Application of exemption principles to low-level waste disposal and recycle of wastes from nuclear facilities

Conference · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5229786

Kennedy, Jr, W E; Hemming, C R; O'Donnell, F R; Linsley, G S

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other international groups are considering exempting from regulatory control certain radiation sources and practices, initially under the general heading of de minimis. A significant fraction of the wastes from industry, research, medicine, and the nuclear fuel cycle are contaminated to such low levels that the associated risks to health are trivial. IAEA work has been conducted by Advisory Groups to establish principles for exemption, and to apply the principles to various areas of waste management. In the second area, the main objectives have been to illustrate a methodology for developing practical radiological criteria through the application of the IAEA preliminary exemption principles, to establish generic criteria, and to determine the practicability of the preliminary exemption principles. The method used relies on a modeling assessment of the potential radiation exposure pathways and scenarios for individuals and population groups following the unrestricted release of materials. This paper describes the IAEA's assessment methodology and presents the generic results expressed in terms of the limiting activity concentration in municipal waste and in low-activity materials for recycle and reuse. 2 refs., 2 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5229786
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-14711; CONF-880404-16; ON: DE88008190
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DOSE EQUIVALENTS
DOSE LIMITS
EVALUATION
EXCEPTIONS
GROUND DISPOSAL
IAEA
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
LAWS
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
OXIDATION
PERMIT APPLICATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RECYCLING
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY STANDARDS
SANITARY LANDFILLS
STANDARDS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL ACTS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES