U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Review of U.S. Department of Energy Non-High Level Waste Determination for Idaho National Laboratory Tank Farm Facility
- United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)
- Planetary Sciences Southwest Research Institute, Dept. of Earth, Material, San Antonio, TX (United States)
- Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (United States)
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) authorized the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether certain radioactive waste related to the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is not high-level-waste (HLW). The NDAA applies to DOE facilities in the States of South Carolina and Idaho. DOE must consult with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as part of its waste determination. NRC must coordinate with the affected state to monitor DOE's disposal actions to assess compliance with 10 CFR 61, Subpart C, performance objectives. The performance objectives in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C, contain requirements for protection of the public, inadvertent intruders, individuals during operations, and stability of the disposal site after closure. In September 2005, DOE submitted to NRC a draft non-HLW determination for waste incidental to reprocessing, including sodium-bearing waste [note: Sodium-bearing waste is a generic term used to describe radioactive wastes comprised of second- and third-cycle extraction fluid and decontamination fluids. This waste contains less activity and generally poses less risk than first-cycle extraction fluid (first-cycle extraction fluid contains most of the fission products)] (SBW) stored in the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center tank farm facility (INTEC TFF) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). DOE plans to grout the underground tanks and concrete vaults that house these tanks to stabilize the waste in situ. DOE prepared a waste determination to demonstrate compliance with NDAA criteria, including a supporting performance assessment to demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives. To carry out its consultative role required by the NDAA, NRC uses a risk-informed, performance-based approach in its review of DOE waste determinations and performance assessments to focus on the key natural and engineered system features needed to support its compliance demonstration. These features include (i) the chemical and physical performance of cementitious materials that mitigate the release of radioactivity into the environment; and (ii) natural attenuation of any radionuclide releases from the disposal facility. NRC's review of DOE's waste determination and performance assessment also facilitated development of a monitoring plan for the INTEC TFF. NRC will coordinate with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to monitor DOE disposal actions to assess DOE compliance with the 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C performance objectives. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21290873
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-09-WM-07286; TRN: US10V0199038284
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'07: 2007 Waste Management Symposium - Global Accomplishments in Environmental and Radioactive Waste Management: Education and Opportunity for the Next Generation of Waste Management Professionals, Tucson, AZ (United States), 25 Feb - 1 Mar 2007; Other Information: Country of input: France; 12 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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