Characterization of Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Interim Report (2001) / Chapter Skim
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2 Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste
2 Remote-Handled Transuranic Waste
Pages 9-17
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From page 9... ...
Therefore, gamma rays represent the main radiological health hazard for workers handling RH-TRU waste. Although alpha-radiation exposure has a greater health risk per unit energy deposited dose, the likelihood that workers will be exposed to alpha radiation is smaller compared to the likelihood for exposure to gamma radiation, because of the smaller penetration power for alpha radiation.2 Therefore, RH-TRU waste should not be handled directly by workers and requires heavy container shielding ancl/or remote-handling equipment.
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From page 10... ...
These data show that there is substantial variability among generator sites concerning waste volumes and radioactivity contents. Table ~ shows the RH-TRU waste inventory of retrievable stored waste, newly generated waste, and planned volumes of waste to be shipped to WIPP.
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From page 11... ...
For example, DOE's data for the Savannah River Site (SRS) , in South Carolina, originally indicated a large RH-TRU waste inventory, reflecting disposal of materials stored in the separations canyons as TRU waste.
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From page 12... ...
To meet the milestones set in the Federal Facility Compliance Act between DOE and the State of Tennessee, ORNE decided to move forward with the characterization facility to treat or re-package its RH-TRU waste and characterize it at the same time according to the same criteria set forth for CH-TRU waste characterization (EPA, 1992~. Before treatment, homogeneous samples of wet sludge will be characterized by radiochemical assays performed in a laboratory on-site.
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From page 13... ...
In the National Transuranic Waste Management Program DOE writes about retrievably stored waste: "Waste that has already been generated must undergo extensive characterization to meet the requirements of the WIPP Waste Analysis Plan to meet certification requirements for disposal (for instance, nondestructive examination, RCRA constituent sampling, analysis of homogeneous waste, and visual examination)
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From page 14... ...
, DOE calculated the total activity of the RH-TRU waste inventory (from reirievably stored waste and newly generated waste) to be approximately one million curies (DOE-CAO, 1996~.
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From page 15... ...
Exposure pathways for workers under accident conditions include direct exposure to external penetrating radiation and inhalation of airborne particulates and gases due to accidents related to mechanical or thermal insults of waste containers (Restrepo and Millard, 2001~. Because of the high surface dose rates, all of the handling operations involving RH-TRU waste are performed in hot cells, where available, and/or by remote-handling equipment.
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From page 16... ...
BCL developed its own RH-TRU waste characterization plan, which involves visual examination of the waste during re-packaging. The repackaging step, which occurs in a hot cell, is necessary because the current RH-TRU waste containers do not meet transportation requirements.
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From page 17... ...
The cost of $3,800 per container includes retrieval from storage, radiography, non-destructive assays, headspace gas analyses, visual examination, gas generation testing, data validation, data package preparation, container certification, and WIPP data verification. Data do not include costs for treatment, storage, or loading transuranic waste in transportation casks.
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