate measures are in place to ensure the safety in radioactive waste management activities and their continual improvement. (authors)« less

76 FR 56490 - Request for a License To Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... No., docket No. Duratek Services, Inc., August Class A radioactive Radionuclide For recycle and Canada. 17, 2011, August 18, 2011, waste in the form reallocation: beneficial reuse IW017/02, 11005621. of radioactively Amend to: to the greatest contaminated (1) Reduce the possible extent, materials...

Conservaton and retrieval of information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jensen, M.

This is a summary of the findings of a Nordic working group formed in 1990 and given the task of establishing a basis for a common Nordic view of the need for information conservation for nuclear waste repositories by investigating the following: (1) the type of information that should be conserved; (2) the form in which the information should be kept; (3) the quality of the information as regards both type and form; and (4) the problems of future retrieval of information, including retrieval after very long periods of time. High-level waste from nuclear power generation will remain radioactive formore » very long times even though the major part of the radioactivity will have decayed within 1000 yr. Certain information about the waste must be kept for long time periods because future generations may-intentionally or inadvertently-come into contact with the radioactive waste. Current day waste management would benefit from an early identification of documents to be part of an archive for radioactive waste repositories. The same reasoning is valid for repositories for other toxic wastes.« less

Finite element code FENIA verification and application for 3D modelling of thermal state of radioactive waste deep geological repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butov, R. A.; Drobyshevsky, N. I.; Moiseenko, E. V.; Tokarev, U. N.

2017-11-01

The verification of the FENIA finite element code on some problems and an example of its application are presented in the paper. The code is being developing for 3D modelling of thermal, mechanical and hydrodynamical (THM) problems related to the functioning of deep geological repositories. Verification of the code for two analytical problems has been performed. The first one is point heat source with exponential heat decrease, the second one - linear heat source with similar behavior. Analytical solutions have been obtained by the authors. The problems have been chosen because they reflect the processes influencing the thermal state of deep geological repository of radioactive waste. Verification was performed for several meshes with different resolution. Good convergence between analytical and numerical solutions was achieved. The application of the FENIA code is illustrated by 3D modelling of thermal state of a prototypic deep geological repository of radioactive waste. The repository is designed for disposal of radioactive waste in a rock at depth of several hundred meters with no intention of later retrieval. Vitrified radioactive waste is placed in the containers, which are placed in vertical boreholes. The residual decay heat of radioactive waste leads to containers, engineered safety barriers and host rock heating. Maximum temperatures and corresponding times of their establishment have been determined.

Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-08-01

In 1980, Congress passed the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act. This Act provided for a new approach to the disposal of low-level radioactive waste. It assigned each state responsibility for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste generated within its borders, and it authorized states to enter into compacts for the purpose of operating regional disposal facilities. It also authorized compacts to restrict the use of regional disposal facilities to only member states. To meet their obligations under the Act, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin formed the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact. The Compact was ratified bymore » each of the state legislatures and by Congress. The Compact established the Midwest Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, composed on one representative appointed by the Governor or Legislature of each member state. Article 3 of the compact requires that the Commission prepare an annual report regarding the activities and actions of the Commission. It also requires that the annual report be distributed to the Governors and legislative leaders in the member states. The Commission's Bylaw Article 12 requires the annual report to cover the preceding fiscal year, and to be distributed in August of each year. The Bylaw also requires that an annual audit, prepared by a certified public accountant, be included as part of the annual report. 3 figs.« less

Row erupts over US firm's plan to import nuclear waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynne, Peter

2008-06-01

A controversy is brewing in the US over a plan by a firm in Utah to import, process and dispose of 20 000 tonnes of low-level radioactive waste from decommissioned nuclear reactors built in Italy by American companies. EnergySolutions intends to recycle some of this waste at a site near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, so that it can be re-used as shielding blocks in nuclear plants. The firm then wants to dispose of the remaining radioactive material at a site in Clive, Utah, where over 90% of low-level radioactive waste generated in the US is currently buried.

Uncertainty quantification applied to the radiological characterization of radioactive waste.

PubMed

Zaffora, B; Magistris, M; Saporta, G; Chevalier, J-P

2017-09-01

This paper describes the process adopted at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) to quantify uncertainties affecting the characterization of very-low-level radioactive waste. Radioactive waste is a by-product of the operation of high-energy particle accelerators. Radioactive waste must be characterized to ensure its safe disposal in final repositories. Characterizing radioactive waste means establishing the list of radionuclides together with their activities. The estimated activity levels are compared to the limits given by the national authority of the waste disposal. The quantification of the uncertainty affecting the concentration of the radionuclides is therefore essential to estimate the acceptability of the waste in the final repository but also to control the sorting, volume reduction and packaging phases of the characterization process. The characterization method consists of estimating the activity of produced radionuclides either by experimental methods or statistical approaches. The uncertainties are estimated using classical statistical methods and uncertainty propagation. A mixed multivariate random vector is built to generate random input parameters for the activity calculations. The random vector is a robust tool to account for the unknown radiological history of legacy waste. This analytical technique is also particularly useful to generate random chemical compositions of materials when the trace element concentrations are not available or cannot be measured. The methodology was validated using a waste population of legacy copper activated at CERN. The methodology introduced here represents a first approach for the uncertainty quantification (UQ) of the characterization process of waste produced at particle accelerators. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Class A low-level radioactive waste 1986--1990. Volume 6: Appendices G--J

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehmel, J.C.; Loomis, D.; Mauro, J.

1994-01-01

Under contract to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, the firms of S. Cohen & Associates, Inc. (SC&A) and Eastern Research Group (ERG) have compiled a report that describes the physical, chemical, and radiological properties of Class-A low-level radioactive waste. The report also presents information characterizing various methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste. A database management program was developed for use in accessing, sorting, analyzing, and displaying the electronic data provided by EG&G. The program was used to present and aggregate data characterizing the radiological, physical, and chemical properties of the wastemore » from descriptions contained in shipping manifests. The data thus retrieved are summarized in tables, histograms, and cumulative distribution curves presenting radionuclide concentration distributions in Class-A waste as a function of waste streams, by category of waste generators, and regions of the United States. The report also provides information characterizing methods and facilities used to treat and dispose non-radioactive waste, including industrial, municipal, and hazardous waste regulated under Subparts C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The information includes a list of disposal options, the geographical locations of the processing and disposal facilities, and a description of the characteristics of such processing and disposal facilities. Volume 1 contains the Executive Summary, Volume 2 presents the Class-A waste database, Volume 3 presents the information characterizing non-radioactive waste management practices and facilities, and Volumes 4 through 7 contain Appendices A through P with supporting information.« less

10 CFR 961.2 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ENERGY STANDARD CONTRACT FOR DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND/OR HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE General... owns or generates spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste, of domestic origin, generated in... part will commit DOE to accept title to, transport, and dispose of such spent fuel and waste. In...

10 CFR 62.11 - Filing and distribution of a determination request.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... radioactive waste disposal facilities, to the Compact Commissions with operating regional low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities, and to the Governors of the States in the Compact Commissions with... ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission...

ANNUAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE TANK INSPECTION PROGRAM 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

West, B.; Waltz, R.

2009-06-11

Aqueous radioactive wastes from Savannah River Site (SRS) separations and vitrification processes are contained in large underground carbon steel tanks. Inspections made during 2008 to evaluate these vessels and other waste handling facilities along with evaluations based on data from previous inspections are the subject of this report.

75 FR 29786 - Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-27

... plans for managing spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Pursuant to its authority under... of Energy (DOE) plans for managing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW... the packaging and movement of the waste, how the recent decision to terminate the Yucca Mountain...

Decommissioning the Romanian Water-Cooled Water-Moderated Research Reactor: New Environmental Perspective on the Management of Radioactive Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barariu, G.; Giumanca, R.

2006-07-01

Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies were performed for decommissioning of the water-cooled water-moderated research reactor (WWER) located in Bucharest - Magurele, Romania. Using these studies as a starting point, the preferred safe management strategy for radioactive wastes produced by reactor decommissioning is outlined. The strategy must account for reactor decommissioning, as well as for the rehabilitation of the existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant and for the upgrade of the Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at Baita-Bihor. Furthermore, the final rehabilitation of the laboratories and ecological reconstruction of the grounds need to be provided for, in accordance with national and international regulations. Inmore » accordance with IAEA recommendations at the time, the pre-feasibility study proposed three stages of decommissioning. However, since then new ideas have surfaced with regard to decommissioning. Thus, taking into account the current IAEA ideology, the feasibility study proposes that decommissioning of the WWER be done in one stage to an unrestricted clearance level of the reactor building in an Immediate Dismantling option. Different options and the corresponding derived preferred option for waste management are discussed taking into account safety measures, but also considering technical, logistical and economic factors. For this purpose, possible types of waste created during each decommissioning stage are reviewed. An approximate inventory of each type of radioactive waste is presented. The proposed waste management strategy is selected in accordance with the recommended international basic safety standards identified in the previous phase of the project. The existing Radioactive Waste Treatment Plant (RWTP) from the Horia Hulubei Institute for Nuclear Physics and Engineering (IFIN-HH), which has been in service with no significant upgrade since 1974, will need refurbishing due to deterioration, as well as upgrading in order to ensure the plant complies with current safety standards. This plant will also need to be adapted to treat wastes generated by WWER dismantling. The Baita-Bihor National Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility consists of two galleries in an abandoned uranium mine located in the central-western part of the Bihor Mountains in Transylvania. The galleries lie at a depth of 840 m. The facility requires a considerable overhaul. Several steps recommended for the upgrade of the facility are explored. Environmental concerns have lately become a crucial part of the radioactive waste management strategy. As such, all decisions must be made with great regard for land utilization around nuclear objectives. (authors)« less

Dielectric Properties of Low-Level Liquid Waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

L. E. Lagos; M. A. Ebadian

1998-10-20

The purpose of this study was to develop a data collection containing values for the dielectric properties of various low-level liquid waste (LLLW) simulants measured as a function of frequency, temperature, and composition. The investigation was motivated by current interest in the use of microwave processing for the treatment of radioactive waste. A large volume of transuranic liquid and sludge produced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) during the production of nuclear fiel bars is stored at several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites around the United States. Waste storage and disposal space is scarce, expensive, and must bemore » minimized. Thus, several DOE sites are pursuing the use of microwave heating as a means of achieving volume reduction and solidification of low-level liquid wastes. It is important to know which microwave frequencies should be employed tc achieve the most efficient processing at a range of different temperatures. The dielectric properties of the LLLW simulants can be utilized to determine the optimum frequencies for use with a particular LLLW or with other LLLWS of similar composition. Furthermore, nonlinear thermal processes, such as thermal runaway, which occur in the material being treated cannot be modeled without a knowledge of the temperature dependence of the dielectric properties. Often, this data does not exist; however, when it does, only very limited data near room temperature are available. The data collection generated in this study can be used to predict the behavior of a variety of microwave thermal treatment technologies, which have the potential of substantially reducing the volume of the LLLWS that are currently stored at many DOE sites. This information should help the users of the microwave reduction and solidification technology to optimize microwave processes used in the treatment of LLLW. The microwave reduction and solidification technology has clear advantages over other methods of reducing LLLWS. These include the incineration of combustibles, the evaporation of combustibles, the evaporation of liquids, and the compaction of noncombustibles. The handling of radioactive liquid waste is generally carried out within closed systems consisting of highly corrosion-resistant, welded, leak-tight pipes, tanks, and other apparatus. High power microwave processing is a promising technology for reducing risks to the environment and human health, thereby supporting the DOE's decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) objectives.« less

Integrating natural and social sciences to inspire public confidence in radioactive waste policy case study - Committee on radioactive waste management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Usher, Sam

2007-07-01

Integrating Natural and Social Sciences to Inspire Public Confidence in Radioactive Waste Policy Case Study: Committee on Radioactive Waste Management Implementing effective long-term radioactive waste management policy is challenging, and both UK and international experience is littered with policy and programme failures. Policy must not only be underpinned by sound science and technical rationale, it must also inspire the confidence of the public and other stakeholders. However, in today's modern society, communities will not simply accept the word of scientists for setting policy based purely on technical grounds. This is particularly so in areas where there are significant social andmore » ethical issues, such as radioactive waste disposal. To develop and implement effective policy, governments, waste owners and implementing bodies must develop processes which effectively integrate both complex technical and scientific issues, with equally challenging social and ethical concerns. These integrating processes must marry often intricate technical issues with broad public and stakeholder engagement programmes, in programmes which can expect the highest levels of public scrutiny, and must invariably be delivered within challenging time and budget constraints. This paper considers a model for how such integrating processes can be delivered. The paper reviews, as a case study, how such challenges were overcome by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), which, in July 2006, made recommendations to the UK government for the establishment of a long-term radioactive waste policy. Its recommendations were underpinned by sound science, but also engendered public confidence through undertaking the largest and most significant deliberative public and stakeholder engagement programme on a complex policy issue in the UK. Effective decision-making was enabled through the integration of both proven and bespoke methodologies, including Multi-criteria Decision Analysis and Holistic assessments, coupled with an overarching deliberative approach. How this was managed and delivered to programme demonstrates how important effective integration of different issues, interests and world views can be achieved, and the paper looks forward to how the continued integration of both natural and social sciences is essential if public confidence is to be maintained through implementation stages. This paper will be particularly relevant to governments, waste owners and implementing bodies who are responsible for developing and implementing policy. (author)« less

Principles and Tasks of the New Regulatory System for Radioactive Waste Management in the Russian Federation - 12020

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bolshov, L.A.; Linge, I.I.; Kovalchuk, V.D.

This year the Federal Law 'On Radioactive Waste management' was adopted in the Russian Federation. The law significantly changes the existing radioactive waste management regulatory system and assigns a lot of new tasks in order to implement new principles and overcome inevitable respective difficulties. Nuclear Safety Institute was largely involved in the process of the development of the law as well as its further co-ordination among the stakeholders, during which some important initial provisions were excluded. In the paper special features of the Russian safety regulation system for radioactive waste management are analyzed. Most significant requirements adopted by the lawmore » as well as tasks and expected difficulties related to its implementation are discussed. (authors)« less

Waste Oil Burn-Off in Coast Guard Power Plants - Diesel Piston Ring Wear Study by Radioactive Tracer Techniques

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-07-01

This report covers the results of a study utilizing a radioactive tracer technique to determine wear effects on the upper compression rings of a two-stroke cycle diesel engine burning mixtures of waste lube oil in fuel oil. The radioactive tracer tec...

Design and fabrication of a glovebox for the Plasma Hearth Process radioactive bench-scale system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wahlquist, D.R.

This paper presents some of the design considerations and fabrication techniques for building a glovebox for the Plasma Hearth Process (PHP) radioactive bench-scale system. The PHP radioactive bench-scale system uses a plasma torch to process a variety of radioactive materials into a final vitrified waste form. The processed waste will contain plutonium and trace amounts of other radioactive materials. The glovebox used in this system is located directly below the plasma chamber and is called the Hearth Handling Enclosure (HHE). The HHE is designed to maintain a confinement boundary between the processed waste and the operator. Operations that take placemore » inside the HHE include raising and lowering the hearth using a hydraulic lift table, transporting the hearth within the HHE using an overhead monorail and hoist system, sampling and disassembly of the processed waste and hearth, weighing the hearth, rebuilding a hearth, and sampling HEPA filters. The PHP radioactive bench-scale system is located at the TREAT facility at Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho.« less

77 FR 34229 - Idaho: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program; Revision

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-11

... capability for the disposal of remote-handled low-level radioactive waste ((LLW) generated at the Idaho... (FONSI), for the Remote-Handled Low-Level Radioactive Waste Onsite Disposal (RHLLWOD) on an Environmental... regulating phosphate (mineral processing) plants within the state. In response to this commenter's concerns...

10 CFR 72.6 - License required; types of licenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General... the receipt, handling, storage, and transfer of reactor-related GTCC are specific licenses. Any... hereby issued to receive title to and own spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related...

10 CFR 72.6 - License required; types of licenses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN CLASS C WASTE General... the receipt, handling, storage, and transfer of reactor-related GTCC are specific licenses. Any... hereby issued to receive title to and own spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, or reactor-related...

10 CFR 62.1 - Purpose and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... (42 U.S.C. 2021) to any non-Federal or regional low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facility or... regional or non-Federal low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities and who submit a request to the... LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES General Provisions § 62.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The regulations...

Process for solidifying high-level nuclear waste

DOEpatents

Ross, Wayne A.

1978-01-01

The addition of a small amount of reducing agent to a mixture of a high-level radioactive waste calcine and glass frit before the mixture is melted will produce a more homogeneous glass which is leach-resistant and suitable for long-term storage of high-level radioactive waste products.

Method for solidifying liquid radioactive wastes

DOEpatents

Berreth, Julius R.

1976-01-01

The quantity of nitrous oxides produced during the solidification of liquid radioactive wastes containing nitrates and nitrites can be substantially reduced by the addition to the wastes of a stoichiometric amount of urea which, upon heating, destroys the nitrates and nitrites, liberating nontoxic N.sub.2, CO.sub.2 and NH.sub.3.

10 CFR 61.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE General Provisions § 61.... Disposal site means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It... facility means a land disposal facility in which radioactive waste is disposed of in or within the upper 30...

10 CFR 61.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE General Provisions § 61.... Disposal site means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It... facility means a land disposal facility in which radioactive waste is disposed of in or within the upper 30...

10 CFR 61.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE General Provisions § 61.... Disposal site means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It... facility means a land disposal facility in which radioactive waste is disposed of in or within the upper 30...

10 CFR 61.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE General Provisions § 61.... Disposal site means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It... facility means a land disposal facility in which radioactive waste is disposed of in or within the upper 30...

10 CFR 61.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE General Provisions § 61.... Disposal site means that portion of a land disposal facility which is used for disposal of waste. It... facility means a land disposal facility in which radioactive waste is disposed of in or within the upper 30...

Determination of Dose from the Disposal of Radioactive Waste Related with TENORM using Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) Monte Carlo Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

lwin, Maung Tin Moe; Kassim, Hassan Abu; Amin, Yusoff Mohd.

2008-05-01

The working procedures in the RESRAD for specific evaluations of environmental pollutants are briefly mentioned. The risk of human health associated with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) who are working in the Malaysian oil and gas industry are analyzed. The sources of NORM and Technologically Enhanced NORM (TENORM) in the oil and gas industry are described. Some measurements for the external and internal effective dose equivalent on the workers will be described. These data are entered into the RESRAD software program and the output reports are taken. Long-term effects of TENORM to the industrial workers are also discussed with graphical illustrations. These results are compared with previous research work within the same field to validate and verify.

Extended methods using thick-targets for nuclear reaction data of radioactive isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebata, Shuichiro; Aikawa, Masayuki; Imai, Shotaro

2017-09-01

The nuclear transmutation is a technology to dispose of radioactive wastes. However, we do not have enough basic data for its developments, such as thick-target yields (TTY) and the interaction cross sections for radioactive material. We suggest two methods to estimate the TTY using inverse kinematics and to obtain the excitation function of the interaction cross sections which is named the thick-target transmission (T3) method. We deduce the energy-dependent conversion relation between the TTYs of the original system and its inverse kinematics, which can be replaced to a constant coefficient in the high energy region. Furthermore we show the usefulness of the T3 method to investigate the excitation function of the 12C + 27Al reaction in the simulation.

Determination of Dose from the Disposal of Radioactive Waste Related with TENORM using Residual Radioactivity (RESRAD) Monte Carlo Code

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lwin, Maung Tin Moe; Kassim, Hassan Abu; Amin, Yusoff Mohd.

2008-05-20

The working procedures in the RESRAD for specific evaluations of environmental pollutants are briefly mentioned. The risk of human health associated with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) who are working in the Malaysian oil and gas industry are analyzed. The sources of NORM and Technologically Enhanced NORM (TENORM) in the oil and gas industry are described. Some measurements for the external and internal effective dose equivalent on the workers will be described. These data are entered into the RESRAD software program and the output reports are taken. Long-term effects of TENORM to the industrial workers are also discussed with graphicalmore » illustrations. These results are compared with previous research work within the same field to validate and verify.« less

AMS measurements of 14C and 129I in seawater around radioactive waste dump sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Povinec, P. P.; Oregioni, B.; Jull, A. J. T.; Kieser, W. E.; Zhao, X.-L.

2000-10-01

According to a recent IAEA compilation of inventories of radioactive wastes dumped in the world ocean, a total of 85 PBq of radioactive wastes were dumped, in the Atlantic (45 PBq), the Pacific (1.4 PBq) and the Arctic (38 PBq) Oceans and their marginal seas between 1946 and 1993, mostly in the form of low-level wastes. 3H, and 14C formed an important part of the beta-activity of these dumped wastes. Because of its long half-life, 14C will be the main constituent in possible leakages from the wastes in the future. On the other hand, 14C and 129I are important radioactive tracers which have been artificially introduced into the oceans. Small amounts of 14C and 129I can be easily measured by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) on mg-size samples of carbon and iodine extracted from 500 ml seawater samples. The high analytical sensitivity enables one therefore to find even trace amounts of 14C and 129I which could be released from radioactive wastes, and to compare the measured levels with the global distribution of these radionuclides. The IAEAs Marine Environment Laboratory (IAEA-MEL) has been engaged in an assessment program related to radioactive waste dumping in the oceans since 1992 and has participated in several expeditions to the Atlantic, Arctic, Indian and Pacific Oceans to sample seawater, biota and sediment for radiological assessment studies. In the present paper, we report on methods of 14C and 129I measurements in seawater by AMS and present data on the NE Atlantic, the Arctic and the NW Pacific Ocean dumping sites. A small increase of 14C was observed at the NE Atlantic dumping site.

Electrometallurgical treatment demonstration at ANL-West

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goff, K. M.; Benedict, R. W.; Johnson, S. G.

2000-03-20

Electrometallurgical treatment (EMT) was developed by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to ready sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel for geological disposal. A demonstration of this technology was successfully completed in August 1999. EMT was used to condition irradiated EBR-II driver and blanket fuel at ANL-West. The results of this demonstration, including the production of radioactive high-level waste forms, are presented.

If Nuclear Energy Is the Answer, Why Doesn't Everyone Agree?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, J. W.

2018-01-01

Nuclear energy produces low carbon, safe and reliable electricity so is it now time for the UK to invest in this proven technology or are the misplaced perceptions regarding its safety, cost and the quantities of radioactive waste produced causing us to overlook nuclear as a major component of our electricity mix? This paper discusses these issues…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, Will E.; Mehta, Sunil

The updated Hanford Site Composite Analysis will provide an all-pathways dose projection to a hypothetical future member of the public from all planned low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities and potential contributions from all other projected end-state sources of radioactive material left at Hanford following site closure. Its primary purpose is to support the decision-making process of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under DOE O 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management (DOE, 2001), related to managing low-level waste disposal facilities at the Hanford Site.

Assessment of DOE radioactive scrap metal disposition options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, C.R.; Kasper, K.M.; Bossart, S.J.

1997-02-01

The DOE has amassed a large amount of radioactively-contaminated scrap metal (RSM) as a result of past operations and decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) projects. The volume of RSM will continue to increase as a result of the D&D of more than 6,000 surplus facilities and many of the 14,000 operating facilities in the DOE complex. RSM can be either surface contaminated or volumetrically contaminated, or both, with varying amounts of radioactivity. Several options exist for the disposition of this RSM, including disposal as radioactive waste, recycling by decontamination and free-release for unrestricted use, or recycling for restricted reuse inside amore » DOE controlled area. The DOE Office of Science and Technology (EM-50) has been actively investing in technology and strategy development in support of restricted-reuse RSM recycling for the past several years. This paper will assess the nature of the RSM recycling issue, review past investment by DOE to develop technologies and strategies to recycle RSM, and then discuss some recommendations concerning future investments in support of RSM management. Available information on the supply of RSM will be presented in Section II. The regulatory and policy framework concerning recycling RSM will be presented in Section III. A review of DOE investment in RSM recycling technology and current programs will be presented in Section IV. The current and projected industrial capacity will be described in Section V. And, finally, a discussion of issues and recommendations regarding DOE technology development interests in RSM recycling will be presented in Section VI and VII, respectively.« less

Innovative technology summary report: Houdini{trademark} I and II remotely operated vehicle

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-07-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for cleaning up and closing 273 large, aging, underground tanks the department has used for storing approximately 1 million gal of high- and low-level radioactive and mixed waste. The waste`s radioactivity precludes humans from working in the tanks. A remote-controlled retrieval method must be used. The Houdini robot addresses the need for vehicle-based, rugged, remote manipulation systems that can perform waste retrieval, characterization, and inspection tasks. Houdini-I was delivered to ORNL in September 1996, deployed in a cold test facility in November, and first deployed in the gunite tanks in June 1997.more » Since then, it has seen continuous (still on-going) service at ORNL, providing a critical role in the cleanup of two gunite tanks, W-3 and W-4, in the GAAT NTF. Houdini-I has proven rugged, capable of waste retrieval, and able to withstand high reaction force operations such as wall core sampling. It`s even able to operate while hanging, which was the case when Houdini was used to cut and remove cables and steel pipes hanging below manways in Tank W-3. Based upon the lessons learned at ORNL, Houdini`s design has been completely overhauled. A second generation system, Houdini-II, is now being built.« less

Critical Path to Nuclear Science and Technology Knowledge Transfer and Skill Development in K-12 Schools: Why America Needs Action and Support from Federal and State Education Departments Now

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vincenti, J.R.; Anderson, G.E.

2006-07-01

With the signing of President Bush's energy bill in August of 2005, the successful application of the new energy legislation may have more to do with educational standards required in our schools than applications of research and technology in the long-term. Looking inside the new legislation, the future of that legislation's success may not just hinge on investment in technology, but ensuring that our citizens, especially our youth, are prepared and better informed to be able to understand, react, and apply the economically and national security driven intent of the law. How can our citizens make sense of change ifmore » they lack the skills to be able to understand, not only the technology, but also the science that drives the change? President Bush's passage of the 1,724-page bill emphasizes conservation, clean energy research, and new and improved technology. The legislation also provides for economic incentives toward building more nuclear power plants. This paper will use four questions as a focal point to emphasize the need for both state and federal education departments to review their current standards and respond to deficiencies regarding learning about radioactivity, radiation, and nuclear science and technology. The questions are: 1. Will America accept new nuclear power development? 2. Will waste issues be resolved concerning high- and low-level radioactive waste management and disposal? 3. Will nuclear 'anything' be politically correct when it comes to your backyard? 4. Is our youth adequately educated and informed about radioactivity, radiation, and nuclear science and technology? This paper will use Pennsylvania as a case study to better understand the implications and importance of the educational standards in our school systems. This paper will also show how the deficiency found in Pennsylvania's academic standards, and in other states, has a significant impact on the ability to fulfill the legislation's intent of realizing energy independence and national security. (authors)« less

Radioactive waste disposal implications of extending Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act to cover radioactively contaminated land.

PubMed

Nancarrow, D J; White, M M

2004-03-01

A short study has been carried out of the potential radioactive waste disposal issues associated with the proposed extension of Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to include radioactively contaminated land, where there is no other suitable existing legislation. It was found that there is likely to be an availability problem with respect to disposal at landfills of the radioactive wastes arising from remediation. This is expected to be principally wastes of high volume and low activity (categorised as low level waste (LLW) and very low level waste (VLLW)). The availability problem results from a lack of applications by landfill operators for authorisation to accept LLW wastes for disposal. This is apparently due to perceived adverse publicity associated with the consultation process for authorisation coupled with uncertainty over future liabilities. Disposal of waste as VLLW is limited both by questions over volumes that may be acceptable and, more fundamentally, by the likely alpha activity of wastes (originating from radium and thorium operations). Authorised on-site disposal has had little attention in policy and guidance in recent years, but may have a part to play, especially if considered commercially attractive. Disposal at BNFL's near surface disposal facility for LLW at Drigg is limited to wastes for which there are no practical alternative disposal options (and preference has been given to operational type wastes). Therefore, wastes from the radioactively contaminated land (RCL) regime are not obviously attractive for disposal to Drigg. Illustrative calculations have been performed based on possible volumes and activities of RCL arisings (and assuming Drigg's future volumetric disposal capacity is 950,000 m3). These suggest that wastes arising from implementing the RCL regime, if all disposed to Drigg, would not represent a significant fraction of the volumetric capacity of Drigg, but could have a significant impact on the radiological capacity with respect to 226Ra plus 232Th. The government's decision-making programme for managing solid radioactive wastes in the UK may possibly achieve a general consensus that the use of landfill for LLW from the RCL regime has a fundamental role to play. However, this is unlikely to change the situation within the next few years. No new national facility arising from this programme is likely to be available during the first decade of the operation of a new RCL regime. Hence it appears that Drigg will need to play an important role for some years to come.

Radioactive Waste Management and Environmental Contamination Issues at the Chernobyl Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Napier, Bruce A.; Schmieman, Eric A.; Voitsekhovitch, Oleg V.

2007-11-01

The destruction of the Unit 4 reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant resulted in the generation of radioactive contamination and radioactive waste at the site and in the surrounding area (referred to as the Exclusion Zone). In the course of remediation activities, large volumes of radioactive waste were generated and placed in temporary near surface waste-storage and disposal facilities. Trench and landfill type facilities were created from 1986 to 1987 in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone at distances 0.5 to 15 km from the NPP site. This large number of facilities was established without proper design documentation, engineered barriers, ormore » hydrogeological investigations and they do not meet contemporary waste-safety requirements. Immediately following the accident, a Shelter was constructed over the destroyed reactor; in addition to uncertainties in stability at the time of its construction, structural elements of the Shelter have degraded as a result of corrosion. The main potential hazard of the Shelter is a possible collapse of its top structures and release of radioactive dust into the environment. A New Safe Confinement (NSC) with a 100-years service life is planned to be built as a cover over the existing Shelter as a longer-term solution. The construction of the NSC will enable the dismantlement of the current Shelter, removal of highly radioactive, fuel-containing materials from Unit 4, and eventual decommissioning of the damaged reactor. More radioactive waste will be generated during NSC construction, possible Shelter dismantling, removal of fuel containing materials, and decommissioning of Unit 4. The future development of the Exclusion Zone depends on the future strategy for converting Unit 4 into an ecologically safe system, i.e., the development of the NSC, the dismantlement of the current Shelter, removal of fuel containing material, and eventual decommissioning of the accident site. To date, a broadly accepted strategy for radioactive waste management at the reactor site and in the Exclusion Zone, and especially for high-level and long-lived waste, has not been developed.« less

The preliminary design and feasibility study of the spent fuel and high level waste repository in the Czech Republic

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valvoda, Z.; Holub, J.; Kucerka, M.

1996-12-31

In the year 1993, began the Program of Development of the Spent Fuel and High Level Waste Repository in the Conditions of the Czech Republic. During the first phase, the basic concept and structure of the Program has been developed, and the basic design criteria and requirements were prepared. In the conditions of the Czech Republic, only an underground repository in deep geological formation is acceptable. Expected depth is between 500 to 1000 meters and as host rock will be granites. A preliminary variant design study was realized in 1994, that analyzed the radioactive waste and spent fuel flow frommore » NPPs to the repository, various possibilities of transportation in accordance to the various concepts of spent fuel conditioning and transportation to the underground structures. Conditioning and encapsulation of spent fuel and/or radioactive waste is proposed on the repository site. Underground disposal structures are proposed at one underground floor. The repository will have reserve capacity for radioactive waste from NPPs decommissioning and for waste non acceptable to other repositories. Vertical disposal of unshielded canisters in boreholes and/or horizontal disposal of shielded canisters is studied. As the base term of the start up of the repository operation, the year 2035 has been established. From this date, a preliminary time schedule of the Project has been developed. A method of calculating leveled and discounted costs within the repository lifetime, for each of selected 5 variants, was used for economic calculations. Preliminary expected parametric costs of the repository are about 0,1 Kc ($0.004) per MWh, produced in the Czech NPPs. In 1995, the design and feasibility study has gone in more details to the technical concept of repository construction and proposed technologies, as well as to the operational phase of the repository. Paper will describe results of the 1995 design work and will present the program of the repository development in next period.« less

Evaluation of americium-241 toxicity influence on the microbial growth of organic wastes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takehiro Marumo, Julio; Padua Ferreira, Rafael Vicente de; Keiko Isiki, Vera Lucia

2007-07-01

Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: Since the licenses for using radioactive sources in radioactive lightning rods were lifted by the Brazilian national nuclear authority, in 1989, the radioactive devices have been replaced by Franklin type and collected as radioactive waste. However, only 20 percent of the estimated total number of installed rods was delivered to Brazilian Nuclear Commission. This situation causes concern, due to, first, the possibility of the rods being disposed as domestic waste, and second, the americium, the most commonly employed radionuclide, is classified as a high-toxicity element. In the present study, Am-241more » migration experiments were performed by a lysimeter system, in order to evaluate the risk of contamination caused by radioactive lightning rods disposed as a common solid waste. Besides the risk evaluation, it is important to know the mechanism of the Am-241 release or retention in waste as well as its influence in the waste decomposition processes. Many factors are involved, but microorganisms present in the waste play an important role in its degradation, which control the physical and chemical processes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the Am-241 influence on the microbial population by counting number of cells in lysimeters leachate. Preliminary results suggest that americium may influence significantly the bacteria growth in organic waste, evidenced by culture under aerobiosis and an-aerobiosis and the antimicrobial resistance test. (authors)« less

Managing previously disposed waste to today's standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-01-01

A Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) was established at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) in 1952 for controlled disposal of radioactive waste generated at the INEL. Between 1954 and 1970 waste characterized by long lived, alpha emitting radionuclides from the Rocky Flats Plant was also buried at this site. Migration of radionuclides and other hazardous substances from the buried Migration of radionuclides and other hazardous substances from the buried waste has recently been detected. A Buried Waste Program (BWP) was established to manage cleanup of the buried waste. This program has four objectives: (1) determine contaminant sources, (2) determinemore » extent of contamination, (3) mitigate migration, and (4) recommend an alternative for long term management of the waste. Activities designed to meet these objectives have been under way since the inception of the program. The regulatory environment governing these activities is evolving. Pursuant to permitting activities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) entered into a Consent Order Compliance Agreement (COCA) for cleanup of past practice disposal units at the INEL. Subsequent to identification of the RWMC as a release site, cleanup activities proceeded under dual regulatory coverage of RCRA and the Atomic Energy Act. DOE, EPA, and the State of Idaho are negotiating a RCRA/Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Interagency Agreement (IAG) for management of waste disposal sites at the INEL as a result of the November 1989 listing of the INEL on the National Priority List (NPL). Decision making for selection of cleanup technology will be conducted under the CERCLA process supplemented as required to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 7 figs.« less

Recent Improvement Of The Institutional Radioactive Waste Management System In Slovenia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sueiae, S.; Fabjan, M.; Hrastar, U.

2008-07-01

The task of managing institutional radioactive waste was assigned to the Slovenian National Agency for Radwaste Management by the Governmental Decree of May 1999. This task ranges from the collection of waste at users' premises to the storage in the Central Storage Facility in (CSF) and afterwards to the planned Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LILW) repository. By this Decree ARAO also became the operator of the CSF. The CSF has been in operation since 1986. Recent improvements of the institutional radioactive waste management system in Slovenia are presented in this paper. ARAO has been working on the reestablishment ofmore » institutional radioactive waste management since 1999. The Agency has managed to prepare the most important documents and carry out the basic activities required by the legislation to assure a safe and environmentally acceptable management of the institutional radioactive waste. With the aim to achieve a better organized operational system, ARAO took the advantage of the European Union Transition Facility (EU TF) financing support and applied for the project named 'Improvement of the management of institutional radioactive waste in Slovenia via the design and implementation of an Information Business System'. Through a public invitation for tenders one of the Slovenian largest software company gained the contract. Two international radwaste experts from Belgium were part of their project team. The optimization of the operational system has been carried out in 2007. The project was executed in ten months and it was divided into two phases. The first phase of the project was related with the detection of weaknesses and implementation of the necessary improvements in the current ARAO operational system. With the evaluation of the existing system, possible improvements were identified. In the second phase of the project the software system Information Business System (IBS) was developed and implemented by the group of IT experts. As a software development life-cycle methodology the Waterfall methodology was used. The reason for choosing this methodology lied in its simple approach: analyze the problem, design the solution, implement the code, test the code, integrate and deploy. ARAO's institutional radioactive waste management process was improved in the way that it is more efficient, better organized, allowing traceability and availability of all documents and operational procedures within the field of institutional radioactive waste. The tailored made IBS system links all activities of the institutional radioactive waste management process: collection, transportation, takeover, acceptance, storing, treatment, radiation protection, etc. into one management system. All existing and newly designed evidences, operational procedures and other documents can be searched and viewed via secured Internet access from different locations. (authors)« less

The Creation of a French Basic Nuclear Installation - Description of the Regulatory Process - 13293

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mahe, Carole; Leroy, Christine

CEA is a French government-funded technological research organization. It has to build a medium-level waste interim storage facility because the geological repository will not be available until 2025. This interim storage facility, called DIADEM, has to be available in 2017. These wastes are coming from the research facilities for spent fuel reprocessing and the dismantling of the most radioactive parts of nuclear facilities. The CEA handles the waste management by inventorying the needs and updating them regularly. The conception of the facility is mainly based on this inventory. It provides quantity and characteristics of wastes and it gives the productionmore » schedule until 2035. Beyond mass and volume, main characteristics of these radioactive wastes are chemical nature, radioisotopes, radioactivity, radiation dose, the heat emitted, corrosive or explosive gas production, etc. These characteristics provide information to study the repository safety. DIADEM mainly consists of a concrete cell, isolated from the outside, wherein stainless steel welded containers are stored, stacked in a vertical position in the racks. DIADEM is scheduled to store three types of 8 mm-thick, stainless steel cylindrical containers with an outside diameter 498 mm and height from 620 to 2120 mm. DIADEM will be a basic nuclear installation (INB in French) because of overall activity of radioactive substances stored. The creation of a French basic nuclear installation is subject to authorization according to the French law No. 2006-686 of 13 June 2006 on Transparency and Security in the Nuclear Field. The authorization takes into account the technical and financial capacities of the licensee which must allow him to conduct his project in compliance with these interests, especially to cover the costs of decommissioning the installation and conduct remediation work, and to monitor and maintain its location site or, for radioactive waste disposal installations, to cover the definitive shut-down, maintenance and surveillance expenditure. The authorization is issued by a decree adopted upon advice of the French Nuclear Safety Authority and after a public enquiry. In accordance with Decree No. 2007-1557 of November 2, 2007, the application is filed with the ministries responsible for nuclear safety and the Nuclear Safety Authority. It consists of twelve files and four records information. The favorable opinion of the Nuclear Safety Authority on the folder is required to start the public inquiry. Once the public inquiry is completed, the building permit is issued by the prefect. (authors)« less

Refining technology for the recycling of stainless steel radioactive scrap metals, FY 94 bi-annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mizia, R.E.; Atteridge, D.G.; Buckentin, J.

1994-08-01

The research addressed under this project is the recycling of metallic nuclear-related by-product materials under the direction of Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Company (WINCO). The program addresses the recycling of radioactive scrap metals (RSM) for beneficial re-use within the DOE complex; in particular, this program addresses the recycling of stainless steel RSM. It is anticipated that various stainless steel components under WINCO control at the Idaho Falls Engineering Laboratory (INEL), such as fuel pool criticality barriers and fuel storage racks will begin to be recycled in FY94-95. The end product of this recycling effort is expected to be waste and overpackmore » canisters for densified high level waste for the Idaho Waste Immobilization Facility and/or the Universal Canister System for dry (interim) storage of spent fuel. The specific components of this problem area that are presently being, or have been, addressed by CAAMSEC are: (1) the melting/remelting of stainless steel RSM into billet form; (2) the melting/remelting initial research focus will be on the use of radioactive surrogates to study; (3) the cost effectiveness of RSM processing oriented towards privatization of RSM reuse and/or resale. Other components of this problem that may be addressed under program extension are: (4) the melting/remelting of carbon steel; (5) the processing of billet material into product form which shall meet all applicable ASTM requirements; and, (6) the fabrication of an actual prototypical product; the present concept of an end product is a low carbon Type 304/316 stainless steel cylindrical container for densified and/or vitrified high level radioactive waste and/or the Universal Canister System for dry (interim) storage of spent fuel. The specific work reported herein covers the melting/remelting of stainless steel {open_quotes}scrap{close_quotes} metal into billet form and the study of surrogate material removal effectiveness by various remelting techniques.« less

Conditioning Procedure for Spent Cs-137 Sealed Sources in Egypt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, Y.T.; Hasan, M.A.; Lasheen, Y.F.

2006-07-01

It is the duty of the Hot Laboratories and Waste Management Center, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority to mange the radioactive waste generated from any user for radioactive materials in Egypt. The most hazardous or dangerous radioactive waste we collect is spent radioactive sealed sources that have to be managed safely to protect human, workers and environment from any undue burden for radiation. Through the Integrated Management Program Of Radioactive Sealed Sources In Egypt, IMPRSS all spent Cs-137 sources with low activity will be retrievable conditioned in 200 L drum with special lead shield to keep the surface dose rate lowermore » than 200 merm/h according to US regulations and IAEA guidelines. Using this procedure the EAEA will condition about 243 sources in 9 drums. (authors)« less

Discussions about safety criteria and guidelines for radioactive waste management.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Masafumi

2011-07-01

In Japan, the clearance levels for uranium-bearing waste have been established by the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC). The criteria for uranium-bearing waste disposal are also necessary; however, the NSC has not concluded the discussion on this subject. Meanwhile, the General Administrative Group of the Radiation Council has concluded the revision of its former recommendation 'Regulatory exemption dose for radioactive solid waste disposal', the dose criteria after the institutional control period for a repository. The Standardization Committee on Radiation Protection in the Japan Health Physics Society (The Committee) also has developed the relevant safety criteria and guidelines for existing exposure situations, which are potentially applicable to uranium-bearing waste disposal. A new working group established by The Committee was initially aimed at developing criteria and guidelines specifically for uranium-bearing waste disposal; however, the aim has been shifted to broader criteria applicable to any radioactive wastes.

Illustrative assessment of human health issues arising from the potential release of chemotoxic substances from a generic geological disposal facility for radioactive waste.

PubMed

Wilson, James C; Thorne, Michael C; Towler, George; Norris, Simon

2011-12-01

Many countries have a programme for developing an underground geological disposal facility for radioactive waste. A case study is provided herein on the illustrative assessment of human health issues arising from the potential release of chemotoxic and radioactive substances from a generic geological disposal facility (GDF) for radioactive waste. The illustrative assessment uses a source-pathway-receptor methodology and considers a number of human exposure pathways. Estimated exposures are compared with authoritative toxicological assessment criteria. The possibility of additive and synergistic effects resulting from exposures to mixtures of chemical contaminants or a combination of radiotoxic and chemotoxic substances is considered. The case study provides an illustration of how to assess human health issues arising from chemotoxic species released from a GDF for radioactive waste and highlights potential difficulties associated with a lack of data being available with which to assess synergistic effects. It also highlights how such difficulties can be addressed.

Radioactive waste handling and disposal at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre.

PubMed

Al-Haj, Abdalla N; Lobriguito, Aida M; Al Anazi, Ibrahim

2012-08-01

King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre (KFSHRC) is the largest specialized medical center in Saudi Arabia. It performs highly specialized diagnostic imaging procedures with the use of various radionuclides required by sophisticated dual imaging systems. As a leading institution in cancer research, KFSHRC uses both long-lived and short-lived radionuclides. KFSHRC established the first cyclotron facility in the Middle East, which solved the in-house high demand for radionuclides and the difficulty in importing them. As both user and producer of high standard radiopharmaceuticals, KFSHRC generates large volumes of low and high level radioactive wastes. An old and small radioactive facility that was used for storage of radioactive waste was replaced with a bigger warehouse provided with facilities that will reduce radiation exposure of the staff, members of the public, and of the environment in the framework of "as low as reasonably achievable." The experiences and the effectiveness of the radiation protection program on handling and storage of radioactive wastes are presented.

2nd Quarter Transportation Report FY 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregory, L.

2014-07-01

This report satisfies the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) commitment to prepare a quarterly summary report of radioactive waste shipments to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC) at Area 5. There were no shipments sent for offsite treatment and returned to the NNSS this quarter. This report summarizes the second quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2014 low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste (MLLW) shipments. This report also includes annual summaries for FY 2014 in Tables 4 and 5. Tabular summaries are provided which includemore » the following: Sources of and carriers for LLW and MLLW shipments to and from the NNSS; Number and external volume of LLW and MLLW shipments; Highway routes used by carriers; and Incident/accident data applicable to LLW and MLLW shipments. In this report shipments are accounted for upon arrival at the NNSS, while disposal volumes are accounted for upon waste burial. The disposal volumes presented in this report do not include minor volumes of non-radioactive materials that were approved for disposal. Volume reports showing cubic feet (ft3) generated using the Low-Level Waste Information System may vary slightly due to differing rounding conventions.« less

Leaching of plutonium from a radioactive waste glass by eight groundwaters from the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rees, T.F.; Cleveland, J.M.; Nash, K.L.

1985-01-01

The leachability of a radioactive waste glass formulated to Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory specification 80-270 has been studied using eight actual groundwaters with a range of chemical compositions as leachants. Waters collected from the Grande Ronde Basalt (Washington State) and from alluvial deposits in the Hualapai Valley (Arizona) were the most effective at removing plutonium from this glass. Leaching was shown to be incongruent; plutonium was removed from the glass more slowly than the overall glass matrix. The results of these experiments indicate the need to study the leachability of actual waste forms using the actual projected groundwaters that are most likely to come into contact with the waste should a radioactive waste repository be breached.

Distribution of low-level natural radioactivity in a populated marine region of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Florou, Heleny; Kritidis, Panayotis

2012-12-01

The levels of natural radioactivity have been evaluated in the water column of an eastern Mediterranean region (Saronikos Gulf), with respect to the relevant environmental parameters. A novel methodology was used for the determination of natural radionuclides, which substitutes the time-consuming radiochemical analysis, based on an in situ sample preconcentration using ion-selective manganese fibres placed on pumping systems. With regard to the results obtained, (238)U-series radionuclides were found at the same level or lower than those observed previously in Mediterranean regions indicating the absence of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) activities in the area. Similar results were observed for the (232)Th-series radionuclides and (40)K in the water column in comparison with the relevant literature on the Mediterranean Sea. The calculated ratios of (238)U-(232)Th and (40)K-(232)Th verified the lack of TENORM contribution in the Saronikos Gulf. Finally, a rough estimation was attempted concerning the residence times of fresh water inputs from a treatment plant of domestic wastes (Waste Water Treatment Plant of Psitalia) showing that fresh waters need a maximum of 15.7±7.6 d to be mixed with the open sea water.

Method to Reduce Long-lived Fission Products by Nuclear Transmutations with Fast Spectrum Reactors.

PubMed

Chiba, Satoshi; Wakabayashi, Toshio; Tachi, Yoshiaki; Takaki, Naoyuki; Terashima, Atsunori; Okumura, Shin; Yoshida, Tadashi

2017-10-24

Transmutation of long-lived fission products (LLFPs: 79 Se, 93 Zr, 99 Tc, 107 Pd, 129 I, and 135 Cs) into short-lived or non-radioactive nuclides by fast neutron spectrum reactors without isotope separation has been proposed as a solution to the problem of radioactive wastes disposal. Despite investigation of many methods, such transmutation remains technologically difficult. To establish an effective and efficient transmutation system, we propose a novel neutron moderator material, yttrium deuteride (YD 2 ), to soften the neutron spectrum leaking from the reactor core. Neutron energy spectra and effective half-lives of LLFPs, transmutation rates, and support ratios were evaluated with the continuous-energy Monte Carlo code MVP-II/MVP-BURN and the JENDL-4.0 cross section library. With the YD 2 moderator in the radial blanket and shield regions, effective half-lives drastically decreased from 106 to 102 years and the support ratios reached 1.0 for all six LLFPs. This successful development and implementation of a transmutation system for LLFPs without isotope separation contributes to a the ability of fast spectrum reactors to reduce radioactive waste by consuming their own LLFPs.

Don't waste waterweeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolverton, B.; Mcdonald, R. C.

1976-01-01

Experiments carried out at the NASA National Space Technology Laboratories indicate that water hyacinths can absorb organic chemicals, heavy metals, nutrients, and other materials from waste water while producing large quantities of biomass, which can be used to produce a gas containing 60-80% methane. When grown in sewage free of toxic materials, the biomass can be used as a potential source of fertilizer or animal feed supplements. The use of hot water from nuclear power plants to grow water hyacinths during the winter months is particularly attractive, since the hyacinths could act as an added safety filtration system for the removal of radioactive elements.

Metrology for decommissioning nuclear facilities: Partial outcomes of joint research project within the European Metrology Research Program.

PubMed

Suran, Jiri; Kovar, Petr; Smoldasova, Jana; Solc, Jaroslav; Van Ammel, Raf; Garcia Miranda, Maria; Russell, Ben; Arnold, Dirk; Zapata-García, Daniel; Boden, Sven; Rogiers, Bart; Sand, Johan; Peräjärvi, Kari; Holm, Philip; Hay, Bruno; Failleau, Guillaume; Plumeri, Stephane; Laurent Beck, Yves; Grisa, Tomas

2018-04-01

Decommissioning of nuclear facilities incurs high costs regarding the accurate characterisation and correct disposal of the decommissioned materials. Therefore, there is a need for the implementation of new and traceable measurement technologies to select the appropriate release or disposal route of radioactive wastes. This paper addresses some of the innovative outcomes of the project "Metrology for Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities" related to mapping of contamination inside nuclear facilities, waste clearance measurement, Raman distributed temperature sensing for long term repository integrity monitoring and validation of radiochemical procedures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Commentary: Radioactive Wastes and Damage to Marine Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Bruce

1974-01-01

Discusses the effects of radioactive wastes on marine communities, with particular reference to the fitness of populations and the need for field and laboratory studies to provide evidence of ecological change. (JR)

Bonded carbon or ceramic fiber composite filter vent for radioactive waste

DOEpatents

Brassell, Gilbert W.; Brugger, Ronald P.

1985-02-19

Carbon bonded carbon fiber composites as well as ceramic or carbon bonded ceramic fiber composites are very useful as filters which can separate particulate matter from gas streams entraining the same. These filters have particular application to the filtering of radioactive particles, e.g., they can act as vents for containers of radioactive waste material.

Recent developments in the French programme for radioactive waste management planning Act of 28 june 2006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ouzounian, G.

2007-07-01

In 2005, new developments on radioactive-waste management in France were marked mostly by the preparation of the 2006 milestone specified in the act of 30 December 1991. A bill on radioactive waste management has been prepared by the Government at the beginning of 2006 and passed to the French Parliament on 15 June 2006. The Planning Act on the sustainable management of radioactive materials and wastes has been drawn from the results of the 15 years of research performed by ANDRA and the CEA on 'partitioning and transmutation of long-lived radionuclides', 'deep geological disposal' and 'conditioning and long term interimmore » storage'. Major milestones during those two last years are presented, including reviews of the Dossier 2005, official reports, the Public Debate, and finally the Planning Act. (authors)« less

The impact of council directive 2011/70/EURATOM and IAEA joint convention review meetings on the ongoing establishment of the Portuguese regulatory framework and on the future of national radioactive waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paiva, Isabel; Trindade, Romao B.

Council Directive 2011/70/EURATOM of 19 July 2011, establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste will enter in force August 2013 in all EU Member States. Portugal has already started preparing its legislative framework to accommodate the new legislative piece. However, the first report of Portugal to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management of the IAEA, in Vienna, 2012, has shown that Portugal still has many steps to overcome to establish a successful and effective basic regulatory framework. The existencemore » of many competent authorities related to the radiological protection area and a newly independent commission that is still looking on how to fulfill its regulator role in other areas such as the radioactive waste management makes quite challenging the full application of the new directive as well as compliance that Portugal will have to show in the next Joint Convention review meeting in order to meet the obligations of the Convention. In this paper, the reality of the regulatory Portuguese framework on radiological protection, nuclear safety and radioactive waste management is presented. Discussion of the future impact of the new legislation and its consequences such as the need to setup the national program on radioactive waste management is critical discussed. (authors)« less

10 CFR 72.22 - Contents of application: General and financial information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR-RELATED GREATER THAN... of spent fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and/or reactor-related GTCC waste from storage. (f) Each applicant for a license under this part to receive, transfer, and possess power reactor spent fuel, power...

10 CFR 62.13 - Contents of a request for emergency access: Alternatives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... radioactive waste in a licensed storage facility; (3) Obtaining access to a disposal facility by voluntary... disposal at a Federal low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in the case of a Federal or defense... EMERGENCY ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission...

An Improvement to Low-Level Radioactive Waste Vitrification Processes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

waste stream. 3 9 Sodium and Potassium tetraphenyl borates are both cited in the literature as having high cesium selectivity. 23󈧝󈧫 The thermal... Ferrate (II) Impregnated Zeolite for Cesium Removal from Radioactive Waste," Nuc. Tech., 58, p.242, ANS, La Grange Park, Illinois, (1982T. 29. F.V

Process for the encapsulation and stabilization of radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes

DOEpatents

Colombo, Peter; Kalb, Paul D.; Heiser, III, John H.

1997-11-14

The present invention provides a method for encapsulating and stabilizing radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes in a modified sulfur cement composition. The waste may be incinerator fly ash or bottom ash including radioactive contaminants, toxic metal salts and other wastes commonly found in refuse. The process may use glass fibers mixed into the composition to improve the tensile strength and a low concentration of anhydrous sodium sulfide to reduce toxic metal solubility. The present invention preferably includes a method for encapsulating radioactive, hazardous and mixed wastes by combining substantially anhydrous wastes, molten modified sulfur cement, preferably glass fibers, as well as anhydrous sodium sulfide or calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide in a heated double-planetary orbital mixer. The modified sulfur cement is preheated to about 135.degree..+-.5.degree. C., then the remaining substantially dry components are added and mixed to homogeneity. The homogeneous molten mixture is poured or extruded into a suitable mold. The mold is allowed to cool, while the mixture hardens, thereby immobilizing and encapsulating the contaminants present in the ash.

Modeling of transport phenomena in concrete porous media.

PubMed

Plecas, Ilija

2014-02-01

Two fundamental concerns must be addressed when attempting to isolate low-level waste in a disposal facility on land. The first concern is isolating the waste from water, or hydrologic isolation. The second is preventing movement of the radionuclides out of the disposal facility, or radionuclide migration. Particularly, we have investigated here the latter modified scenario. To assess the safety for disposal of radioactive waste-concrete composition, the leakage of 60Co from a waste composite into a surrounding fluid has been studied. Leakage tests were carried out by the original method, developed at the Vinča Institute. Transport phenomena involved in the leaching of a radioactive material from a cement composite matrix are investigated using three methods based on theoretical equations. These are: the diffusion equation for a plane source: an equation for diffusion coupled to a first-order equation, and an empirical method employing a polynomial equation. The results presented in this paper are from a 25-y mortar and concrete testing project that will influence the design choices for radioactive waste packaging for a future Serbian radioactive waste disposal center.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)/Radioactive Waste Annual Inventory for Calendar Year 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

no author on report

2014-06-01

The Toxic Substances Control Act, 40 CFR 761.65(a)(1) provides an exemption from the one year storage time limit for PCB/radioactive waste. PCB/radioactive waste may exceed the one year time limit provided that the provisions at 40 CFR 761.65(a)(2)(ii) and 40 CFR 761.65(a)(2)(iii) are followed. These two subsections require, (ii) "A written record documenting all continuing attempts to secure disposal is maintained until the waste is disposed of" and (iii) "The written record required by subsection (ii) of this section is available for inspection or submission if requested by EPA." EPA Region 10 has requested the Department of Energy (DOE) tomore » submit an inventory of radioactive-contaminated PCB waste in storage at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for the previous calendar year. The annual inventory is separated into two parts, INL without Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (AMWTP) (this includes Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC, CH2M-WG Idaho, LLC, and the Naval Reactors Facility), and AMWTP.« less

Radioactive waste management treatments: A selection for the Italian scenario

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Locatelli, G.; Mancini, M.; Sardini, M.

2012-07-01

The increased attention for radioactive waste management is one of the most peculiar aspects of the nuclear sector considering both reactors and not power sources. The aim of this paper is to present the state-of-art of treatments for radioactive waste management all over the world in order to derive guidelines for the radioactive waste management in the Italian scenario. Starting with an overview on the international situation, it analyses the different sources, amounts, treatments, social and economic impacts looking at countries with different industrial backgrounds, energetic policies, geography and population. It lists all these treatments and selects the most reasonablemore » according to technical, economic and social criteria. In particular, a double scenario is discussed (to be considered in case of few quantities of nuclear waste): the use of regional, centralized, off site processing facilities, which accept waste from many nuclear plants, and the use of mobile systems, which can be transported among multiple nuclear sites for processing campaigns. At the end the treatments suitable for the Italian scenario are presented providing simplified work-flows and guidelines. (authors)« less

Applied technology for mine waste water decontamination in the uranium ores extraction from Romania

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bejenaru, C.; Filip, G.; Vacariu, V.T.

1996-12-31

The exploitation of uranium ores in Romania is carried out in underground mines. In all exploited uranium deposits, mine waste waters results and will still result after the closure of uranium ore extraction activity. The mine waters are radioactively contaminated with uranium and its decay products being a hazard both for underground waters as for the environment. This paper present the results of research work carried out by authors for uranium elimination from waste waters as the problems involved during the exploitation process of the existent equipment as its maintenance in good experimental conditions. The main waste water characteristics aremore » discussed: solids as suspension, uranium, radium, mineral salts, pH, etc. The moist suitable way to eliminate uranium from mine waste waters is the ion exchange process based on ion exchangers in fluidized bed. A flowsheet is given with main advantages resulted.« less

Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM): a matter of wide societal implication.

PubMed

Pescatore, C; Menon, S

2000-12-01

Naturally occurring radioactive materials are ubiquitous on Earth and their radioactivity may become concentrated as a result of human activities. Numerous industries produce concentrated radioactivity in their by-products: the coal industry, petroleum extraction and processing, water treatment, etc. The present reference system of radiation protection does not provide a complete framework for the coherent management of all types of radioactively contaminated materials. Inconsistencies in waste management policy and practice can be noted across the board, and especially vis-à-vis the management of radioactive waste from the nuclear industry. This article reviews the present societal approach to manage materials that are radioactive but are often not recognised as being such, and place the management of radioactive materials from the nuclear industry in perspective.

Characterization and remediation of a mixed waste-contaminated site at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, J.W.; Thacker, M.S.; DeWitt, C.B.

In the area of environmental restoration, one of the most challenging problems is the task of remediating mixed waste-contaminated sites. This paper discusses a successful Interim Corrective Measure (ICM) performed at a mixed waste-contaminated site on Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The site, known as RW-68, Cratering Area and Radium Dump/Slag Piles, was used during the late 1940s and early 1950s for the destruction and incineration of captured World War II aircraft. It contained 19 slag piles totaling approximately 150 tons of slag, ash, refractory brick, and metal debris. The piles were contaminated with radium-226 andmore » RCRA-characteristic levels of heavy metals. Therefore, the piles were considered mixed waste. To eliminate the threat to human health and the environment, an ICM of removal, segregation, stabilization, and disposal was conducted from October through December 1996. Approximately 120 cubic yards (cu yds) of mixed waste, 188 cu yds of low-level radioactive-contaminated soil, 1 cu yd of low-level radioactive-contaminated debris, 5 cu yds of RCRA-characteristic hazardous waste, and 45 tons of nonhazardous debris were stabilized and disposed of during the ICM. To render the RCRA metals and radionuclides insoluble, stabilization was performed on the mixed and RCRA-characteristic waste streams. All stabilized material was subjected to TCLP analysis to verify it no longer exhibited RCRA-characteristic properties. Radiological and geophysical surveys were conducted concurrently with site remediation activities. These surveys provided real-time documentation of site conditions during each phase of the ICM and confirmed successful cleanup of the site. The three radioactive waste streams, stabilized mixed waste, low-level radioactive-contaminated soil, and low-level radioactive-contaminated debris, were disposed of at the Envirocare low-level radioactive disposal facility.« less

Remedial Action Assessment System (RAAS): A computer-based methodology for conducting feasibility studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buelt, J.L.; Stottlemyre, J.A.; White, M.K.

1991-09-01

Because of the great complexity and number of potential waste sites facing the US Department of Energy (DOE) for potential cleanup, the DOE is supporting the development of a computer-based methodology to streamline the remedial investigations/feasibility study process required for DOE operable units. DOE operable units are generally more complex in nature because of the existence of multiple waste sites within many of the operable units and the presence of mixed radioactive and hazardous chemical wastes. Consequently, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing the Remedial Action Assessment System (RAAS), which is aimed at screening, linking, and evaluating establishment technology processmore » options in support of conducting feasibility studies under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). It is also intended to do the same in support of corrective measures studies requires by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This paper presents the characteristics of two RAAS prototypes currently being developed. These include the RAAS Technology Information System, which accesses information on technologies in a graphical and tabular manner, and the main RAAS methodology, which screens, links, and evaluates remedial technologies. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less

Remedial Action Assessment System (RAAS): A computer-based methodology for conducting feasibility studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buelt, J.L.; Stottlemyre, J.A.; White, M.K.

1991-02-01

Because of the great complexity and number of potential waste sites facing the US Department of Energy (DOE) for potential cleanup, the DOE is supporting the development of a computer-based methodology to streamline the remedial investigation/feasibility study process required for DOE operable units. DOE operable units are generally more complex in nature because of the existence of multiple waste sites within many of the operable units and the presence of mixed radioactive and hazardous chemical wastes. Consequently, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is developing the Remedial Action Assessment System (RAAS), which is aimed at screening, linking, and evaluating established technology processmore » options in support of conducting feasibility studies under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). It is also intended to do the same in support of corrective measures studies required by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This paper presents the characteristics of two RAAS prototypes currently being developed. These include the RAAS Technology Information System, which accesses information on technologies in a graphical and tabular manner, and the main RAAS methodology, which screens, links, and evaluates remedial technologies. 4 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less

Management of Disused Radioactive Sealed Sources in Egypt - 13512

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohamed, Y.T.; Hasan, M.A.; Lasheen, Y.F.

The future safe development of nuclear energy and progressive increasing use of sealed sources in medicine, research, industry and other fields in Egypt depends on the safe and secure management of disused radioactive sealed sources. In the past years have determined the necessity to formulate and apply the integrated management program for radioactive sealed sources to assure harmless and ecological rational management of disused sealed sources in Egypt. The waste management system in Egypt comprises operational and regulatory capabilities. Both of these activities are performed under legislations. The Hot Laboratories and Waste Management Center HLWMC, is considered as a centralizedmore » radioactive waste management facility in Egypt by law 7/2010. (authors)« less

Use of petrophysical data for siting of deep geological repository of radioactive waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrenko, Liliana; Shestopalov, Vyacheslav

2017-11-01

The paper is devoted to analyzing the petrophysical properties and petrographical characteristics of Volyn region with the view to choosing the least permeable and so the most suitable geological formation for the radioactive waste disposal. On a basis of the petrophysical estimations of the granitoids properties the argumentation of permeability has been developed for the petrotypes of Volyn region. Also method of classification of the petrotypes with their relative rate of suitability for radioactive waste disposal was developed. As a result of studying the perspectives were shown of the zhytomyr and korosten types of the granitoids as host rock for the radioactive waste disposal. According to the results of investigations performed by Swedish researchers a comparative analysis of rocks based on the age of formation, composition, structural features and some petrophysical properties of granitoids as host rocks for repository of radioactive waste was performed. Detail comparison the data of the granitoids of the Forsmark site in Sweden and the data of the granitoids of the Volyn megablock can be one of the next steps in researching the host rocks for the development of the RW disposal system in Ukraine.

Collective dose estimates by the marine food pathway from liquid radioactive wastes dumped in the Sea of Japan.

PubMed

Togawa, O; Povinec, P P; Pettersson, H B

1999-09-30

IAEA-MEL has been engaged in an assessment programme related to radioactive waste dumping by the former USSR and other countries in the western North Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas. This paper focuses on the Sea of Japan and on estimation of collective doses from liquid radioactive wastes. The results from the Japanese-Korean-Russian joint expeditions are summarized, and collective doses for the Japanese population by the marine food pathway are estimated from liquid radioactive wastes dumped in the Sea of Japan and compared with those from global fallout and natural radionuclides. The collective effective dose equivalents by the annual intake of marine products caught in each year show a maximum a few years after the disposals. The total dose from all radionuclides reaches a maximum of 0.8 man Sv in 1990. Approximately 90% of the dose derives from 137Cs, most of which is due to consumption of fish. The total dose from liquid radioactive wastes is approximately 5% of that from global fallout, the contribution of which is below 0.1% of that of natural 210Po.

Radioactive liquid wastes discharged to ground in the 200 Areas during 1976

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirabella, J.E.

An overall summary is presented giving the radioactive liquid wastes discharged to ground during 1976 and since startup (for both total and decayed depositions) within the Production and Waste Management Division control zone (200 Area plateau). Overall summaries are also presented for 200 East Area and for 200 West Area. The data contain an estimate of the radioactivity discharged to individual ponds, cribs and specific retention sites within the Production and Waste Management Division during 1976 and from startup through December 31, 1976; an estimate of the decayed activities from startup through 1976; the location and reference drawings of eachmore » disposal site; and the usage dates of each disposal site. The estimates for the radioactivity discharged and for decayed activities dicharged from startup through December 31, 1976 are based upon Item 4 of the Bibliography. The volume of liquid discharged to the ponds also includes major nonradioactive streams. The wastes discharged during 1976 to each active disposal site are detailed on a month-to-month basis, along with the monthly maximum concentration and average concentration data. An estimate of the radioactivity discharged to each active site along with the remaining decayed activities is given.« less

Management of low-level radioactive waste in Israel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shabtai, B.; Brenner, S.; Ne`eman, E.

1995-12-31

Radioactive materials are used extensively in Israel in many areas and applications for medicine, industry, agriculture, research and development and others. Israel`s primary concern in waste management is population safety and environmental protection. The Ministry of The Environment (MOE), in cooperation with the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC), supervise over the disposal system, and ensure an effective control. The MOE is responsible for the granting of permits to users of radioactive elements in about 300 plants and institutes, with about 2,200 installations. The MOE operates a computerized database management system (DBMS) on radioactive materials, with data on licensing, import andmore » distribution, waste disposal and transportation. Supervision over the disposal of LLRW has deepened recently, and periodic reports, based on the number of drums containing LLRW, which were transferred from all institutes in Israel to the NRWDS, were prepared. Draft regulations on the disposal of LLRW from institutes of research and education, hospitals, medical laboratories and other, have been recently prepared. These regulations include instructions on the disposal of solid and liquid LLRW as well as radioactive gases and vapors. As a general rule, no LLRW of any sort will be disposed of through the ordinary waste system or general sewage. However, in some extraordinary cases, residues of liquid LLRW are allowed to be disposed in this manner, if the requirements for disposal are satisfied. There are some conditions, in which solid LLRW might be treated as a conventional waste, as well as for safe emission of radioactive gases and aerosols. In light of these considerations, a new and more specific approach to radiation protection organizations and management of low-level radioactive waste problems, supervision and optimization is presented.« less

Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste: A Long-Term Socio-Technical Experiment.

PubMed

Schröder, Jantine

2016-06-01

In this article we investigate whether long-term radioactive waste management by means of geological disposal can be understood as a social experiment. Geological disposal is a rather particular technology in the way it deals with the analytical and ethical complexities implied by the idea of technological innovation as social experimentation, because it is presented as a technology that ultimately functions without human involvement. We argue that, even when the long term function of the 'social' is foreseen to be restricted to safeguarding the functioning of the 'technical', geological disposal is still a social experiment. In order to better understand this argument and explore how it could be addressed, we elaborate the idea of social experimentation with the notion of co-production and the analytical tools of delegation, prescription and network as developed by actor-network theory. In doing so we emphasize that geological disposal inherently involves relations between surface and subsurface, between humans and nonhumans, between the social, material and natural realm, and that these relations require recognition and further elaboration. In other words, we argue that geological disposal concurrently is a social and a technical experiment, or better, a long-term socio-technical experiment. We end with proposing the idea of 'actor-networking' as a sensitizing concept for future research into what geological disposal as a socio-technical experiment could look like.

Successes and Techniques Associated with Teaching the Chemistry of Radioactive Wastes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Donald H.

1995-01-01

Describes a chemistry course that is built around the topic of radioactive waste and encompasses a large number of chemistry concepts including redox, equilibrium, kinetics, nuclear energy, and the periodic chart. (JRH)

Putting Radioactive Wastes on Ice: A Proposal for an International Radionuclide Depository in Antarctica

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeller, E. J.; And Others

1973-01-01

Describes need for creating permanent disposal of high-level radioactive wastes accumulating in different countries. Possibilities of establishing facilities for this purpose in Antarctic ice cap are examined. (PS)

Preliminary survey of separations technology applicable to the pretreatment of Hanford tank waste (1992--1993)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lawrence, W.E.; Kurath, D.E.

1994-04-01

The US Department of Energy has established the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) to manage and dispose of radioactive wastes stored at the Hanford Site. Within this program are evaluations of pretreatment system alternatives through literature reviews. The information in this report was collected as part of this project at Pacific Northwest Laboratory. A preliminary survey of literature on separations recently entered into the Hanford electronic databases (1992--1993) that have the potential for pretreatment of Hanford tank waste was conducted. Separation processes that can assist in the removal of actinides (uranium, plutonium, americium), lanthanides, barium, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr,{sup 129more » }I, {sup 63}Ni, and {sup 99}Tc were evaluated. Separation processes of interest were identified through literature searches, journal reviews, and participation in separation technology conferences. This report contains brief descriptions of the potential separation processes, the extent and/or selectivity of the separation, the experimental conditions, and observations. Information was collected on both national and international separation studies to provide a global perspective on recent research efforts.« less

Pump station for radioactive waste water

DOEpatents

Whitton, John P.; Klos, Dean M.; Carrara, Danny T.; Minno, John J.

2003-11-18

A pump station for transferring radioactive particle containing waste water, includes: (a.) an enclosed sump having a vertically elongated right frusto conical wall surface and a bottom surface and (b.) a submersible volute centrifugal pump having a horizontally rotating impeller and a volute exterior surface. The sump interior surface, the bottom surface and the volute exterior surface are made of stainless steel having a 30 Ra or finer surface finish. A 15 Ra finish has been found to be most cost effective. The pump station is used for transferring waste water, without accumulation of radioactive fines.

The project De Caldas International Project: An example of a large-scale radwaste isolation natural analogue study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shea, M.

1995-09-01

The proper isolation of radioactive waste is one of today`s most pressing environmental issues. Research is being carried out by many countries around the world in order to answer critical and perplexing questions regarding the safe disposal of radioactive waste. Natural analogue studies are an increasingly important facet of this international research effort. The Pocos de Caldas Project represents a major effort of the international technical and scientific community towards addressing one of modern civilization`s most critical environmental issues - radioactive waste isolation.

Characteristics and Classification of Solid Radioactive Waste From the Front-End of the Uranium Fuel Cycle.

PubMed

Liu, Xinhua; Wei, Fangxin; Xu, Chunyan; Liao, Yunxuan; Jiang, Jing

2015-09-01

The proper classification of radioactive waste is the basis upon which to define its disposal method. In view of differences between waste containing artificial radionuclides and waste with naturally occurring radionuclides, the scientific definition of the properties of waste arising from the front end of the uranium fuel cycle (UF Waste) is the key to dispose of such waste. This paper is intended to introduce briefly the policy and practice to dispose of such waste in China and some foreign countries, explore how to solve the dilemma facing such waste, analyze in detail the compositions and properties of such waste, and finally put forward a new concept of classifying such waste as waste with naturally occurring radionuclides.

Evaluation of final waste forms and recommendations for baseline alternatives to group and glass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bleier, A.

1997-09-01

An assessment of final waste forms was made as part of the Federal Facilities Compliance Agreement/Development, Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation (FFCA/DDT&E) Program because supplemental waste-form technologies are needed for the hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes of concern to the Department of Energy and the problematic wastes on the Oak Ridge Reservation. The principal objective was to identify a primary waste-form candidate as an alternative to grout (cement) and glass. The effort principally comprised a literature search, the goal of which was to establish a knowledge base regarding four areas: (1) the waste-form technologies based on grout and glass, (2) candidatemore » alternatives, (3) the wastes that need to be immobilized, and (4) the technical and regulatory constraints on the waste-from technologies. This report serves, in part, to meet this goal. Six families of materials emerged as relevant; inorganic, organic, vitrified, devitrified, ceramic, and metallic matrices. Multiple members of each family were assessed, emphasizing the materials-oriented factors and accounting for the fact that the two most prevalent types of wastes for the FFCA/DDT&E Program are aqueous liquids and inorganic sludges and solids. Presently, no individual matrix is sufficiently developed to permit its immediate implementation as a baseline alternative. Three thermoplastic materials, sulfur-polymer cement (inorganic), bitumen (organic), and polyethylene (organic), are the most technologically developed candidates. Each warrants further study, emphasizing the engineering and economic factors, but each also has limitations that regulate it to a status of short-term alternative. The crystallinity and flexible processing of sulfur provide sulfur-polymer cement with the highest potential for short-term success via encapsulation. Long-term immobilization demands chemical stabilization, which the thermoplastic matrices do not offer. Among the properties of the remaining candidates, those of glass-ceramics (devitrified matrices) represent the best compromise for meeting the probable stricter disposal requirements in the future.« less

Radioactive waste storage issues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kunz, Daniel E.

1994-08-15

In the United States we generate greater than 500 million tons of toxic waste per year which pose a threat to human health and the environment. Some of the most toxic of these wastes are those that are radioactively contaminated. This thesis explores the need for permanent disposal facilities to isolate radioactive waste materials that are being stored temporarily, and therefore potentially unsafely, at generating facilities. Because of current controversies involving the interstate transfer of toxic waste, more states are restricting the flow of wastes into - their borders with the resultant outcome of requiring the management (storage and disposal)more » of wastes generated solely within a state`s boundary to remain there. The purpose of this project is to study nuclear waste storage issues and public perceptions of this important matter. Temporary storage at generating facilities is a cause for safety concerns and underscores, the need for the opening of permanent disposal sites. Political controversies and public concern are forcing states to look within their own borders to find solutions to this difficult problem. Permanent disposal or retrievable storage for radioactive waste may become a necessity in the near future in Colorado. Suitable areas that could support - a nuclear storage/disposal site need to be explored to make certain the health, safety and environment of our citizens now, and that of future generations, will be protected.« less

Laser decontamination of the radioactive lightning rods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potiens, A. J.; Dellamano, J. C.; Vicente, R.; Raele, M. P.; Wetter, N. U.; Landulfo, E.

2014-02-01

Between 1970 and 1980 Brazil experienced a significant market for radioactive lightning rods (RLR). The device consists of an air terminal with one or more sources of americium-241 attached to it. The sources were used to ionize the air around them and to increase the attraction of atmospheric discharges. Because of their ineffectiveness, the nuclear regulatory authority in Brazil suspended the license for manufacturing, commerce and installation of RLR in 1989, and determined that the replaced RLR were to be collected to a centralized radioactive waste management facility for treatment. The first step for RLR treatment is to remove the radioactive sources. Though they can be easily removed, some contaminations are found all over the remaining metal scrap that must decontaminated for release, otherwise it must be treated as radioactive waste. Decontamination using various chemicals has proven to be inefficient and generates large amounts of secondary wastes. This work shows the preliminary results of the decontamination of 241Am-contaminated metal scrap generated in the treatment of radioactive lightning rods applying laser ablation. A Nd:YAG nanoseconds laser was used with 300 mJ energy leaving only a small amount of secondary waste to be treated.

TECHNICAL REPORT ON TECHNOLOGICALLY ENHANCED NATURALLY OCCURRING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS FROM URANIUM MINING, VOLUME II: INVESTIGATION OF POTENTIAL HEALTH, GEOGRAPHIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF ABANDONED URANIUM MINES

EPA Science Inventory

Volume II investigates the potential radiogenic risks from abandoned uranium mines and evaluates which may pose the greatest hazards to members of the public and to the environment. The intent of this report is to identify who may be most likely to be exposed to wastes at small a...

U.S. Geological Survey research in radioactive waste disposal - Fiscal years 1986-1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Trask, N.J.; Stevens, P.R.

1991-01-01

The report summarizes progress on geologic and hydrologic research related to the disposal of radioactive wastes. The research efforts are categorized according to whether they are related most directly to: (1) high-level wastes, (2) transuranic wastes, (3) low-level and mixed low-level and hazardous wastes, or (4) uranium mill tailings. Included is research applicable to the identification and geohydrologic characterization of waste-disposal sites, to investigations of specific sites where wastes have been stored, to development of techniques and methods for characterizing disposal sites, and to studies of geologic and hydrologic processes related to the transport and/or retention of waste radionuclides.

Radioactive waste disposal fees-Methodology for calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bemš, Július; Králík, Tomáš; Kubančák, Ján; Vašíček, Jiří; Starý, Oldřich

2014-11-01

This paper summarizes the methodological approach used for calculation of fee for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal and for spent fuel disposal. The methodology itself is based on simulation of cash flows related to the operation of system for waste disposal. The paper includes demonstration of methodology application on the conditions of the Czech Republic.

10 CFR 62.13 - Contents of a request for emergency access: Alternatives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... EMERGENCY ACCESS TO NON-FEDERAL AND REGIONAL LOW-LEVEL WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITIES Request for a Commission... following: (1) Storage of low-level radioactive waste at the site of generation; (2) Storage of low-level... disposal at a Federal low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in the case of a Federal or defense...

Sandia National Laboratories performance assessment methodology for long-term environmental programs : the history of nuclear waste management.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marietta, Melvin Gary; Anderson, D. Richard; Bonano, Evaristo J.

2011-11-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is the world leader in the development of the detailed science underpinning the application of a probabilistic risk assessment methodology, referred to in this report as performance assessment (PA), for (1) understanding and forecasting the long-term behavior of a radioactive waste disposal system, (2) estimating the ability of the disposal system and its various components to isolate the waste, (3) developing regulations, (4) implementing programs to estimate the safety that the system can afford to individuals and to the environment, and (5) demonstrating compliance with the attendant regulatory requirements. This report documents the evolution of themore » SNL PA methodology from inception in the mid-1970s, summarizing major SNL PA applications including: the Subseabed Disposal Project PAs for high-level radioactive waste; the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant PAs for disposal of defense transuranic waste; the Yucca Mountain Project total system PAs for deep geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; PAs for the Greater Confinement Borehole Disposal boreholes at the Nevada National Security Site; and PA evaluations for disposal of high-level wastes and Department of Energy spent nuclear fuels stored at Idaho National Laboratory. In addition, the report summarizes smaller PA programs for long-term cover systems implemented for the Monticello, Utah, mill-tailings repository; a PA for the SNL Mixed Waste Landfill in support of environmental restoration; PA support for radioactive waste management efforts in Egypt, Iraq, and Taiwan; and, most recently, PAs for analysis of alternative high-level radioactive waste disposal strategies including repositories deep borehole disposal and geologic repositories in shale and granite. Finally, this report summarizes the extension of the PA methodology for radioactive waste disposal toward development of an enhanced PA system for carbon sequestration and storage systems. These efforts have produced a generic PA methodology for the evaluation of waste management systems that has gained wide acceptance within the international community. This report documents how this methodology has been used as an effective management tool to evaluate different disposal designs and sites; inform development of regulatory requirements; identify, prioritize, and guide research aimed at reducing uncertainties for objective estimations of risk; and support safety assessments.« less

DOE Chair of Excellence Professorship in Environmental Disciplines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shoou-Yuh Chang

2013-01-31

The United States (US) nuclear weapons program during the Cold War left a legacy of radioactive, hazardous, chemical wastes and facilities that may seriously harm the environment and people even today. Widespread public concern about the environmental pollution has created an extraordinary demand for the treatment and disposal of wastes in a manner to protect the public health and safety. The pollution abatement and environmental protection require an understanding of technical, regulatory, economic, permitting, institutional, and public policy issues. Scientists and engineers have a major role in this national effort to clean our environment, especially in developing alternative solutions andmore » evaluation criteria and designing the necessary facilities to implement the solutions. The objective of the DOE Chair of Excellence project is to develop a high quality educational and research program in environmental engineering at North Carolina A&T State University (A&T). This project aims to increase the number of graduate and undergraduate students trained in environmental areas while developing a faculty concentrated in environmental education and research. Although A&T had a well developed environmental program prior to the Massie Chair grant, A&T's goal is to become a model of excellence in environmental engineering through the program's support. The program will provide a catalyst to enhance collaboration of faculty and students among various engineering departments to work together in a focus research area. The collaboration will be expanded to other programs at A&T. The past research focus areas include: hazardous and radioactive waste treatment and disposal fate and transport of hazardous chemicals in the environment innovative technologies for hazardous waste site remediation pollution prevention Starting from 2005, the new research focus was in the improvement of accuracy for radioactive contaminant transport models by ensemble based data assimilation. The specific objectives are to: 1). improve model accuracy for use in minimizing health and environmental risk, and 2). improve the decision making process in the selection and application of available technologies for long-term monitoring and safeguard operation at NNSA sites.« less

Analogues to features and processes of a high-level radioactive waste repository proposed for Yucca Mountain, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simmons, Ardyth M.; Stuckless, John S.; with a Foreword by Abraham Van Luik, U.S. Department of Energy

2010-01-01

Natural analogues are defined for this report as naturally occurring or anthropogenic systems in which processes similar to those expected to occur in a nuclear waste repository are thought to have taken place over time periods of decades to millennia and on spatial scales as much as tens of kilometers. Analogues provide an important temporal and spatial dimension that cannot be tested by laboratory or field-scale experiments. Analogues provide one of the multiple lines of evidence intended to increase confidence in the safe geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Although the work in this report was completed specifically for Yucca Mountain, Nevada, as the proposed geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste under the U.S. Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the applicability of the science, analyses, and interpretations is not limited to a specific site. Natural and anthropogenic analogues have provided and can continue to provide value in understanding features and processes of importance across a wide variety of topics in addressing the challenges of geologic isolation of radioactive waste and also as a contribution to scientific investigations unrelated to waste disposal. Isolation of radioactive waste at a mined geologic repository would be through a combination of natural features and engineered barriers. In this report we examine analogues to many of the various components of the Yucca Mountain system, including the preservation of materials in unsaturated environments, flow of water through unsaturated volcanic tuff, seepage into repository drifts, repository drift stability, stability and alteration of waste forms and components of the engineered barrier system, and transport of radionuclides through unsaturated and saturated rock zones.

77 FR 52072 - Request To Amend a License to Import Radioactive Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

..., 2012 IW022/ radioactive total of 5,500 beneficial reuse 02 11005700. waste including tons or about and... thermal and non- paper, cloth, activity thermal concrete, material, and treatment. rubber, plastic, 500...

Composite analysis E-area vaults and saltstone disposal facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, J.R.

1997-09-01

This report documents the Composite Analysis (CA) performed on the two active Savannah River Site (SRS) low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facilities. The facilities are the Z-Area Saltstone Disposal Facility and the E-Area Vaults (EAV) Disposal Facility. The analysis calculated potential releases to the environment from all sources of residual radioactive material expected to remain in the General Separations Area (GSA). The GSA is the central part of SRS and contains all of the waste disposal facilities, chemical separations facilities and associated high-level waste storage facilities as well as numerous other sources of radioactive material. The analysis considered 114 potentialmore » sources of radioactive material containing 115 radionuclides. The results of the CA clearly indicate that continued disposal of low-level waste in the saltstone and EAV facilities, consistent with their respective radiological performance assessments, will have no adverse impact on future members of the public.« less

Geoscience parameter data base handbook: granites and basalts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-12-01

The Department of Energy has the responsibility for selecting and constructing Federal repositories for radioactive waste. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must license such repositories prior to construction. The basic requirement in the geologic disposal of radioactive waste is stated as: placement in a geologic host whereby the radioactive waste is not in mechanical, thermal or chemical equilibrium with the object of preventing physical or chemical migration of radionuclides into the biosphere or hydrosphere in hazardous concentration (USGS, 1977). The object of this report is to document the known geologic parameters of large granite and basalt occurrences in the coterminous Unitedmore » States, for future evaluation in the selection and licensing of radioactive waste repositories. The description of the characteristics of certain potential igneous hosts has been limited to existing data pertaining to the general geologic character, geomechanics, and hydrology of identified occurrences. A description of the geochemistry is the subject of a separate report.« less

Study of extraterrestrial disposal of radioactive wastes. Part 1: Space transportation and destination considerations for extraterrestrial disposal of radioactive wastes. [feasibility of using space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, R. L.; Ramler, J. R.; Stevenson, S. M.

1974-01-01

A feasibility study of extraterrestrial disposal of radioactive waste is reported. This report covers the initial work done on only one part of the NASA study, that evaluates and compares possible space destinations and space transportation systems. The currently planned space shuttle was found to be more cost effective than current expendable launch vehicles by about a factor of 2. The space shuttle requires a third stage to perform the waste disposal missions. Depending on the particular mission, this third stage could be either a reusable space tug or an expendable stage such as a Centaur.

A Feasibility Study on Reactor Based Fission Neutron Radiography of 200-l Waste Packages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bücherl, T.; Kalthoff, O.; von Gostomski, Ch. Lierse

This feasibility study investigates the applicability of fission neutrons for the non-destructive characterization of radioactive waste packages by means of neutron radiography. Based on a number of mock-up drums of different non-radioactive matrices, but being typical for radioactive waste generated in Europe, radiography measurements at the NECTAR and the ITS facility using fission neutrons and 60Co-gamma-rays, respectively, are performed. The resulting radiographs are compared and qualitatively assessed. In addition, a first approach for the stitching of the fission neutron radiographs to visualize the complete area of 200-l waste drums is performed. While the feasibility of fission neutrons is demonstrated successfully, fields for further improvements are identified.

Process for disposal of aqueous solutions containing radioactive isotopes

DOEpatents

Colombo, Peter; Neilson, Jr., Robert M.; Becker, Walter W.

1979-01-01

A process for disposing of radioactive aqueous waste solutions whereby the waste solution is utilized as the water of hydration to hydrate densified powdered portland cement in a leakproof container; said waste solution being dispersed without mechanical inter-mixing in situ in said bulk cement, thereafter the hydrated cement body is impregnated with a mixture of a monomer and polymerization catalyst to form polymer throughout the cement body. The entire process being carried out while maintaining the temperature of the components during the process at a temperature below 99.degree. C. The container containing the solid polymer-impregnated body is thereafter stored at a radioactive waste storage dump such as an underground storage dump.

Marine Electromagnetic System Development in the Shallow Water Environment for Radioactive Waste Repository Site Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimura, K.; Sakashita, S.; Okubo, S.; Yamane, K.

2006-12-01

Radioactive Waste Management Funding and Research Center of Japan has recently conducted a program to develop an electromagnetic (EM) technology for investigating the subsurface to the depths of 1,000m below the seafloor in the near-shore environment. Potential applications include structural studies for geological disposal of radioactive wastes. The system includes both natural field by magnetotellurics and controlled source EM data was collected to evaluate the feasibility of the methods and instrumentation. The shallow water environment is challenging because of high water currents and wave motion effects contaminating the data. We demonstrate the performance test of the new type of instrument, and the field experiment that was carried out in the Monterey Bay of California, USA, in 2003 and 2004. In this paper we describe the instrumentation developed, shows some examples from field trial and finally provide some inversion results using collected and simulated data. The system consists of EM transmitter deployed on the beach in combination with a series of offshore based multicomponent receivers. Field data collected near Monterey California revealed some of the challenges associated with this type of system. Collected data showed the influence of wave and cultural noise as well. In site of these difficulties we were able to accumulate a sufficient quantity of good quality records to interpret results. We show 2-D inversion results which image the "Navy Fault zone" which strikes NW-SE offshore Monterey bay in water depths of 10 to 40m.

Korean Waste Management Law, Presidential Decree Number 13480, and Prime Minister Order Number 397

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

radioactive waste or substances that are contaminated by radioactivity and medical waste (which is regulated by Medical Law), wastewater (which is regulated...be exceeded when the domestic waste is disposed a. In case where water polutant , pursuant to Table 1 of toe Enforcement Regulaton in the Water...combustion burner and extra burner * Normal operation of safety facilities • Normal operation of preventive facilities * Density of polutant out of

The analysis of the program to develop the Nuclear Waste Management System: Allocated requirements for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woods, T.W.

1991-09-01

This report is volume 3, part B, of the program to satisfy the allocated requirements of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program, in the development of the nuclear waste management system. The report is divided into the following sections: regulatory compliance; external relations; international programs; strategic and contingency planning; contract business management; and administrative services. (CS)

Chemical Technology Division, Annual technical report, 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-03-01

Highlights of the Chemical Technology (CMT) Division's activities during 1991 are presented. In this period, CMT conducted research and development in the following areas: (1) electrochemical technology, including advanced batteries and fuel cells; (2) technology for fluidized-bed combustion and coal-fired magnetohydrodynamics; (3) methods for treatment of hazardous and mixed hazardous/radioactive waste; (4) the reaction of nuclear waste glass and spent fuel under conditions expected for an unsaturated repository; (5) processes for separating and recovering transuranic elements from nuclear waste streams; (6) recovery processes for discharged fuel and the uranium blanket in the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR); (7) processes for removalmore » of actinides in spent fuel from commercial water-cooled nuclear reactors and burnup in IFRs; and (8) physical chemistry of selected materials in environments simulating those of fission and fusion energy systems. The Division also conducts basic research in catalytic chemistry associated with molecular energy resources; chemistry of superconducting oxides and other materials of interest with technological application; interfacial processes of importance to corrosion science, catalysis, and high-temperature superconductivity; and the geochemical processes involved in water-rock interactions occurring in active hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory in CMT provides a broad range of analytical chemistry support services to the technical programs at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).« less