History of waste disposal
2J.H. Saling and A.W. Fentiman, “Radioactive Waste Management,” Second Edition, (Taylor & Francis, NY London) 2002.
3J.H. Saling and A.W. Fentiman, “Radioactive Waste Management,” Second Edition, (Taylor & Francis, NY London) 2002.
Old Disposal Sites
• Open trenches• No linings• Very little processing• No standards on containers• NO QA/QC• No records• Liquids
Results
• Broken containers• Collapsed containers• Leaks
Regulatory agencies
• ICRP• NCRP• NRC• DOT• DOE• EPA• ANSI• Agreement State
ICRP
• Publication 77- Radiation Protection Policy for Disposal of Radioactive Waste– Dose to the public from disposal of waste– Justification– Optimization– Collective dose
NCRP
• Publication 152- Performance Assessment of Near Surface Facilities for Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste– Covers the scope of performance assessments– Conducting performance assessments– Components of performance assessment
• Cover performance• Concrete barrier• Flow and transport of surface and ground water• Source terms • Exposure pathways
NRC
• 10 CFR 20 Standards for Radiation Protection• Regulates the use and licensing of radioactive
material• Does not regulate disposal of the material
DoT
• Regulates packaging of waste– Placards– Paperwork– Packages• Type A• Type B • Casks
DoE
• Does not have to follow NRC and other agencies but does
• Responsible for all DoE generated wastes and well as civilian spent fuel Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) 1982
• Takes care of it s own waste• Develops new waste disposal techniques
EPA
• Regulates standards for off site releases of radioactive materials
• NWPA states that EPA will promulgate applicable standards for the protection of the environment– Air– Water
ANSI
• Standards for any process that involves radioactive waste
• 55.1-1979 Solid radioactive waste Processing systems for Light Water-Cooled Reactors
• 55.4-1979 Gaseous radioactive waste Processing systems for Light Water-Cooled Reactors
• 55.6-1979 Liquid radioactive waste Processing systems for Light Water-Cooled Reactors
Agreement States
• Agreement between the NRC and State that the State will regulate their own material.
• Some material is not regulated by State• Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy
Amendments Act (1985)• Made states responsible for waste disposal• Compacts
Questions