Risk-based waste clearance concept for the D&D program
- Argonne National Laboratory, IL (United States)
Large amounts of radioactively contaminated wastes are expected to result from decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) activities at nuclear facilities. Many of the waste materials, such as concrete rubble and scrap metals, are only slightly contaminated and can be recycled to minimize waste streams, resulting in substantial savings from reducing conventional waste disposal costs and recovering the values of the raw materials. For instance, a recent projection indicates that recycling an estimated 30 million tonnes of radioactive scrap metal (RSM) worldwide, having a corresponding recoverable value of about $10 billion to $20 billion, would avoid an estimated $5 billion in disposal costs. As an average heuristic, waste disposition constitutes {approximately}50% of total D&D costs. There is thus a strong incentive to minimize the waste from D&D activities. In the United States, no specific standards have been developed for the unrestricted release of bulk contaminated materials, although standards for the unrestricted release of radioactive surface contamination have existed for {approx}20 yr. Materials are not commonly released because of the lack of risk-based justifications. Recent guidance from international bodies has established a basis for deriving risk-based release limits for radioactive materials. It is important, therefore, to evaluate the feasibility of recycling, because if it is feasible, risk-based release limits for the reusable materials will need to be established.
- OSTI ID:
- 426603
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961103--
- Journal Information:
- Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 75; ISSN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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