IR 05000327/1980033
| ML19343A786 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 02700047, Sequoyah |
| Issue date: | 10/14/1980 |
| From: | Macarthur T, Potter J, Jonathon Puckett NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION II) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19343A785 | List: |
| References | |
| 50-327-80-33, 50-328-80-18, NUDOCS 8011210415 | |
| Download: ML19343A786 (5) | |
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g ng,b([ny NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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REGION 11 oWAq 101 MARIETTA sT N.W., SUITE 2100
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303
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Special Report: WASTE PACKAGING INSPECTIONS OF LICENSEE-SHIPPERS REPORT NOS.
50-327/80-33 AND 50-328/80-18 Reference:
TI 2840/1, (Rev. 1), " Waste Packaging Inspections", 10/10/79 Licensee-Shipper:
Tennessee Valley Authority 500A Chestnut Street Chattanooga, TN 37401 Docket No. 50-327/328 Disposal Site:
Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc.
P. O. Box 726, Barnwell, South Carolina 29812 I?ocket No. 15000039 Inspectors: EC )')or [4.; M%
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T. C. MacArthur, Radiation Specialist, Date Signed FF&MS Section, FF&MS Branch
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.. M. Puckett, ddlaEion'Speciafist, Radiation J
Da e S: ned Sa ty ec on IFMS Branch Approved by:
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Potter, Chief, FF&MS Section, FF&MS Branch Dte[igned SUMMARY Inspection Dates: August 11, 1980 visit to Chem-Nuclear Waste disposal sitt, Barnwell, South Carolina for unannounced inspections of licensee-shippers, and an August 25, 1980 visit to Sequoyah Nuclear Power Station to inspect radioactive waste shipping and solidification procedures.
Areas Reviewed: Each licensee-shipper vehicle at Barnwell, SC was inspected for compliance with Department of Transportation (DOT) and Nuclear Regulatory Commis-sion (NRC) regulations as follo'ts:
(1) shipping paper requirements; (2) DOT Placarding requirements; (3) radiation levels; (4) removable contamination; (5)
DOT marking and labeling requirements for packages;- (6) DOT and NRC requirements for external package features, and (7) prohibited articles or contents. The inspection at _Sequoyah NPS consists.of a reviet; of shipping documents and proce-dures for vendor supplied solidification equipment, following discovery of liquid in a radioactive waste shipment at Barnwell, SC.
Results: Of the several areas inspected no items of noncompliance was identified.
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DETAILS I
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< Persons Contacted R. Sappington, South Carolina, DHECJ
. W. H,use,; South' Carolina, DHEC
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J. Purvis, CNSI.
NRC-Representative T. C. MacArthur'
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General The Nau inspection consisted of a review of the shipping papers, radiation survey of-the vehicle, contamination surveys and radiation level surveys of selected packages. General _ surveys'and observations were conducted to deter-mine -if the vehicle had proper placards, proper seals, and if any obvious safety-hazards existed. The contents of the vehicles were inspected for appropriate marking, labeling, tightness of seals, integrity of package Econstruction or any evidence of leakage.
Chem-Nuclear. assigns a control number for each shipment upon arrival at the site. These numbers were called " shipment survey report numbers" (SSR No.)
and were' used by the inspectors to identify licensee-shippers during this
~ inspection.
3.
Shipments Inspected Onei sbipment of four cylinders of evaporator bottoms transported by Daily
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Express, al'lothent #0880-563-E, SSR #021825, received at the Chem-Nuclear burial. site at Barnwell, South Carolina on August 7,1980, designated "Na B0 solidified in UF" was iound'to have 6" to 12" of liquid in each cylinder.
49 CFR 172.203(d)(ii) requires the physical and chemical form of thm material to be properly specified. This coitdition was not met, however, subsequent measurements by the licensee and the. burial site operator determined that the contents.of the shipment had decayed to an exempt concentration (<0.002
.pCi/gm) prior to shipment, therefore no item of noncompliance was identified.
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Shipping _ Papers The shipping papers were~ reviewed for completeness and to ascertain if the contents of the shipment were properly identified, and if emergency notifi-cation -procedures and instructions were included as required uader 49 CFR 172, Subpart C.
Specific requirements for shipping papers were reviewed as-follows:
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-2-Material shipping name 49 CFR 172.100/172.200/172.202
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Material class 49 CFR 172.200/172.202
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Name sequence
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49 CFR 172.200/172.202
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Total quantity (volume)
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49 CFR 172.200/172.202 Limited quantity 49 CFR 172.200/172.203
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Name of each radionuclide 49 CFR 172.203
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Physical and chemical form 49 CFR 172.203
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Activity in curies
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49 CFR 172.203 Category or label
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49 CFR 172.203 Notation of NRC/ERDA package approval 49 CFR 172.203
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Proper certification 49 CFR 172.204
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In addition to the above, 49 CFR 177.817 requires carriers to maintain the above shipping papers readily available for inspection and recognizable by authorities in case of an accident.
No items of noncompliance were idct.tified.
5.
Loading and Placarding Each vehicle was inspected for conformance with DOT placarding requirements (49 CFR 172, Subpart F and 49 CFR 173.392). The vehicles were also inspected for compliance with the following:
i cimum transportation index of 50 - (49 CFR 177.842)
Loaded so as to avoid spillage (49 CFR 177.842)
Properly blocked and braced (49 CFR 173.392/177.842)
LSA vehicle survey (49 CFR 177.843)
No items of noncompliance were identified.
6.
Maximum Radiation Levels Each truck was surv 'yed for maximum radiation levels in the normally occupied portions of the vehicle, in a plane at the edge of the flat bed or at the surface of the clased vehicles, in a vertical plane six feet from the sxdes
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of the vehicle where possible, and on the surface of a representative package. Shipping casks were surveyed at the surface.
No levels were in noncompliance with 49 CFR 173.393 limits.
7.
Packaging
- representative sampling of packages from each shipment was examined for conformance with DOT marking and labeling requirements. External features of the packages were examined for conformance with DOT and NRC requirments as noted below:
Low specific activity (LSA) packaging
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49 CFR 173.392 Tight packages - ltd. Qty.,
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49 CFR 173.391 or 173.392 No release of material; 49 CFR 173.392/173.393
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Radioactive material markings 49 CFR 172.310
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i-Security seals
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49.CFR 173.393 Gross weight requirements
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49 CFR 172.310 Prcper shipping name 49 CFR 172.100/172.300
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LSA labeling 49 CFR 173.392
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Cask design specifications 49 CFR 173.393a
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- DETAILS II 1.
Persons Contacted-
- J. M. Ballentine, Plant Superintendent (SNP)
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- R. Kitts, H.P.~ Supervisor (SNP)
- W. Kensey, Res: tits-Supervisor
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NRC Representatives
- *J._M. Puckett, Radiation Specialist
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- W. Cottle, Senior Resident Inspection
- Present at exit interview 2.
General The inspection consisted of a review of the shipping papers for TVA shipment designated as allotment #0880-563-E, SSR #021825, Sequoyah Plant procedures for radioactive material shipment, and a surveillance of the vendor supplied UF solidification process equipment.
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3.
Determination of requirements for shipment as radioactive material:
The licensee's isotopic analysis of the liquid that was solidified revealed a total radioactivity concentration of 3.67X10 5 pCi/ml.
The burial site operator analysis of the water detected in the shipping liner was less than 2.5X10 6 pCi/ml. 49 CFR 173.389(e) defines' radioactive materials for transportation purposes to be in excess of.002 pCi/gm and therefore the contents were not subject to-NRC jurisdiction under 10 CFR 71.5.
For the above reasons and the concommitant. observation that no threat e::isted to the public health and safety due to the low levels of activity,.
it was determined by the inspector that noncompliance did not exist.
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However, due to the potential problems which could arise in future shipments,.
the licensee. has voluntarily stopped shipping solidified liquid waste - to the burial ~ site until such time as an evaluation of the causes of this occurrence has been made and' appropriate corrective actions have been taken..The plant manager committed to the inspector at-the exit interview on August 25, 1980, that the NRC Region II office would be informed of the measures taken prior to any further similar shipments of waste.
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