Current issues in the management of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes from Ontario Hydro's CANDU reactors

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States)

OSTI ID:6945377

Krasznai, J P; Vaughan, B R; Williamson, A S

Nuclear generating stations (NGSs) in Canada are operated by utilities in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Ontario Hydro, with a committed nuclear program of 13,600 MW(electric) is the major producer of CANDU pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes. All radioactive wastes with the exception of irradiated fuel are processed and retrievably stored at a centralized facility at the Bruce Nuclear Power Development site. Solid-waste classifications and annual production levels are given. Solid-waste management practices at the site as well as the physical, chemical, and radiochemical characteristics of the wastes are well documented. The paper summarizes types, current inventory, and estimated annual production rate of liquid waste. Operation of the tritium recovery facility at Darlington NGS, which removes tritium from heavy water and produces tritium gas in the process, gives rise to secondary streams of tritiated solid and liquid wastes, which will receive special treatment and packaging. In addition to the treatment of radioactive liquid wastes, there are a number of other important issues in low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste management that Ontario Hydro will be addressing over the next few years. The most pressing of these is the reduction of radioactive wastes through in-station material control, employee awareness, and improved waste characterization and segregation programs. Since Ontario Hydro intends to store retrievable wastes for > 50 yr, it is necessary to determine the behavior of wastes under long-term storage conditions.

• OSTI ID: 6945377
• Report Number(s): CONF-901101--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society; (United States) Journal Volume: 62
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052000* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Management
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210400 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Otherwise Moderated or Unmoderated
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220502 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Environmental Aspects-- Radioactive Effluents
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CANDU TYPE REACTORS
CARBON 14
CARBON ISOTOPES
CLEANING
DECONTAMINATION
ENERGY SOURCES
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FUELS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEAVY WATER MODERATED REACTORS
INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MINIMIZATION
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PACKAGING
PRESSURE TUBE REACTORS
PROCESSING
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOISOTOPES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SPENT FUELS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
TRITIUM RECOVERY
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES