Improving Operations and Long-Term Safety of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Interim Report (2000) / Chapter Skim
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Transuranic Waste Management Program
Transuranic Waste Management Program
Pages 13-26
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From page 13... ...
That is, some waste characterization specifications have no basis in law, the safe conduct of operations to emplace waste in WIPP, or ~ong-term performance requirements.7 The National TRU Program waste characterization procedures involve significant resources (e.g., expenditures of several billion dollars) and potential for exposure of workers to racliation and other hazards.
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From page 14... ...
Rationale: The National TRU Program has developed waste restrictions, as described in the waste acceptance criteria (DOE, 1996a 19996) , and requirements for waste generating sites presented in the quality assurance program plan (DOE, 199Sb)
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From page 15... ...
: Determination that the TRU waste is of defense origin. WIPP is limited to defense-related waste as stipulated in the Land Withdrawal Act, with defense activities defined in the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.
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From page 16... ...
The issue of how to handle conflict between regulatory requirements for waste characterization information and ALARA is beyond the scope of the committee's statement of task. At issue, however, is whether the present TRU waste management program results in significantly more worker radiation exposure than is justified to satisfy safely and nonnegotiable regulatory requirements.
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From page 17... ...
Rationale: The amount of TRU waste in each waste drum and truck shipment Is limited because of the potential for radiolytic generation of hydrogen gas (He. Within TRU waste, radiolytic hydrogen gas generation is due primarily to the co-disposal of alpha emitters with organic materials.
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From page 18... ...
determine whether or not a waste container may be transported to WIPP without repackaging. The gas generation model, and the wattage limits derived from it, specify the terms of operation that are contained in the DOE safely analysis report for the TRUPACT-~!
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From page 19... ...
998~.44 Another consequence of such volume expansions that should be considered is the impact on WIPP's volume limit.45 Therefore, the maximum allowable wattage imposed by the gas generation mode! is a major technical restriction of the National TRU Program.
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From page 20... ...
, the committee has identified two issues DOE's communication and notification system (TRANSCoM'7) and DOE's emergency response program~hat warrant immediate attention.
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From page 21... ...
However, rather than maintaining and upgrading a technically obsolete system, the committee believes that It WOUIU be more prudent for Cot to Implement a less expensive, higher-quality system using a currently available commercial communications product (for a summary of transportation communication initiatives using information technology, see Allen [1 998~. Careful screening of vendors is necessary to ensure that the desired system can perform to specification and be delivered on schedule and within budget.
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From page 22... ...
In the committee's view, a system to maintain up-to-date information on response capability would contribute significantly to the effectiveness of the transportation system. The WIPP emergency response program has not assessed sufficiently whether adequate and timely emergency response coverage for a transportation incident exists along the full extent of each WIPP route.
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From page 23... ...
Under normal conditions, the emergency response procedures would still be needed for traffic management and other necessary operations in accident-re~ated situations. DOE's emergency response program relies heavily on WIPP corridor states to conduct emergency responder training and develop response plans in the event of a transportation incident.
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From page 24... ...
Committee Perspective on National TRU Program Requirements A reasonable goal for the National TRU Program is to send DOE TRU waste to WIPP at a minimum risk (from all sources of risk, including radiological exposure and highway accidents) and cost.
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From page 25... ...
For example, the current National TRU Program has many procedures to control certain program elements. Over time, the most effective of such controls could be identified and retained.
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