A survey of monitoring and assay systems for release of metals from radiation controlled areas at LANL.

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:975956

Gruetzmacher, K M ^[1]; MacArthur, D W ^[2]

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1. Kathleen M.
2. Duncan W.

At Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a recent effort in waste minimization has focused on scrap metal from radiological controlled areas (RCAs). In particular, scrap metal from RCAs needs to be dispositioned in a reasonable and cost effective manner. Recycling of DOE scrap metals from RCAs is currently under a self-imposed moratorium. Since recycling is not available and reuse is difficult, often metal waste from RCAs, which could otherwise be recycled, is disposed of as low-level waste. Estimates at LANL put the cost of low-level waste disposal at $550 to $4000 per cubic meter, depending on the type of waste and the disposal site. If the waste is mixed, the cost for treatment and disposal can be as high as $50,000 per cubic meter. Disposal of scrap metal as low-level waste uses up valuable space in the low-level waste disposal areas and requires transportation to the disposal site under Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for low-level waste. In contrast, disposal as non-radioactive waste costs as little as $2 per cubic meter. While recycling is unavailable, disposing of the metal at an industrial waste site could be the best solution for this waste stream. A Green Is Clean (GIC) type verification program needs to be in place to provide the greatest assurance that the waste does not contain DOE added radioactivity. This paper is a review of available and emerging radiation monitoring and assay systems that could be used for scrap metal as part of the LANL GIC program.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 975956
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-02-0301; LA-UR-02-301; TRN: US1006836
• Resource Relation: Conference: Submitted to: Waste Management '02 Conference, Tucson, AZ, February 24-28, 2002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
CONTROLLED AREAS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LANL
MINIMIZATION
MONITORING
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIATIONS
RADIOACTIVITY
RECYCLING
REGULATIONS
SCRAP METALS
US DOT
VERIFICATION
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES