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Regulated under the Atomic Energy Act ◦ Low concentrations of source, byproduct and special nuclear material ◦ Accelerator produced material ◦ Generally exempted materials, products & devices (e.g. smoke detectors, luminous dials, etc.) Not Regulated under the Atomic Energy Act ◦ Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) except radium & certain other discrete sources ◦ Technologically-enhanced NORM (TENORM) ◦ Pre-UMTRCA uranium and thorium ore processing waste (FUSRAP)
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Waste Specific: NRC Decommissioning Plan approval NRC General Exemption NRC/Agreement State license condition/amendment NRC/Agreement State approval letter NRC/Agreement State specific exemption* Disposal Facility-Specific: State law or regulation RCRA permit condition/amendment *Policy Note: A 10 CFR 20.2002 alternate disposal authorization is not an exemption. However, NRC policy is to issue an exemption concurrently.
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Select RCRA Subtitle-C Sites are viable options for LARW Characteristics similar to Part 61 LLRW sites (‘hybrid’ sites) ◦ Remote location with limited population ◦ Meet performance assessment criteria ◦ Desert environment with low annual rainfall ◦ Deep depth to groundwater Not all RCRA sites meet these criteria
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RCRA Hazardous Waste Cell Design
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Site-specific radiological performance assessment (RESRAD) Operating Procedures Emergency Response Plan Rad Training, Occupational Monitoring, and Personnel Dosimetry Environmental Monitoring Closure/Post-closure Financial Assurance
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“Hybrid” RCRA Site: Grand View, ID (US Ecology) Avg 700,000 tons disposed over last 5 years Avg 700,000 tons disposed over last 5 years ~50% radioactive material ~50% radioactive material Majority FUSRAP & EPA CERCLA waste Majority FUSRAP & EPA CERCLA waste NRC/AS exempt waste volumes increasing NRC/AS exempt waste volumes increasing
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Generator Requests Alternate Disposal Authorization & Exemption NRC/AS Conducts Technical Review USE Submits Safety Assessment to ID IDEQ Reviews Requests More Info Concurs Rejects NRC/AS Approves Rejects
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General: NORM up to 1,500 pCi/g Source material <0.05% by weight Accelerator produced material <10 mrem/hr Generally exempt items & devices With Specific Exemption: Source, Byproduct & SNM <3,000 pCi/g, and NRC/Agreement State exemption based on “less than a few millirem” projected dose per Safety Analysis
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Andrews, TX Site Robstown, TX Site
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All NORM isotopes except radium <150 pCi/gm or less Radium <30 pCi/g Uranium & thorium <0.05% by weight Exempt byproduct material with state approval Specific Licensed Material: “300-day rule” Mixed hazardous & radioactive material acceptable * Applies to both Andrews (WCS) & Robstown (US Ecology) sites
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Permittee evaluates waste per TAC Rejects Submits concurrence request to TCEQ: Reference applicable exemption rule Physical description- composition, weight, etc. Isotope concentrations Generator & waste location Must be exempt in state of origin TCEQ Reviews Rejects Requests information TCEQ Issues Written Concurrence For Disposal
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Safety Light Corporation, Bloomsburg PA NRC/PADEP licensed, EPA Superfund Site Cleanup conducted by USACE ~1,600 cy of soil & debris 50 pCi/g 137 Cs, 180 pCi/g 90 Sr, 50 pCi/g 226 Ra PADEP exemption granted in Nov 2008 Shipments made via IMC to ID RCRA Site
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BASF (Former Englehard Chemical Co.), Plainville, MA Formerly licensed by AEA (term. in 1963) 123 tons of Natural, Depleted, and Low Enriched Uranium (~4%) Approval letter granted by MDPH (Feb 2010) Idaho concurrence Disposed at Idaho RCRA site
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PG&E, Humboldt Bay NPP Undergoing decommissioning ~200,000 ft 3 of soil & debris from Units 1&2 5 pCi/g 137 Cs, 5 pCi/g 60 Co, 1 pCi/g 14 C, more NRC issued EA with FONSI and exemption in Nov 2010 Shipments ongoing to ID RCRA Site
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Former Molycorp source material processing operation in Washington, PA: NRC licensed ~100,000 cy of soil and slag from production of ferro-alloys (Nb amd Mo) 232 Th ~50 pCi/g, 238 U ~15 pCi/g, 226 Ra ~5 pCi/g Classified as unimportant quantity of source material (<.05% by weight) Disposed at Idaho RCRA site
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“The Committee should work with the staff to consider and provide advice on what NRC can do to assist in providing greater disposal options for low-level radioactive waste, e.g. use of appropriate Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C hazardous waste facilities.” U.S. NRC Staff Requirements Memo - 1/16/07
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