ML19247B894

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Forwards IE Bulletin 79-19, Packaging of Low Level Radioactive Waste for Transport & Burial. Action Required
ML19247B894
Person / Time
Site: Rancho Seco
Issue date: 08/10/1979
From: Engelken R
NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION V)
To: Mattimoe J
SACRAMENTO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT
References
NUDOCS 7908170040
Download: ML19247B894 (1)


Text

pH R E g UNITED STATES 4

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[*)7.gg['g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION V

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4 1990 N. C AllFORNI A BOULEVARD

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SUITE 202, WALNUT CRE EK PLAZA N./,g WALNUT CREEK CALIFORNI A 9459G 4,,,*

August 10, 1979 s

Docket tio. 50-312 Sacramento flunicipal Utility District P. O. Box 15830 Sacramento, Calife-nia 95813 Attention: Mr. John J. Mattimoe Assistant General Manager Gentlemen:

Enclosed is IE Bulletin No. 79-19 which requires action by you with regard to your reactor facility (ies) with an operating license.

Should you have questions regarding this Bulletin or the actions required of you, please contact tnis office.

Sincerely, i,a j[/dd,24,,u=

,v[+ R. H. Engelken Director

Enclosures:

1.

IE Bulletin No. 79-19 2.

List of Bulletins Issued in Last Six Months cc w/ enclosures:

R. J. Rodriguez, SMUD L. G. Schwieger, SMUD N

i 0081700IO

Accession t;o: 7908070515 SSIrlS t;o:

6820 Ut11TED STATES tlUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSI0tl 0FFICE OF ItiSPECTION Arid EriFORCEriEt!T WASHIt:GTON, D.C.

20555 August 10, 1979 IE Bulletin flo. 79-19 PACKAGIrlG OF LOW-LEVEL RADI0 ACTIVE WASTE FOR TRAtiSPORT AtlD BURIAL Description of Circunstances:

Low-level radioactive waste is that waste which can be transferred and shipped to one of three waste burial facilities which are located in and licensed by the Agreement States of tievada, South Carolina, and Washington. On July 10, 1979, the Governors of the three states notified NRC Chairnan Hendrie of the serious and repeated disrecard for rules coverning the shipnents of low-level radioactive wastes to these burial facilities.

Examples of violations of Agreement State, DOT and flRC rules follow:

Improperly packaged uranium fines igniting packaged liquid scintillation vials in combustible waste is believed to have caused a fire and destruction of a truck at the Beatty, fievada burial facility on May 14, 1979.

On July 2,1979, three of twelve steel containers shipped to the Beatty burial facility were found to be leaking radioactive material.

The mater.al was described on the bill of lading as beit.g a solid inoraanic salt (evaporator concentrates solidified with urea formaldehyde) from a reactor facility.

The Governor of the State of tievada 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 prograol 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 riotice of Violation to a reactor facility proposin Q,10 000 fi,ne for truc,k contamina-4 tion resulting from improper closur&_.

for improper loading of the drums or iDUPLICATE DOCUMENT U

620230 These are a few examples of shipmen E:1 Entire document previously entered facilities which did not fully meet into system under:

which were developed to protect the 4

Governors of the three States with ANO W O [h 2 d h / h that if the situation is not rectif-E-

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would deny use of the three burial -

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