A review of geoscience characteristics and disposal experience at the commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal facility near West Valley, New York
The West Valley Commercial Low-Level Radioactive Waste disposal site is located about 48 km south of Buffalo, New York. Operation of the site began in 1961 by Nuclear Fuels Service and was terminated in 1975. The disposal trenches at the site are excavated about 5 m into glacial till that has a thickness of about 28 m. About 65,000 m{sup 3} of the waste containing approximately 710,000 Ci were disposed at the site during the operational period. Ground-water movement through the till is predominantly downward as indicated by measurements and numerical simulation of hydraulic head. Radionuclides do not appear to have migrated more than 3 m either laterally or vertically from the waste disposal trenches. Numerical simulations of {sup 3}H, {sup 90}Sr, and {sup 14}C migration are able to reproduce the observed concentration in the till beneath selected trenches. Uncertainty remains with respect to the continuity and heterogeneity of the hydrostratigraphic units and the spatial distribution of hydraulic conductivity and effective porosity. More work is needed to better define the waste inventory and any long-term changes that might be expected. Erosion poses a potential threat to the long-term integrity of the disposal area. 56 refs., 19 figs., 9 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (USA). Div. of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning; Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USNRC
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5534549
- Report Number(s):
- NUREG/CR-5431; PNL-6970; ON: TI89017596; TRN: 89-025896
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
FLOW RATE
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
GROUND DISPOSAL
WEST VALLEY PROCESSING PLANT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
CARBON 14
DECOMMISSIONING
EROSION
EVALUATION
GROUND WATER
NEW YORK
POROSITY
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
STRONTIUM 90
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ALKALINE EARTH ISOTOPES
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
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EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FEDERAL REGION II
FUEL REPROCESSING PLANTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
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INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
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LIGHT NUCLEI
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MASS TRANSFER
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NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
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ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
SIMULATION
STRONTIUM ISOTOPES
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
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YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
053000 - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects