Regulatory Issues for Deep Borehole Plutonium Disposition
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
As a result of recent changes throughout the world, a substantial inventory of excess separated plutonium is expected to result from dismantlement of US nuclear weapons. The safe and secure management and eventual disposition of this plutonium, and of a similar inventory in Russia, is a high priority. A variety of options (both interim and permanent) are under consideration to manage this material. The permanent solutions can be categorized into two broad groups: direct disposal and utilization. The deep borehole disposition concept involves placing excess plutonium deep into old stable rock formations with little free water present. Issues of concern include the regulatory, statutory and policy status of such a facility, the availability of sites with desirable characteristics and the technologies required for drilling deep holes, characterizing them, emplacing excess plutonium and sealing the holes. This white paper discusses the regulatory issues. Regulatory issues concerning construction, operation and decommissioning of the surface facility do not appear to be controversial, with existing regulations providing adequate coverage. It is in the areas of siting, licensing and long-term environmental protection that current regulations may be inappropriate. This is because many current regulations are by intent or by default specific to waste forms, facilities or missions significantly different from deep borehole disposition of excess weapons usable fissile material. It is expected that custom regulations can be evolved in the context of this mission.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 86953
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-JC--120593; CONF-9503166--1; ON: DE95014161
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
BOREHOLES
CONTAMINATION REGULATIONS
CRITICALITY
High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW)
High-Level Waste (HLW)
LICENSING REGULATIONS
Low-Level Waste (LLW)
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS DISMANTLEMENT
Nuclear Criticality Safety Program (NCSP)
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SAFETY ENGINEERING
SEALS
SITE SELECTION
Spent Nuclear Reactor Fuel (SNF)
Transuranic Waste (TRU)
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
USA
WASTE FORMS
WELL DRILLING
Weapons-Usable Fissile Materials