Approach and issues toward development of risk-based release standards for radioactive scrap metal recycle and reuse

Conference · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:10130940

Chen, S Y; Nieves, L A; Nabelssi, B K; LePoire, D J

The decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities is expected to generate large amounts of slightly radioactive scrap metal (RSM). It is likely that some of these materials will be suitable for recycling and reuse. The amount of scrap steel from DOE facilities, for instance, is estimated to be more than one million tons (Hertzler 1993). However, under current practice and without the establishment of acceptable recycling standards, the RSM would be disposed of primarily as radioactive low-level waste (LLW). In the United States, no specific standards have been developed for the unrestricted release of bulk contaminated materials. Although standards for unrestricted release of radioactive surface contamination (NRC 1974) have existed for about 20 years, the release of materials is not commonly practiced because of the lack of risk-based justifications. Recent guidance from international bodies (IAEA 1988) has established a basis for deriving risk-based release limits for radioactive materials. It is important, therefore, to evaluate the feasibility of recycling and associated issues necessary for the establishment of risk-based release limits for the radioactive metals.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10130940
• Report Number(s): ANL/EA/CP-82020; CONF-940406-3; ON: DE94007652; TRN: 94:011932
• Resource Relation: Conference: International symposium on decontamination and decommissioning,Knoxville, TN (United States),27-29 Apr 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
DECONTAMINATION
DECOMMISSIONING
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
SCRAP
RECYCLING
METALS
STANDARDS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY ANALYSIS
ALARA
WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIATION DOSES
RELEASE LIMITS
052000
054000
WASTE MANAGEMENT
HEALTH AND SAFETY