IA-96-444, Provides Info Re Status of NRC Staff Activities on Sewer Reconcentration Issues.Informs Staff Evaluating Possible Alternatives to Current Requirements in 10CFR20 to Provide Adequate Control on Release of Radioactive Matl to Sewers
| ML20149J568 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/30/1994 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20147H302 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-96-444 NUDOCS 9501260371 | |
| Download: ML20149J568 (2) | |
Text
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.? " ' 3 UNITED STATES l 3* ai# NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20656
\*****/ December 30, 1994 MEMORANDUM T0: The Chairman Commissioner Rogers Commissioner de Plangu FROM: James M. Taylor C Executive Director for Op s
tions 4 Ih !
SUBJECT:
STATUS OF STAFF ACTIVITIES RELATED TO SEWER RECONCENTRATION ISSUES 1
l This memorandum provides information to the Commission on the status of staff !
activities related to sewer reconcentration issues. On February 25, 1994 the l NRC published in the Federal Reaister (59 FR 9146) an Advance notice of )
proposed rulemaking (ANPR) that addressed a number of issues associated with ,
the release of radioactive materials to sewers. The questions in the ANPR I addressed the approaches currently in place in 10 CFR Part 20 and whether i alternative approaches should be considered. About 75 comment letters were l received in response to this ANPR. j Coincident with publication of the ANPR, the staff contracted with Pacific Northwest Laboratories to evaluate mechanisms whereby radioactive material released in accordance with NRC regulations could reconcentrate in sewage sludge. The results of this research contract were recently published as ,
NUREG/CR-6289, " Reconcentration of Radioactive Material Released to Sanitary l Sewers in Accordance with 10 CFR Part 20." The report evaluated currently used treatment processes to assess the degree to which radioactive material reconcentrates in sewage sludge and determined that a number of factors influence the amount of reconcentration, such as the partitioning between the suspended solids and the aqueous phase, the concentration of suspended solids, and the system removal efficiency for these solids.
Currently, the staff is evaluating possible alternatives to the current requirements in Part 20 that would be capable of providing an adequate level of control on the release of radioactive material to sewers. An element of these alternatives is the availability of a model that would accurately characterize the movement of material in the wastewater trestment stream that could then be utilized in determining dose. The factors discussed above will need to be considered in modeling the potential dose to a member of the public from this pathway. A second element is the development of an appropriate model for continuous, or yearly inputs, to a sludge or ash disposal facility, in order to evaluate the consequences over time of various levels of input.
The staff is currently preparing a rulemaking plan in accordance with the recommendations of SECY-94-141, " Improvements of the Rulemaking Process." The staff will provide a paper addressing rulemaking options for Commission approval by March 30, 1995, identify possible alternatives to addressing the
Contact:
Cheryl A. Trottier, RES 415-6232 k N *S C ? D
- e The Commissioners 2 issues associated with release of radioactive material to sewers, and outline '.
the schedule for any technical support for model development that may be needed to exe e any proposed rulemaking.
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