Copyright © 2013 SCKCEN Legacy sites in Belgium K. Mannaerts, S. Pepijn FANC - AFCN D. Jacques, H....

Copyright © 2013 SCK•CEN

Legacy sites in Belgium

K. Mannaerts, S. PepijnFANC - AFCN

D. Jacques, H. VandenhoveInstitute Environment, Health and Safety – Belgian

Nuclear Energy Centre


Legacy Sites in Belgium


Umicore Olen

Former radium extraction plant – dismantled but its environment still show signs of the former activities, in particular large volumes of radioactive waste.

The current situation is characterized by the presence of :two authorized installations for temporary storage: the UMTRAP-

installation and the 'Bankloop'-installation;dumping site, D1; for which a decision to remediate has been taken;dumping site, S1 or 'Bruine Berg‘; no decision to remediate so far taken;sites with dispersed radioactive contamination

UMTRAP: ~ 55,000 m³ of unconditioned low-level or intermediate-level and long-lived waste, amongst which various radium sources and residues.

‘Bankloop'-installation: ~30,000 m³ of unconditioned (very) low-level and long-lived waste from remediation of Bankloop sediments and borders contaminated by former releases to river Both installations still responsibility of Umicore but will be committed to

NIRAS.


Umicore Olen


Umicore Olen (2) Dumping site D1: ~ 10 ha, 130,000 m³ mixed (radium-bearing and

chemical) waste. Method for carrying out remediation still to be determined. The waste

generated by the remediation will bear the label of radioactive waste; therefore NIRAS will be responsible for the long-term management of this waste.

Dumping site S1: ~200,000 m³ mixed wasteContamination from the Bankloop sediments and from remediation of the

sitePresence of radium confirmedFANC to determine whether remediation of this site is necessary.

Dispersed radioactive contamination: estimated at 50,000 to 150,000 m³Questioned whether the contaminated sites have to be remediated. If FANC decides so, NIRAS will be responsible for managing waste generated

NIRAS intends to develop a plan in coming years dedicated to long-term management of radium-bearing waste. This plan, that will cover the management of all radium-bearing waste present on Belgian territory, will be subject to an environmental impact assessment.


ER in Belgium – Setting the scene

• small country (30500 km²), densely populated (11 millions inhabitants ~333 inh/km²)

• federal structure (federal government all nuclear matters/issues: FANC)

• 3 regions (Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia: regional governments environmental matters/issues)


ER in Belgium – Setting the scene

• Like in many other countries mainly chemically contaminated sites but some have also radioactive component

• Extensive (regional) regulation and methodology for chemical contaminated sites (Flanders) is existing

But what about sites with mixed (chemical and radioactive) or only radioactive contamination?


Intervention levels

Next to regulation and methodology, the Agency has also elaborated guidances on the intervention levels and the content of the investigation files.

– ‘intervention levels’• dose < 0.3 mSv: never intervention• 0.3 < dose < 1 mSv: intervention rarely justified• 1 < dose < 3 mSv: intervention generally justified• dose > 3 mSv: intervention always justified

– Content is specific for each step in the phased proces


Stakeholders

Intervention/remediation

Responsible/polluter

Federal authoritiesFANC/AFCNPublic

Regional authorities

Federal authoritiesNIRAS/ONDRAF

Engineering companies


Regulation and Methodology

REGIONAL (Flanders) approach: Chemical contamination

Identification

FEDERAL approach: Radioactive contamination

Identification

Investigation Investigation

Intervention options and options appraisal

Soil remediation or risk management plan

Remediation or risk management plan

Implementation of plan(licensing if on-site radioactive disposal)

Implementation of plan(certificate of conformity)

Aftercare – longterm management Aftercare

Mixed contamination


Assessment methodology basics

pluridisciplinary tasks

hydrogeologyseismics calculation codes

geophysicsradiation protection

geochemistry

regulation

phenomenology RNchemicals

characterisation

…

Intervention/remediation

sampling


Phase I – Risk Evaluation

identification Identification of suspected area(s) and responsible

Define content OI

Define content OI

Draw-up/submit

OI evaluate OI evaluate OI

notification

orientating investigation OI

Draw-up/submit DI

Define content DI

Define content DI

evaluate DI evaluate DI

descriptive investigation DI

Designated responsible

FANCNIRAS/

ONDRAFRegional

Authorities


Phase II – Option Evaluation

RP criteria

Evaluate radiological part (OP + LT)

Evaluate non-radiological part

Draw-up/submit

Options appraisal (with all interested stakeholders)

Draw-up/submit evaluate CUP/ RMP

evaluate CUP/RMP

Development of CUP or RMP


FANCNIRAS/

ONDRAFRegional

Authorities

Intervention/remedial options

Guidance WM

objectives

VLLW: disposal capacity and concentration

licensing procedures

Technical & financial feasibility Waste compatibilityLT-funding modalities

13


Phase III - Implementation

Execute RMP/CUP

Implementation RMP/CUP

Verification report

aftercare


FANCNIRAS/

ONDRAFRegional

Authorities

Application for disposal licensing (if required)

Follow-upRadiological disposal

Non-rad aspects

Final evaluationRadiological disposal Non-rad

aspects

Aftercare reporting Follow-up aftercare

Licensing procedures


Conclusions

• Approach for dealing with radioactively or mixed contaminated sites is available, comparable to the approach for chemically polluted sites

• Methodology exists as decision aiding tool• Decision making will always be influenced by a

set of non-technical issues

All aspects have to be considered long time in advance for implementing a feasible, consistent, long-lasting and sustainable solution


Impact AssessmentNear Field -> Geosphere -> Biosphere

aquifer

Boom Clay

aquifer

radioactive waste

?





A Coupled Numerical Code forVariably Saturated Water Flow,

Solute Transport andBioGeoChemistry

in Porous Medium Systems

Simulating water flow, transport and bio-geochemical reactions in environmentaland engineering problems

Flow and transport modelHYDRUS-1D 4.0

HYDRUS (2D/3D) 2.x

Biogeochemical modelPHREEQC-2.17

pH

U

Sorbed U

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