Regulatory Considerations Of Waste Emplacement Within The WIPP Repository: Random Versus Non-Random Distribution
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for disposing of transuranic waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico. As part of that responsibility, DOE must comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) radiation protection standards in Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 191 and 194. This paper addresses compliance with the criteria of 40 CFR Section 194.24(d) and 194.24(f) that require DOE to either provide a waste loading scheme for the WIPP repository or to assume random emplacement in the mandated performance and compliance assessments. The DOE established a position on waste loading schemes during the process of obtaining the EPA's initial Certification in 1998. The justification for utilizing a random waste emplacement distribution within the WIPP repository was provided to the EPA. During the EPA rulemaking process for the initial certification, the EPA questioned DOE on whether waste would be loaded randomly as modeled in long-term performance assessment (PA) and the impact, if any, of nonrandom loading. In response, DOE conducted an impact assessment for non-random waste loading. The results of this assessment supported the contention that it does not matter whether random or non-random waste loading is assumed for the PA. The EPA determined that a waste loading plan was unnecessary because DOE had assumed random waste loading and evaluated the potential consequences of non-random loading for a very high activity waste stream. In other words, the EPA determined that DOE was not required to provide a waste loading scheme because compliance is not affected by the actual distribution of waste containers in the WIPP.
- Research Organization:
- U.S. Department of Energy, Carlsbad Field Office, Carlsbad, NM; CBFO Technical Assistance Contractor, Carlsbad, NM; Sandia National Laboratories, Carlsbad, NM (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 826372
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste Management 2003 Symposium, Tucson, AZ (US), 02/23/2003--02/27/2003; Other Information: PBD: 25 Feb 2003
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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