Management of defense beta-gamma contaminated solid low-level wastes

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5533638

Sease, J D

In DOE defense operations, approx. 70,000 m/sup 3/ of beta-gamma low-level radioactive waste are disposed of annually by shallow land burial operations at six primary sites. Waste generated at other DOE sites are transported on public roads to the primary sites for disposal. In the practice of low-level waste (LLW) disposal in the US, the site hydrology and geology are the primary barriers to radioactive migration. To date, little emphasis has been placed on waste form improvements or engineered site modifications to reduce migration potential. Compaction is the most common treatment step employed. The performance of ground disposal of radioactive waste in this country, in spite of many practices that we would consider unacceptable in today's light, has resulted in very little migration of radioactivity outside site boundaries. Most problems with previously used burial grounds have been from subsidence at the arid sites and subsidence and groundwater contact at the humid sites. The radionuclides that have shown the most significant migration are tritium, /sup 90/Sr, and /sup 99/Tc. The unit cost for disposal operations at a given DOE site is dependent on many variables, but the annual volume to be disposed is probably the major factor. The average cost for current DOE burial operation is approximately $170/m/sup 3/. 23 figures.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5533638
• Report Number(s): CONF-8311105-3; ON: DE84003391
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMPACTING
COST
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES