Information Notice 1979-21, Transportation & Commercial Burial of Radioactive Material

Transportation & Commercial Burial of Radioactive Material

ML031180165
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/07/1979
From:	NRC/IE
To:
References
IN-79-021, NUDOCS 7908220108
Download: ML031180165 (4)

Accession No: 7908220108 SSINS: 6870

UNITED STATES

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555 September 7, 1979 IE Information Notice No. 79-21 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMERCIAL BURIAL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

On July 10, 1979, the Governors of the Agreement States of Nevada, South Carolina, and Washington notified NRC Chairman Hendrie of the serious and repeated disregard

for the rules governing the shipments of low-level radioactive wastes to their

burial facilities. The problems causing the Governors' concern may be summarized

as contaminated packages; improper loading of packages which results in unneces- sary radiation exposure; packages containing liquids when liquids or free-standing

water are not authorized to be buried; leaking packages; improper labeling of

packages; and improper paperwork for shipments.

Recently, you should have received either IE Bulletin No. 79-19 or 79-20 on this

subject. The enclosures to this Notice provide information regarding the reg- ulatory requirements for the packaging, transportation and disposal of radioactive

material. The requirements for packaging and transport referenced herein are

applicable to shipments of all radioactive material.

The enclosed summary of radioactive waste burial criteria defines the current

burial-site license and State requirements on waste form and packaging. A

summary of the requirements for transportation is in the enclosed DOT publication,

"A Review of the DOT Regulations for Transportation of Radioactive Materials."

The enclosures are intended only as a convenient reference; they are neither a

substitute for the actual regulations nor'a copy of the burial site license or

other burial site documents. The DOT regulatory requirements can be found in

49 CFR Parts 170-179 (Oct. 1, 1977). The NRC requirements are in 10 CFR Part 71.

To conduct your waste disposal operations properly you must comply with NRC and

DOT requirements for packaging and transportation, and the waste packaged for

eventual disposal at any of the three operating waste-burial sites must be in a

form authorized in the particular burial-site license and State requirements. To

assure that the latter requirements are met, you should coordinate your waste

disposal activities with the waste collection companies and/or the waste burial

site operators. The sites receiving wastes for burial are operated either by

the Nuclear Engineering Co., Inc. (502-426-7160), or Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc.

(206-827-0711).

Questions about licensing requirements for NRC packages can be addressed to the

NRC's Transportation Branch (301-427-4122). Questions about DOT packaging and

transport requirements can be addressed to the Materials Transportation Bureau

of DOT (202-426-2311). Questions about the IE Bulletins or this Information

Notice can be addressed to the appropriate NRC Regional Office listed in 10 CFR

Part 20, Appendix D.

.- - - .." - -

IE Information Notice No. 79-21 September 7, 1979 No written response to this Information Notice is required.

Enclosures:

1. Burial Criteria

2. DOT Publication

IE Information Notice No. 79-21 Enclosure #1 September 7, 1979 LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE BURIAL CRITERIA

AS OF JULY 11, 1979 WASTE FORM SITE

South Carolina1 Nevada 2 Wshg

1. Liquid scintillation f4uids

packed in 2x absorbent:

(a) vermiculite as Disposal not Disposal permitted Disposal permitted

absorbent permitted but specific but specific

approval required approval required

(b) diatomaceous earth as Not permitted Permitted Permittid

absorbent- (c) other absorbents (not Not permitted Specific approval Specific approval

rags, tissue etc.) required required

2. Other liq~ids packed in 2x Not permitted Not Permitted Permitted, but

absorbent for immobilization no freestanding

liquid

3. Unpackaged bulk solids (e.g. Permitted but Permitted but Not Permiitted

ores, rubble) specific approval specific approval

required required

4. Solidification media:

(a) cement, urea for for- Permitted for Permitted Permit.ed

maldehyde, Dow media, aqueous wastes

Delaware custom

(b) other Not permitted Permitted Permitted

5. Radiological hazard greater Permitted Permitted Permitted

than chemical unless spe- cifically approved

6. Pyrophoric material Not permitted Not permitted Not perkitted

unless specif- unless specif- ically approved ically approved

2 Barnwell, S.C., operated by Chem-Nuclear.

Beatty, B Nevada, operated by NECO.

Hanford, Washington, operated by NECO.

H

Liquids alternated with layers of absorbent form the most effective packaging

(2x absorbent for liquid present or likely to be formed in transit).

-i

ZE Information Notice No. 79-21 Enclosure #1 September 7, 1979 LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE BURIAL CRITERIA

AS OF JULY 11, 1979

-Continued- I

WASTE FORM SITE

South Carolina1 Nevada2 Washlngten 3

7. Biological wastes. (e.g., Permitted, but Permitted Permitted

carcasses) packed in 4 rock salt to pre- equivalent to 2x absorbent serve is preferred.

8. Oil Content No more than 1% No specification No specification

by volume.

9. Dewatered resins Permitted Permitted Permitted

10. Evaporator bottoms Must be solidi- Must be a solid Must be:a solid

fied with agents

in #4.

11. KE 85 and Xe 133 Permitted in DOT Permitted in DOT Permitted in DOT

pkg, 1.5 atm, pkg, 1 atm, 100 pkg, 1.5 atm, -

100 Ci/pkg. Ci/pkg, 1000 Ci Ci/pkg..

in special pkg.

12. Curie content per package for Special if > Special if > Special !handling

radiation control and hand- 2500 Ci. 1600 Ci for for lar'e

ling. dispersed or if quantities.

> 50 Ci for

sealed sources.

13. Transuranics greater than 10 Not permitted Not permitted Permittqd

nanocuries/gram

14. SNM package content Special if > 350 g U-235 or 100 g U-232 or

50 g. 200 g U-233 or 60 g U-233 or

ratio < 1. Pu or r4lo <5iL;.

c5leg/ft & . ',

15. DOT containers as received Permitted Permitted except Permitted

at the site fiberboard or

cardboard or similar

materials

16. Liners removed from DOT Permitted Permitted Permitted

shipping containers