ML19209B325
| ML19209B325 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | University of Illinois, 05000356 |
| Issue date: | 08/10/1979 |
| From: | James Keppler NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | Miley G ILLINOIS, UNIV. OF, URBANA, IL |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7910090507 | |
| Download: ML19209B325 (1) | |
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Docket No. 50-151 Docket No. 50-356 University of Illinois ATTN:
Dr. George H. Miley Chairman Nuclear Engineering Executive Committee 216 Nuclear Engineering Laboratory Urbana, IL 61801 Gentlemen:
Enclosed is IE Bulletin No. 79-19, which requires action by you with regard to your reactor facilities with an operating license.
Should you have any questions regarding this Bulletin or the actions required of you, please contact this office.
Sincerely, 0%
ames G. Keppler Director
Enclosures:
1.
List of Bulletins Issued in Last Six Months cc w/ enc 1:
Central Files Director, NRR/DPM Director, NRR/ DOR PDR Local PDR NSIC TIC 1112
!83 7010000707
s.
Accession No:
7908070515 SSINS No:
6820 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMISSION OFFICE OF INSFECTION AND ENFORCEMENT q
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WASHINGTON, D.C.
20555 August 10, 1979 IE Bulletin No. 79-19 PACKAGING OF LOW-LEEEL RADI0 ACTIVE WASTE FOR TRANSPORT AND BURIAL Description of Ci.cumstances:
Low-level radioactive waste is that waste which can be tran,sferred and shipped to one of three waste burial facilities which are located in and licensed by the Agreement States of Nevada, South Carolina, and Washington.
On July 10, 1979, the Governors of the three states notified NRC Chairman Hen,drie of the serious and repeated disregard for rules governing the shipments of low-level radioactive wastes to these burial facilities.
Examples of violations of Agreement State, DOT and NRC rules follow:
Improperly packaged uranium fines igniting packaged liquid scintillation vials in combustible waste is believed to have caused a tire and destruction cf a truck at the Beatty, Nevada burial facility on May 14, 1979.
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On July 2, 1979, three of twelve steel containers ehipped to the Beatty burial facility were found to be Icsking radioactive material. The material was described on the bill of lading as being a solid inorganic salt (evaporator concentrates solidified with urea formaldehyde) from a reactor facility. The Governor of the State of Nevada ordered the drums to be shipped out of the state and the burial facility was temporarily closed.
On July 30, the first shipment into the reopened Beatty facility contained free liquid in " solid" material. The radioactive contents were sand filters used at an insitu leaching process at a uranium mill.
Forty-three shipments with sixty-three deficiencies were observed during the package inspection program between April 10 and July 5,1979, by the Agreement State of South Carolina, at the Barnwell, S.C. burial facility. The shipments were from reactor, medical, industrial and military facilities.
On June 28, 1979, the Federal Highway Administration issued a Notice of Violation to a reactor facility proposing a $10,000 fine for truck contamina-tion resulting from improptr closures on 55-allon druce of LSA material and for improper loading of the drums on hm. i ZFLICATE D?n:S '
These are a few examples of shipment facilities which did not fully meet :
Intire docurent previously entered which were developed to protect the; nee syster
_2 der.
Governors of the three States w! h I that if the situation is not rectifi h
M An would deny use of the three burial s f,
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