ML19344E791

Discussion of Environ Effects of U Fuel Cycle

ML19344E791
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	09/30/1980
From:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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i DISCUSSION OF THE ENVIRONMEPCAL EFFECTS OF THE URANIUM FUEL CYCLE Related to Operatien of SECUOYAH NUCLEAR PALNT, UNITS 1 A'O 2 TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHOR:TY DOCKET NOS. 50-327 Atc 50-323 SEPTEMBER 1930 U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATCRY C;'.Y!S5!0N n-

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DISCUSSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE URANIUM FUEL CYCLE P. ELATED TO THE OPERATION OF SEQUOYAH NUCLEAR PLANT UNITS 1 AND 2 (DOCKET NOS. 50-327 AND 50-323)

n Octcber 1971, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) published its Draft Er.vir:nmental Statement on the construction and cperation cf the Sequoyah

..uclear Plant, Units 1 and 2, for review by Federal, State and other agencies, including the AEC (predecessor agency of the NRC) as a participating agency Lncer the " lead agency" agreement with TVA cated June 30, 1971.

' e :atailed review of the draft statement by the AEC regulatory staff revealed

nat it was essentially equivalent in content and depth of study to comparable statements prepared by the AEC for other plants cf similar design. The AEC regu'atory staff reviewed and commented in particular on those sections of the Sec;;yah Oraft Statement which dealt with matters involving its unique expertise

' -at'ological effects) and participated with the TVA staff in discussions of r.ese comments curing June and July of 1972. The TVA staff's indicated res;cnses i.ere satisfactory to the AEC regulatory staff (letter of July 3,1972), and TVA

r::eeded to prepare the Final Environmental Statement including comments and es::nses of all agencies.

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n Sectember 1973, TVA provided a " preliminary" Final Environmental Statement f:r e.iew by the AEC regulatory staff.

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.i 2-Dn the basis of these reviews, and the TVA res:enses to AEC regulatory staff comments, the AEC regulatory staff concludec that the proposed Final Envircr. mental

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5tatement by TVA met existing AEC and CEQ Guidelines, and with the addition of a :ropriate conditions to ensure the protection of the envircr.msnt, was adecuate.

TVA published the Final Environmental Statement in February 1974. Subsequent discussions between TVA and the AEC regulatory staff satisfactor.ly resolved the -

wcrding of the conditions deemed necessary to Orctect the environment. The AEC regulatory staff, nerefore, adepted the Final Environmental Statement as modified

y these agreements.

n accordance with CEQ guidelines regarding " lead-agency" conce;;s, the AEC egulatory staff prepared an independent weighing of the benefits and costs related

environmental, ecencaic and c.ner matters pertaining to the construction and

eration of the Secuoych Nuclear Plant by t.*.e T!A.

Su:plemental testiner.y was

resented by the AEC regulatory staff to detail :nis independent censicerati:n

.-ing hearings bef:re an A:cmic Licensing a.a.d Safety Scard ( ASLI) held in

hattanooga, Tennessee on July 30 and 31, 1974

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During the course of those ASLB hearings, testinony was presented regarding

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Table S-3 en the environmental effects of the uranium fuel cycle (79FR14118).

The AEC regulatory staff in its testimony concluced that consideration of these 7

environmental effects will not alter the AEC regulatory staff's conclusion regard-ing its cest-benefit analysis.

The ASLB also mace this conclusion in its initial 2/

Decision dated Decemoer 2, 1974.-

On August 12, 1979, tne Nuclear Regulatory Ccmmission published a notice announcing the outcome of a final rulemaking regarding the environmental effects of spent fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste management in the light water power reactor uranium fuel cycle.

In that notice, the Cannission noted the need for furtner discussion of the environmental impact of the values given in Taole S-3.

Pending further treatment by rulemaking, the Commission cirected the NRC staff to acdress these matters in the environmental analysis accor:anying a propcsal to issue a

-1/ Hearing transcri;; fer July 31, 1974 in the matter of Tennessee Valley Authc-ity, Sequoyah Nuclear Plant Units 1 and 2 at p231

-2/ Initial Decision of the ASLB in the matter cf TVA Sequoyah Nuclear Plant, Oc:ket Ncs. 50-327 and 323 cated Decemoer 2, 197' a :: 13 ar.d 14.

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limited work authorization, construction permit, or operating license for a power reacter. These issues are to include but not be limited to environmental dose commitments and health effects from fuel cycle releases, fuel cycle socioeconomic impacts and possible cumulative impacts (44 FR 45362 dtted 8/12/79).

The final rulemaking concluded a preceeding which began en May 25, 1977 with a notice that a rulemaking hearing would te held to censider whether the interim rule shculd be made permanent or, if it should be altered, in what respects (42 FR 26987).

The Hearing Soard took extensive written and oral testimony from more than 20 parti-ci: ants. Cn August 31, 1978, the Hearing Board srbmitted to the Commission a detailed summary of the evidentiary record, followed en October 26, 1978 by its Conclusiens and Recommendations.

After studying the Hearing Board's Conclusions and Reccmmendations and recef ying wr'tten anc oral presentations by rulemaking participants, the C:mmission atepted as a 'inal rule the modified Table S-3 recommended by the Hearin; Board.

The

'm:a:t values in this ta:1e differ only slightly from tne values in the interic rul e. Witn two exceptions, these values will be taken as the basis for evaluating in individual light water power reactor licensing prcceedings, ;ursuant to reputre-ents of tne National Environmental 3clicy Act (NEPA), the centribution of uranium

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fuel cycle activities to the environmental costs of ifcensing the reac:er in cuesti en. The exceptiens are raden releases, presently emitted from the interi-3/

r rule ( *3 FR 15513, April 14,1978),- and technetium-99 releases from reprecessing 4/

rj and waste managetent activities!

'he ruiemaking rec rd makes clear tnat effluent relaase values, standing al:ne,

n:t ean'ngfully convey the environmental signif t:ance of uranium fuel cy:le ac-ivities.

The f:cus of interest and the ultimate reasure of impact for radic-a:-ive eleases are the resulting radiclogical c:se commitments and associated 3/ c:n regarc c racen releases, the matter of apprc:riate values is under

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nsiceration :efore the Atomic Safety and Licensing A::eal 30ard in the

r::eecing cerivec from ALAB-450 wnicn involvec a censolication of nue.ercus

-c eedings. The ?;RC staff's testimeny in this :r:ceeding presents the stafs assessmen that im;a::s frca raden releases are not significant.

• / Witn regard to tecnnetium-99 releases fren re:r: cessing and waste canagemen:

a::ivities, in 44 FR 45362 the Commission founc:

":n view :f the Fearing Scard's conclusion :Pa: the conserva:f ve assun;; ten of : m:lete release of iodine-129 ends :c com:ensate f:r :te o-issien Of technetium from Ta:1e 5-3, -he :carissien

1. incs 1: unnecessary to reopen closec :r:ceecin;s r :0 cistur:

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nsidera:icn cf environmental issues in ;reser.:ly :encin; ;re:eet-1 ings to pr:viF f:r censideration of tecnne:iur-99 releases."

i Inus : nsidera:f cn Of technetium-99 releases at Se;ucyah tiuclear Dian; t e unnecessary.

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spent fuel is stored at reactors for snart periods of time (greater than 90 days), and then shipped to recrocassing plants, wnere uranium is recovered in a fors suitable for feed to enricament plants. Plutonium and other residual matarials frem the spent fuel (cladding, fission precucts, actinide elements, activation procucts) are sosicified, anc packaged in a f:rs suitaole for ciscosal. Current regulations (10 CFR Part 50, Accencix F) require taat certain wastas from reprocessing plants te solicified within 5 years of their generation and that these wastas te disposed of within 10 years of taeir generation. Most of the wasta ft:m recaccassing plants will be cisposec of at Federal repcsitories.

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The Medal Reactor and its Fuel Cycle Recui ements For the ;urposes of develocing the values in Table 5-3, a ecdel lignt watar reactor was defined in '4 ASH-1218 as a 1,000 We reactor assumed to cperata at 30% of its maximum cacacity for one year, thus pr:ducing 300 W yrs of elec-tricity annually.9 The fuel cycle recuirements averaged over a 30 year :cerat-ing life for this reacter were lace 11ed an annual fuel requirement (AFR) in

'4 ASH-12aa. Sinca that time, the AFR acronym has been used to enaractari:e away-fr:m-reactar storega of s=ent fuel.

In NUREGs-0115 anc -0216 the tar 1:1-nology 'referenca reactor year (RRY) was emcicyed to describe tue fuel cycle d

recuirements of a socei 1000-%e reactor c=erating f:r one year. The same I

1 tarlinoicqy vill be utili:ec in this narrative.

The front enc of ne fuel cycle, as described in WASH-1218, c: vers the su:cly af fuel for the accel react:r; 31,000 metric :ns of are (::ntaining 2 ; arts f U;03 ::er 1,000 parts of sre) are recuirec ;er iRY. Milling of ne :re

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cuees 132 setrie ::ns Of yeli:wcaka,'.nica in tu-t is =nversac int: 270 metric tons Of natural UF..

In :ne enric.nent : era:fon, suca of :nis natural a

"F. feed saterial is rejected frca ue fuel cycle as enricreen plant tails.

o of== 270 metric t:ns of UF feed, 213 se rie ::ns are rejected f ca ce fuel o

ejcle as cecie:ad uranita ufis. De remaining 32 e:ric ::ns Of enricec uranius ;recuct is =e feec for ce fuel facricatica ;1 ant arc =ntains encugn uranius f:r 40 metric tens :f CO fuel (25 metric : ns of Ontainec crani.a).

2 Bis ascunt :f fuel is required annually by in DR precucing 3C0 +jears of electric:y.10 h e :ack end fuel cycle sta:s, descritec in NUREGs-0176 arc -0215, nancia ce

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-fission precucts and.astas, inclucing :ne s:ent fuel. R e s:ent fuel,

.9ica still c:ntains a: cut la metric ::ns of uranium,II is rencvec f es ne reference react:r annually. (Accccximataly One :etric ::n of uranius has :een

=nver.ac :: fission :recucts anc actinice elements.) De f tsa ar: s:ent fuel is in the f:rs of fuel assencifes, eaca =nuining :etneen a: cut 3.2 anc 0.5.e:ric ::ns Of uranium.I. Hence, one nt.acer :f fuel assecolies hanclec in t

esca reatur reicac ranges f :s a: cut 70 :: 150, :e:encing :n =e :y e :f react:r. ?:r ce Once-inreugn fuel cycle, uis fuel is surec uncer water f:r

ericcs Of tise in excass Of 5 years, eitrer at ne reac Or site Or at :ffsin faciif-ies. ::ilowing :ne su rage :erice, ne s:ent fusi.iii :e :is::sec :f at a :ecerai t:: sit:rj.I3 i

I iary:ng..e: cycle ::ers-ing ::nciti:ns irclucing react:r :arametars, yellew-Care Ouri y, er.ric =ent uils assay, eu, effect ne yeiir.caxa HY requi m en:

.nica is nus su: ject :: ::nsi: era:1e varfsti:n.

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10 For the uranium-enly recycle option, the spent fuel is reprecessed to rec:ver uranium. Plutonium (about0.35metrictensperRRYbmayberecoveredas plutonium oxide in a separate stream. The fission procucts, other actinide elements, and activation procucts are concentrated into one or sort solid wasta products wnich are cis esed of t:gether with any plutonium stream.

To deveico the values in Tacle S-3, the environmental effects resulting fren Operating the scdel fuel cycle facilities were estimated. These effects were then normalized to reflect the effects attributante to the processing of fuel for a f.ngle year's coeration of a model reacter (RRY).

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Fuel Cycle "acility Descrictions To provide a perspective on the nature of the UeR fuel cycle ccarations, and the types of environmental effects resulting from these operations, brief cascriptions are given belcw for the accel fuel cycle facilities usec :s derive the environmental effects given in Taoie 5-3.

1.

The Front End of the Fuel Cycle (WASii-124) l5 16 a.

. Uranium Mining and Milling For this segment :f tne fuel cycle, a c:moined mine-mill c:molex nas selectac as the accel sinca it is representative of a significant ::crtion of :ne :urrent anc cevelocing incust y.

(1) '41ning P:e ::mercial uranium :re coposits in :ne Unitac 5: stas generally Occur in :ne Westarn 3:atas. Uranium sining in :ne Unitec 5:atas f s generally

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11 ac::molished by One of two methocs. Ocen pit mining, accounting for 53% of the are procuced in this country in 1971, is used wnen the ore body lies under material that is easily broken un and is found at depths up to several hundred feet. Underground mining is used when the ore body is iccated at deaths greater than accut 40 feet, or wnen it lies uncer rocks that require a great deal of blasting to break uo.

An coen pit mining oceration in a Western State was selectad for the scdel uranium mining operation sinca the envircnmental effect in terms of total volume of earth disturned is greatar in ccen pit.sining than in uncarground mining, and since about half of the kncwn cre reserves in the United States are located in relatively sha11cw sedimentary formations less tnan 40 feet deec.I The accel mine has a cacacity of 1600 metric tons (MT) of cre per day, which is ecuivalent to a yield of accroximately 960 MT of U 03 3 per year, sufficient to sucoly the fuel for 5.3 LWR RRYs.

The dcminant potantial environmental effects fr:m uranium mining incluce distur:ancas of the natural terrain, an effect c:mmon to most mining oceratiens; releases of raden;* and pumping sine crainage water fr:e the sine.

(2) Milling As in a numcer of existing precuction ::. olexes, the accel tiill, located acjacent to the xcel uranium mine, utili:es the acic leacn process, sinca that recess ac::unts for aceut 30% of tr.e ::tal LO. 3 ;recuction. 3 The niil r

recuces a aranium c:ncantrate c:ntaining accut 960 MT U 033 E*" 7'*"*

Macon reieases are not given in Tacie 5-3.

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,1 12 In ne silling cceration, uranium is extracted fr:a the cre anc is c:ncan-tratad as a semirefined procuct that is said in terms of its U 0 content.

33 The reduct, which is principally ammonica diuranata, can te any :ne of several uranium c:accunds and is c:ancnly called yellowcake.

I 3cta meenanical and chemical precasses are involvec in :ne liilling eceration.

Initially, the ore is crushed and gr:und, after wnica it is leacnec wita either sulfuric acid or sodium car:cnata soluticas to ex*rac*. the uranium.

The leaca liquors are puriff ec and c:ncentratec, and the uranf ua is rec:verec ey enemical precipitatien with the solic product calcinec, pulveri:sc anc tr.amed for shi; ment as yell:wcake. Nearly all of the art :recassec by tne sill ends uo as tailings, a fine sanc-like material, in ne tailings ;ced, t:gether wita large ascunts Of watar and enesicals usad in :ne process. The water eventually cissipatas, largely :y natural eva:crative :recasses. The tailings nave :te ;ctantial to cause ne largest envir:nmental effects fr:s the milling :ceration.

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Uranium Hexaflucrice ?recuc fcn -

Tne yellcwcake sus :e ::nver:ad to a precuc- (uranium nexaflucrice, UF )

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.nica is vola:fie at a siign:!y eleva:ad tamcerature f:r enricraent :y ne gasecus ciffusien ;recass. T.c pr:casses are usec f:r UF precuction, a cry g

recass (nycr

flucr) and a wet ;r: cess. The ;r:cassas ciffer Ori arily in ne tacanicue usec for ;urifica icn. b ne cry recass, fracti nal :istiliati:n is emoicyec after ::nversien,. nile in ne wet :recass, nign :urity uranium

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13 feed is provided by a solvent extraction stap. Reugnly acual quantities of UF feed to the enricament plants are produced by each method.

6 The affluents free the tw pr: cesses diffar. The bulk of the impurities entering with the crade uranium feed is rejected from the dry peccess as solids; in the wet process, the bulk of the yellewcaka imourities is rejectad as dissolved solids in a raffinate stream. The wcel UF6 precuction plant is assumed to produce one-half of its out;:ut by the dry precass and one-half by the wet process, so that its environmental effects precerly reflect nc3a of the average incustry. The model plant c:nsists of a 5,000 MTU/yr plant ano i s cacable of supplying the fuel for 27.5 RRYs.

A numcar of process off gt.ses are generated in the precaration of UF ##0" 5

crace uranium feed..uost of these are cemeustion products frem the procuction of heat, but some are volatili:ed solics and gases evolved curing calcining anc fluorination. Fluorides and oxides of nitrogen are tne more significant sources f potantial aaverse environmental impact.

There are t'ac major aqueous wasta streams associatad with UF5 procuction.

wany of tne contaminants in tne wet precass are ::ntained in a raffinate stream wnica is not releasec :ut held 'ndefinitaly in saalec ;cncs. The sec:cd acuecus wasta stream is sace up mstly of croling water and dilute scra cer solutions. Scme of these aquecus effluaats are treatad with calcium to precipitate calcium fluorice and then ciiuted vita all otner clear =atar i

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14 waste streams prior to release from the plant. The so!id calcium fluorice is i

recovered from settling pones, packaged, and ultiaataly buried.

Small amounts of natural uranium are released from the plant ir entilation exhaust air as custs and volatile UF '

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aaterial in the solid asn residue free fluorination is largely from thorium and amounts to about 0.36 Ci per RAY for the hydrofluor process. In addition, radioactive materials entering wit $ the yellowcake acpear in the solid resicues for the dry process cperations.

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Uranium Enricament Isotcoic enrichment of uranium-235 is necessary to prov. ice fuel for a lignt water nocerated nuclear reactor. The c:ncentration of uranium-235 in natural uranium is acout 0.7%, and the enriched uranium content for the current generation of 1

reactors is 2-4%.

The facilities are large in size because a large nuncer of separation stages are required to attain the necessary enrichment. The present plant facilities are cwned by the United States and operated by privata incustry uncer c:ntracts with the Decartment of Energy. There are three facilities

urrently operating in the c:untry. The model used in tais stucy is a scalec-cewn accel of the entire ::molex.

l The crimary sources of envircemental effects associatad with the affluents from enricament of uranium are related to ne gasacus effluents frem the coal-firec stations useo to generata ne electrical energy recuired to Ocerata the enricament facility. Tha effluents asscciated wita =recuction Of fuel :er I

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RRY year are equivalent to the gaseous effluents released annually by a 45-MWe coal-fired plant.21 The discharge of heat to tne environment, both at the enrictment plants and the sitas of individual electric generation plants, is also related to the power requirements of the enrichment plant.

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Fuel Factication The feed material for the faerication of fuel for the model LWR is enriched UF. The UF is c:nverted to UO, which is formed into pellets and then g

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calcined and sintered at high temperstures. Finisned pellets are loaded into Zircaloy or stainless steel reds, fitted with end cacs and welced. The c:moleted fuel reds are assemled in fixed arrays to be handled as fuel elements or assemolfes.

n defining a representative model fuel fatrication plant, the conventional amonium diuranate peccess was selected for conversion of UF to UO. The 6

2 cacacity was chosen to to 3 MTU per day, a large plant by 1972 incustry stancards, with an annual production of acproximately 25 RRY of fuel.

A major consiceration in assessing environmental effects of fuel fa:rication results from the fact that all of tas fluorine intrecuced into tne fusi cycle curing the UF precuction pnase tec mes a nasta product curing tne precuction g

of CO2 ;owcer. 3aseous fiuccine wastes generated are effectively removed f9m tne air effiuent streams :y water scruceer systams. Calcium (iime) treatment is used on scru::er system eastas and precass liquic wastes to remove fluorice ion as calcium fluorice (2aF ) P"'CiDit*t**

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• D 16 Other significant chemical species in liquid effluents are nitrogen compounds that are generateo from the use of ammonium hydroxide in the production of UO 2

powder and from the use of nitric acid in scrao recovery operations.

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The Back End of the Fuel Cycle (NUREGs-Oll6 and 0216) a.

Once-Througn Fuel Cycle Several operations comorise the back and of the once-througn fuel cycle.

These are:

storage of spent fuel, encapsulation of spent fuel after storage, and disposal of spent fuel; disposal of low-level wastes; and the decontamina-tion anc cecommissioning operations. The environmental effects of all of these coerations have been aggregated and are given in Column H of Table S-3A.

(1) Spent Scl Scent fuel asst.molies are stored in water basins for the order of S or more years after their removal from the reactor. These storage basins may be located at the reactor site or at offsite facilities. Storage would be followed by an encacsulation oceration, in wnica individual assemolies are packaged, possibly in helium-filled steel canisters. The en:apsulated assamolies.ould be discosed of in a Federal recository, the final step in, M onca-througn fuel cycle.23 1

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. Environmental effects of scent fuel storage incluce teat releases, watar use, eslease of small amounts of gaseous racionuclides, and generation of solid radioactS e wastas. These wastas arise from sucn coerations as water purification.

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-w 17 Fuel canistars are assumed to :e dis osec of in a bedced sal etcository, tne accel encository cefincc in NUREG-Oll6. C erations of the recository for :ne once-througn cotton are similar to those of the uranica recycle cotion (see telew), although 11 times as =any canisters would te requirec for spent fuel as for high-level wastas.2#

The envircr. mental affects of spent fuel disposal are similar to : nose of nign-level waste cisposal, except tnat in the once-tarcugn fuel cycle the remaining, uncacayed, gaseous radienuclides (tritium, car:en-14, krypten, and iccine) art assumed to be released at tne recesitory prior to its teing sealed, wnertas in the uranium recycle fuel cycle :tese iso:::es art assumed to be releasec at the recrocassing plant. Long-term i=cacts from the escositcry will te nonexistant if the repository performs as ex ected anc saintains the waste in oc isolation. On the basis of tne analysis presented in NUREG-Olli, ine staff has rationali:ed, for both fuel cycles, that the releases frem tre reccsitory after it nas :een sealed, if it :erforms as ex:ectad, will :e small anc, wnen l

l normali:ec to an ;RY, will te insignificant."

(2) L:w-Level '4astas L:w-level wastas c:ntaining small cuantities of racionucifces art precuced in

ne normal Oceraticn of nearly all fuel :ycle facilities, fcciucing reactors (f:r exam le, ased fiitars frem : recess ventilation systams, :atarials usec l

in : leaning um saills of racienuclices, Or in cec:ntamination cceratiens).

L:w-level.astas are acreally acxagec f:r cis:csal Oy surfaca turial a a

ne reacer is refer sc :: Secticn ::I3 f:r a :iscussion Of tne :cssible Ptistsa

f racianuclices frem a.asta re:csit:ry i, :ne event : a a 7tscer :f unif %e!/

1atural crecesses are enc:untartc.

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c) 18 low-level waste disposal facility; tne environmental effects of low-level wasta sanagement and burial are included in the total shown for each of the fuel cycle modes.

(3) Decentamination and Decommissioning At the end of their usefui operating lifetimes, all types of fuel cycle facilities must be dec:mmissioned in ways that assure protection of puolic health and safety.

In NUREG-0116, it was assumed that facilities would be cecontaminated to remove potentially hazardous radienuclides and that the radioactive vastas would te removed from the site. The largest impacts of decentaminatien and cec:mmissioning result from the cisposal of icw-level wastes and wastas c:ntami-natac with transuranic eierents (elements with atomic numoers acove 92).

Dec:ntamination and decommissioning impacts were not c:nsidered in WASH-12a8 and, therefore, are not includec in the impacts of the individual types of facilities in Tacle S-3A, but are included in Wasta Management, column H, of Tacle S-3A.

b.

Uranica-Only Recycle The ::eratiens c:scrising tne back and of the uranium-enly recycle cotien can te grou:ed into two major categories - recrecessing ano wasta sanagement c erations. Environmental effects frem the recrocassing facility incluce tacse of the repr: cessing ::eration, nign-ievel licute wasta st:rsge, h,ign-level waste solicification, and the snort-ters storage of solidified nign-level

.asta at tne reprecassing :lant, i

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19 Environmental effects of waste management incluce these from any intarim HLW storage (see below), transuranic waste precassing, hign-level and TRU waste disposal, icw-level wasta disposal, and dec:ntamination and cec:amissioning.

In tne uranium recycle fuel cycle, tne plutonium farmed in :ne reactor is c:nsicered to te a vasta material and is transferrec to a Feceral reccsitory for cisposal. All wastes to be discosed of at tne recesitorf will be treated at tha recrocessing plant or other ocerations to produce stacle materials suitacle for final cisposal.

U (1) Recrocassing Felicwing their use as fuel in tne nuclear power plant, spent fuel assemol'as are s:cred under watar at the reactar to permit decay of tne short-livec isat ces and to reduce the heat generation rato. Aftar cooling, the assamclies are transacrted to a re; recessing plant for recover / cf the residual, siigntly enricned uranium.

The enesical process for secarating the usaole uraniu:n from plut:nium anc unwantad fission procucts or actinices (wastas) is assumed to be tne.3 urex solvent extrac-fen peccass, wnica has been :ne most wicely usac tetacc for l

ec:very f fissile values f em scent fuei for many years.

In the fuel recro-cassing :lant, ite spent fuel assamolies are sawed :r cacc:ed into sections anc the fuel is taen cissolved by nitric acic and secaratac into uranium,

lutonium acc wasta streams. These streams are :rocessac into :nysical anc

nemical fccms ef tner for ciscosai Or f:r sni; ment anc furtner use in tne fusi cycle. Envir:ccental effec s from recrocassing faciif ties nave been cerivec

o o

20

rincf; ally f em cata gaverte in many years of ex:erienca in Fecerai g:ver. men:

plants. The sajor envirensental effec.s fr:m recrecassing resuit fr:m ne assumed release of gasecus fissien precucts and activatien pr: ducts ' rem te scent fuel.U Hign-level wastas (H W) precucac at tne repr:cassing miant c:ntain =e nignly radioactive fissica pt cucts ft:a the scent fuel. These wastas recuire a system f:r unir management that previces radiatica sniel.cing, pretactica against release, anc a seans Of nea: Ofssipatien.

The referenca systas for h W sacagesent at the re:r:cassing plan: incI;;ces ne f:llcwing sta:s: sacr.-tars s : rage as licuic in tanks; soliciff:a en; sacr -:ars st: rage as a s lic. ? revision for a icnger-:ars intaris s. rage bef:rt :is:: sal ::ulc be necassar/; its ;ctantial incacts have teen 'aciucac in ne iscac.s :f HW Ois:csai.

Temccrary s:Orage :f licuid HW in tants nas been ;rac fcec f:r :ver 20 years.

The ws: sccern tant :esigns, wnica.cule :e recuirec for ~::smarcial *uel

ycle :cerati ns, nave ;reven virtually free of teaks anc Oceratt cal : ::less.

Tants :f similar :esign nave :een in ::ers:fon 3: ;;ve-men: 's :i t es f:r cre can tan years anc nave :een s:: ring ::mmer:ial re:r:cassing wa::as a:

' es: 'lailey, New Yert, f:r.cre Oan five years. The.anxs art ass wec

e

s. air.iess stael, i ca:ac in stainiess stasi-linec ::nc sta vaults.i u ecui:-

ten: 'er nea: reseval.

hesa tanu art an in agral :ar: Of ne a:recassing

iant, arc all effi.:ents ' :s ne tan <s art trea:ac in : Tant sys uas :gener

9 a

,s 2'

with efiluents from the rest of tne plant. Their imcacts are incluced among tre % acts listad for reprocessing.25 To precare HLW for shipment and disposal, and generally to reduce the risk of its dis::ersal, tne HLW iust be solicified as recuired by 10 CFR Part 50, Appencix F.

A nuacer of technologies exist for solidification; recuction of the waste to a glass form has been selected in this analysis as the accel crocass for solidification.* The precass assumed for production of glass 'nJ licuid HLW is a two-step precess:

first, producing a calcine, and second, melting it together with glass-forming materials to precuca One glass. The procuct of the solidification precass is a glass in a sealed canister reacy for snipment, storage er disposal. The env'renmental effects of coeration of the solidification facility are included ir. the estimatas for the recrocessing plant.29 If the solicified MLW is not to be shippec to a Feceral recository soon after solicificatten, a storage capability at the recrecassing plant must be ;rovided.

Facilities similar to spent fuel storage ;cols are assumed for tais purpose in the analysis. Shielding, confinement, and removal of decay heat are tne major functions of this facility. Curing normal acerations, only minor increments of neat release anc ~.atar asage are accec to the imcacts of the recrecassing facility.20

'ine cresent iicansing staff position is tnat a nuccer of altarnative aste i

forms snculd ce ::aractari:ac before o e is selec:ad for ese in :ne recesitory.

i l

l

9 22 (2) Wasta Management (a) Intaria Storage of Hign-Level Wastas at a Retrievable 3I Surfaca 5tcrage Facility If final gt:ologic ciscosal facilities are not availaole for recaipt of solidi-fiec HLW within 10 years after it has been generated, a facility must be available for intarim HLW storage. One such concactual facility is the retriev-able surfaca storage facility (RSSF). The imcacts for an RSSF have been conservatively included in the summation of wasta sanagement effect (given in column H of Taale 5-3A (see belcw)). Land use for the RSSF wculd be. committed only tamocrarily, acc effluents from normal' cceration would be very small.

In the event that e. tended storage might be needed, a r?aled storage cask concact has been ussd to evaluate the environment *1 effects of extended storage.

Waste canistars are placed in thick-walled, hign-intagrity overpacks; this package is then placed insica c:ncreta cylinders wnich provide shielcing and enanneling for natural-draft air c:oling. This concect has icw vulneracility to accidents.

(b) Transuranic-Contaminataa Wastas (TRU Wastas)

Among tne nuclices creducad in nuclear reactor fuel are transuranics (TRU),

racienuclides naving at:mic nu=cers higner than aranium, wnica sa' be :arents y

of long-ifvec :ccay cnains (:ans of tacusands of years). Wasta satarials c:n-taining significant cuantities of :hesa !cng-livec elemen:s aill be ::nfinea and c:nsignec :: :ne Feceral recesitory.

?

T

0 23 Solid wastas contaminatad with TRUs are derived primarily from tne coeration of the fuel reprocessing plant. Wastes included in this categor/ are solidified liquids, filta-s, cladding hulls and other fuel hareware, and general trash.

~ " "

Overall managemant involves ;;rocessing TRU wastas to a stacle form, packaging the procuct in a afgn-intagrity container, storing the packages onsite at tne fuel recrecessing 01:r.t for up to 20 years, and finally shipping to a Federal recesitorf for long-tars storage or geologic disposal. Environmental effects frem management of TRU-contaminated waste were found to be too small to be detactable in the totals in Taole S-3.32 (c) Discosal of HLW and TRU Wastas at a Federal Recository HLW and TRU wastas, including plutonica, comorise the materials fr m the nuclear fuel cycle that would te oiscosed of at a Federal repositor /. Deen emolacement in a stacle geologic medium (bedded salt) under the continental United Statas was the repositor / model used in this evaluation. Althougn knowledge accut the imoacts of other alternatives is limited, the :otential l

imcacts from bedded salt discosal are believed to be reasonaoly representative imcacts that would result frem any acprepriately designed geologic emolacement."

The recositor/ facility will te designed anc the was a emolacac.o keec the wastas anc tne sur cunding geologic media below tamceratures wnica couic result in nuclide aigration or imoair the structure of the geologic formation.

The sine will be const uctac using existing technology to prevent floccing m cresent. ;icensing staff cosition is tnat three to five sitas in seversi sciogic tecia snouic te fully cnaractari:ed before selection of a mecium f:e a recesi orf.

D 24 and/or collapse during operat*tn. Engineering features will be built into the facility to provide containment of waste materials. Operational (wasta emplacement) lifetime of the facility will be between 20 and 30 years. At that time the facility will be backfilled and sealed.*

l Effects frem reutine aceration of the facility before dec:mmissioning (including sealing of the underground snafts and tunnels) have been found to be small and comcarable to those of the RSSF. Effluents (except for the large volumes of salt from excavtcian) have been projected to be very low. Radiological effluents from routine package inscaction and repair activities are quite small rt.ative to those from major fuel cycle facilities (e.g., recrocessing).*13 (d) Low-Level Wastes L w-level wastes from the facilities of the front end of the fuel cycle are l

essentially the same for both the once-thrcugn fuel cycle and the uranium recycle mode. The adof tional back end facilities for recrocessing and waste treatment in the uranium ecycle mode preauce slightly larger quantities of low-level wastes than would result frem scent fuel storage and ciscosal in the once-througn fuel cycle. The imcacts are incluceo in column H of Tacle S-3A (see balc,w). *u (e) Decentamination anc Cec:mmissioning of Uranium Recycle Facilities The accitional imcacts from the recrecassing anc other :ack end facilities #0c uranium recyc!a are incluced in column H of Taale S-3A (see tel w).

mcacts

~

'ine cresent i:cansing staff cosition is tnat tne :ction to retrieve tne,astas snould be maintainec 'or 50 years following :ceration to allow monitoring anc c:rrective acti:ns if retuired.

1

O

+

e 25 from dec:maissioning the front and facilities are essentially the same for l

both fuel cycles and are also included in c:lumn H rather than in the columns for the individual facilities.35 3.

Trans:ortation ioven staps in the transportation of matarials to and frem facilities involved in the nuclear fuel cycle have been c:nsidered in determining environmental effects of tne 1/nR fuel cycle. For the front end of the fuel cycle, three stacs--shipment of are from liine to mill, shipment of uranium concentrata frem mill to UF6 procuction plant, and shipment of natural UF I* EU' '"#iCU"*"*

6 slant--involve the transport of low specific activity material. Two additional staps in the front end of tne fuel cycle--shipment of enricned UF IJ EU' 6

uranium dioxide (U0 ) plant and snipment of CO2 ** '

"'I 3""IC** ""

g involve the transport of potantially fissionaole, low scocific activity liatarial.

(The lattar transcortation stan is not required for facrication plants wnica irc:r: crate.he UF to UO conversion pr: cess.) In accition, tne shipment of 6

2 vastes from UF6 plants, wasta frem fuel facrication slants, anc certain wastes fr:m fuel recrecessing plants to c:mmercial lanc turial sites involves.he

rans

ort of radioactive low-level solic 4astas.'5 In the back and of the :nca-nreugn ction, potantially fissionaole s:ent fuel l

is saf:ced to storage or afs:esal.

In the tack end of :ne uranium-enly recycle fuel cycle, the sni;ments frem the recrecessing plant involve ne transcort Of rec:vered uraniu:n as UF to an anri:nment piant, and the trans;crt of sol'c, g

nign-level wasta 1:aterial inc iutsnium to a Feceral nas a storage facility.

For all fuel cycle :ctions, One :nree stacs (sni: ment af fuel c, f ersc'atac

a

+

25 fuel frem, anc waste free reactors) c:vering the transportation of satarials to and free nuclear power plants are considered in Table S-4 of 10 CFR 51.20 and are not included in Taole 5-3.37 I

l Packaging anc transcort of radioactive satarials are regulated at tnt Federal level by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Transpor-tation (00T). Cartain aspects, such as ifmitations on grnss weight of trucks, are regulated by the individual States. The regulations are designed to protect ecoloyees, transport workers, and the public from external radiation and excesurt to radiation and radioactive satarials as a result of normal and ac:ident concitions of transcort. The recuirements for packaging of low s:ecific activity satarial are such that it is nost unlikely that a person could ingest or innale a mass of satarial that would result in a significant radiation ha:ard uncer any circumstancas arising in transport. Shi:ments of fissile atarials are Ifmitad by the packaging cesigned to ensure nuclear criticality safety under both normal ano ac:ident conditions of transport.

Containers of solidified high-level wastas must be designed to witnstand the effects of severe ac:idents.

The environmental effects of the shi; ment of matarials in the nuclear fuel cyc!e are : nose.nica are enaractaristic of the trucking incustry in general.

The increase in censity of truck traffic frem fuel cycle sni:ments will be sm31: c:moarec witn total trucx traffic.38 t

I

o o

0 1

27 Section I - References 1.

U.S. Atomic Energy C amission, " Environmental Survey of the Uranium Fuel Cycle," WASH-1248, April 1974, :. iv.

2.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccanission, " Environmental Survey of the Reprocess-ing and Waste Management Portiens of :ne LkR Fuel Cycle, A Task Forca Recert," W. 31snce. F. J. Miraglia, Ed., NUREG-0115, October 1975, pp. i, ii.

3.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccamission, "Puolic C:mments and Task Force Res:cnses Regarding the Environmental Survey of the Recrocessing and Waste Management Portions of the LWR Fuel Cycle," NUREG-0216, Maren 157.

1 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Ccamission, " Staff Reccamendaticas for Mince Adjustments to iaole 5-3," sutaitted by James Liebersan, Counsei for NRC Staff, Decket RM 50-3, January 19, 1978.

5.

WASH-12?G, p. 5-3.

5.

NUREG-0116, p. 5-12.

7.

"U.S. Nuclear Regulatory C amission, Final Generic Environmental Statement en the Use of Recycle Plutonium in Mixec 0xice fuel in Light Water Cocied Reactors", Office of Nuclear Material Safety anc Safeguarcs, NUREG-0CO2, August 1975.

3.

WASH-1218, p. 5-2.

9.

Ibid., p. 5-5.

10. Ibic.

11. NUREG-0002, Tacle Pl C-9, s. IV C-75.

12. Ihic., Section 3.2.5, p. 3-3.

13. NUREG-Olls, p. 1-s 14 Ibic., Section 3.2.7.1, p. 3-9.

i

15. WASH-12ia, Chactar A, p. A-1 ff.

15. ! bid., Chaoter 3, p. 3-1 f'.

17. " 5. A :mic Energy Commissien.

• Statistical Data of he Uranium Incustry.

January 1, 1972," 3JO ICO (1972), p. 29.

o o

s, 29

13. Rooert.Werritt, The Extractive Meta 11urev of Uranium, Colorado Sct: col of Mines, Golden, Ca, isit, p. 6.

19. WASH-1248, Chapter C, p. C-1 ff.

20.

Ibid., Chacter 0, p. 0-1 ff.

21.

Ibid., p. 0-4 s

22.

Ibid., Chapter E, p. E-1 ff.

23. NUREG-0115, Section 3.1.1, p. 3-1 ff.

24 Ibid., Section 4.5.3, p. 4-113 ff.

25.

Ibid.. pp. 2-10, 2-11.

25. NUREG-0002, Chapter IV, Section E, p. IV-E-20 ff.

27. NUREG-0116, Section 4.1, p. 4-4 ff.

29. Ibid., Section 2.2.1, p. 2-4, and Section 4.2.1, p. 4-14 ff.

29. Ibic., Section 2.2.2, pp. 2-4 and 2-5, and Section 4.2.2, p. 4-18 ff.

30.

Ibid., Section 4.2.3, p. 4-24 ff.

31.

Ibid., Section 4.2.5, p. 4-29 ff.

32.

Ibid., Secton 2.3, p. 2-6 ff, and Section 4.3, p. 4-39 ff.

33.

Ibid., Sec:f on 4.4, p. 4-71 ff.

I 32 NUREG-0116, Section 2.7, pp. 2-13, 2-14, and Section 4. 7, c. 4-117 ff.

35l Ibid., Section 2.3, p. 2-15, and Section 4.3, p. 4-129 ff.

36. WASH-1248, Section H, p. H-1.

37.

U.S. At:mic Energ Ccmission, "Envircemental Survey of Transoorta-ion of Raaicactive.u terials 70 anc From Nuclear ?.er Plants, WASH-1232,1972, l

a l

Section II, po. 5-10.

L

38. NUREG-0116, section 2.9, po. 5-15, 2-16.

{

l

o e-1 s

29 Section II. Environmental Effects of the UnR Fuel Cycle A.

Environmental.Cata Tacle S-3, Taole of Uranium Fuel Cycle Environmental Data, is a summary of environmental c:nsicerations attributable to tne uranium fuel cycle, normali:ed to the annual fuel requirement in succort of a scdel 1,000-MWe UdR. Data frem the " front enc" of the uranium fuel cycle, based en '4 ASH-1248, nave been c moined wita data frem the "back end," which is based on NUREGs-0115 and

-0215 and tne remanced proceecing (Occket No. RM-50-3).

Tacle S-3A, which follows, sets forth the contributions by the various segments of tne fuel cycle to the :stal values given in Tacle S-3.

In general, Tabl' S-3 presents the e

sum of the higner values taken frem either tne ence-through fuel cycle or the uranium-only recycle option. The following is a brief discussion of the environmental considerations relatac to the "back enc" of the enca-through fuel cycle and the uranium-only recycle cotion.

1.

3ack End of the Once-Througn Fuel Cycle At present, spent fuel cischarged fr:m UnRs is being storec in the United States

encing a policy decisien wnether to ciscese of the irract.stac s:ent fuel as a l

t

.asta precuct--the :nce-tarougn fuel ejcle-, or to recr rass scent fuel anc rec:ver the resicual fissile values for reefcie as fuel fr. =cwer react:rs, in

nis :ase. -- ne uranium-enly recycle actien.

In.he :nce-tarougn fuel :ycle, ne storage anc discesal of scent fuel as waste, along wi.n otner masta management activities, c:nstitutas the "bacx anc" Of tne uranium fuel ejcle.1

o

• D 20

• he environmental ::nsiceratiens rtiatec :: the enca-througn fuel e/cle are summari:ec in c 1uan F cf Tacle 3-3A.

is ex:ectec :nat s ent fuel will remain in interia storage facilities f r ;erices of un :: 10 years or mort ::

recuce radiatien and neat em'ssions price :: pacxaqing and cis:csal, anc

ecause facilities f:r tne :ersanent Ois;csal of s:ent fuel are not yet availamle.' Thus, c:1can F f acluces the envir:nmental iscacts Of extancec

=cci storage as. ell as spent fuel cis:csal in a coe: sal :ec, geological riocsiterf. L:w-level vastas, anc cec:ntaminatten anc cec:missicning.astas, fres all secnents of ne fuel cycle are aise incluced in ::iumn.:.3 There art no significant amcunts Of transuranium (TRU) wastas generatec in the ence-:nt:cgn fuel jcle.

It nas :een assumec :nat s:ent fuel Or hign-level wastas.111 te cis:csec cf in a geolcgic, teccec salt, re:csit:ry.

C:eratica of rec:sitsr/ facilities is sisitar f r tota s:ent fuel er hign-level waste, anc it nas :esa assumee 04: a etcesiterf.in :eccec salt will :e :esignec and ::erstac se as :: retain the s lic acicactive asta incefinitaly. Mcwever, ce ract:1:qical f : acts t

tiated :: ne geol:gical cis:csal Of s:ent fuel art asec en ne assusction

at all gasecus and veiatile racienuclices in :ne s:ent fuel art etleasec

=

ef:re :ne geoicgic re:csiter/ is sealec.- Since One gasecus anc volatite tci:nuclices art ne Orinci:41 c:ntribut:rs : envi~:nsental : sa ::mmit:ents, uis assume:f cn usertitas ce ::er Ocunes Of ne ::se :::ssi.:en.s ::a: =ay :e ass:ciatec.ita :ne afs:csal Of s:ent fuel.

\\

o e

.n 31 2.

Back End of the Uranium-Only Recycle Fuel Cycle Option l

At present, there are no spent fuel reprocessing plants in the United States i

that can reprocess LWR spent fuel. Moreover, if a ;olicy decision is sade to permit reprocessing of s:ent fuel, the capacility to reprecass spent fuel in tne United States say not be available until acout the early 1990s. However, if UWR spent fuel is recrecessed, the environmental incacts frca recrecessing and related wasta sanagement activities are nearly icentical for both recycling of uranium and plutonium, or recycling of uranium-only, as fuel in nuclear i

pcwer reactors. Whether plutenium will be used as a fuel in LWRs, or breecer reactors, or both, is a separate issue that will ce resolved in c:nnection with the policy decision whether to resume reprocessing in the United Statas.

For this purpose, to cover the contingency that at some future date scent fuel from LWRs say be reprocessed, it has been assumed that only tne uranium that is recovered frem tne recrecessing of scent fuel frca LWRs will be recycled as fuel to LWRs; and the plutonium is not used for its fuel value in LWRs.

Instaad, it bec:mes a by precuct waste that say be disposed of in a manner similar ::

that for high-level wasta.0 This is callec ne uranium-only recycle cotton, and its environmental censiderations are summari:ed in columns G (Recrecessing) and H (Waste Management) of Taele S-3A.*

• sncula be noted tnat ::1can F, and c:1umns G anc H, are not acced ::getner

arrive at totals, bu: are sresentec as alternatives.

The higner value fecm these two alternative fuel :ycles is accec to arrive at totals.

l i

i i

_ ~ - - - - -

o

.s 32 With respect to waste management activities asscciated wita :ne uranium-only recycle ection (column H), the environmental ::nsiderations incluce the geologic disscsal of nign-level wastas (HLW), transuranic wastas (TRU), plutonium, icw-level ce nontransuranic wastas, anc ite discosal of wastas from dec:ntamina-tica and cec:maissioning :f fuel :ycle facilities.

The environmental c:nsic-erstions relevant is waste management activities cirectly estated is recrecessing, suca as s:crage of liquic was'tes in tants, wasta solidificatica and ;ackaging, and interim st: rage of solidified wastas at ne reprecassing sita, are incluced in column G.

It has been assumed that a geclegic recesit:ry will be designed anc ::erated so as to retain solid radicactive wasta indefinitely. However, :s uncrella the u::er bcunes of the ecse c:mmitments that say te associatac nita recrecessing anc.asta sanagement :;erations related to tne uranium-only recycle cc:f on, it has teen assuaec :nat all of the gasecus anc volatile racionuclides ::ntained in :ne scent fuel are released is tne atacs:nere price :s ne dis:asal of the wastas.3 The gasecus radienuclides (tritium, carten-14, and '<ry; ton-35) anc

ne volatile racienuclice iccine-129 are the ;rincipal c:ntributers ta enviren-mentai cose c:enitments frem One " tack enc

• of tne uranium fuel :ycle.

3.

Environmental C nsicerations This sac f=n is a $rief Of scussion of :ne environmental c:nsicera:fons of :ne

)

aranium fusi :ycle. nien are suneari:sc in Tacle 5-3 inc Tacle 5-3A.

I also revices a Orief ex:lanati:n Of hew :ne values in Tacle 5-2,.ni:n 7as teen nor:41f:sc is a accel 1,0CC-"We referencs react:r year (iRY), :an :e ::nvertac

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t 37 into tne cumulative environmental effect over the 30 year reference reactor lifetime, and in turn c:nverted into the cumulative envircraental effect related to a prospective nuclear power forecast." The aarrative is drawn primarily from the WASH 248, NUREG-0115, and NUREG-0215 documents, and tae 5-3 nearing record. References to acplicaole sections of.nese cocuments are included in the narrative.

It saould be noted that radon emissions frem the "frent enc" of the fuel cycle, and tecnnetium-99 release estimatas for the "bre:s enc" of the fuel cycle are not given in Table S-3.

Accordingly, radon and taennetium releasas,

getner vita an aceraisal of their incacts, may be tne sudject of litigation in individual reactor licensing preceedings.9 1.

Natural Resource Use a.

Land i

l The total land use ;er RRY attributacle to the uranium fuel cycle in sucport of a model 1,000-MWe LWR is acout 112 acres, of whica acout 100 acres are tescorarily c:mmitted, and a cut 13 acres are ;ermanently c:mmittaa. About i

2C% f tae tamcorarily ::mmittad lanc usec :y fuel cycle facilities is undistur:ed land. Tescorarily c:mmittaa land,.nica is usac curing Me life of scocific fuel. cycle faciitties, can :e released for unrestrictac use after 1

Most affluent values. unless indicated otherwise, can te ::nverted from 9RY values :: reacter lifetime valves ty multi:1ying the valve /RRY :y 30 years (reactor life).

1 l

s 38 those facilities are closed down and decommissi:ned. Permanently c mmittac land is that land which may be used for waste disposal but say not be released for unrestricted use after certain facilities have ceased operating and are dec:amissioned.10 The mining of uranius are acc unts for about 55% of the temporarily c:mmitted land use of the entire uranius fuel cycle. Mining operations also acc:unt for most of the overcurden soved: 2.7 :sillion setric tons c:apared to a total of 2.3 million metric tons per RRY for the entire fuel cycle. Next to sining, recrecessing and waste management operations use most of the remaining temcorarily committed land attributsole to the uranium fuel cycle. Of the permanently c:mmitted land use attributaole to the uranium fuel cycle, sining and :nfiling operations account for about 35%, and most of tne remaining 55% is used for the disposal of radioactive wastes (S.5 acres /RRY).

To determine the cumulative land use effect related to a prospective nuclear econcmy, one must first convert the land use per RRY to land usa per vedel 1,000 We L'nR lifeti.se (30 years), and then sultiply that value by the equivalent j

umoer of model 1,0CO-We ors projected (GWe). Th.eignted average factar is c:nvert land uso per RAY to land use per accel OR life is aceut 40.

he c:nversion factor of 10 is a weignted average inat results from c:nsicera-tion of three factors: land use for facilities; lanc use for vaste sanagement,

.nien increases with time; anc Ort cooletion anc sill r?c:very perf:rmance over the Iffe of its reacter.

In WASH-12 8, uranium sining and milling :: era-i tions ert basec :n an average ort grace of 0..~., and 100% till rec:very,

a o

I 39 which represented current operations. However, a 1atar analysis develoced for NUREG-CCO2 indicated that wnen ore decletion and mill recovery performance is considered over the years 1976-20C0, it would be more appropriate to use an average are grace of 0.ts, with 90% mill recovery, over the life of a LWR.

Thus, to convert land use per ARY to land use per LWR life committed to sining and milling, the land use per RRY should be sultiplied by 67. Added to tnis value is the land use per RAY for UF P"*d"CIIC"' '""ICh"*"I' I"'I I"D"ICA*I*"

6 and recrecessing; and 30 times the land use per RRY for waste management ocerations.

the -$rson given acove, since most of the over:urden saved 5'

d d

is related to the sint.g of uranium cre, the factor used to convert MT/RRY of overburden moved to MT/ LWR life is 67.

Envirenmental Effects: The land use requirements related to the fuel cycle in succort of a secel 1,000-MWe LWR do not represent a significant incact. A 1,000-MWe coal-fired power plant that uses strip-sined coal recuires the cisturcance of aceut 200 acres of land per year for obtaining coal alone.

l Thus, for ecscarison, the coal plant distur:s about 10 times as much land as the disturcance attributacle to the entire fuel cycle in succort of the model l

1,000-MWe LWR.

l 3.

Water The principal use of water in the fuel cycle succorting a model 1,000-MWe LWR is for ecoling. Of the total 11,377 million gallons of watar use cor tRY, secut 11,0C0 million gallons are requirec to remove neat, cy onca-througn ecoling, fr:m ne ;ower stations ina succly electrical energy for uranium

s o

,s 40 entieneent. The disenarge of water to surface streams is in actorcanca.ita the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits issued :y I?A and the states. Orainage water pumped out of uranium aines (123 million gallons /RRY) and from waste management operations (3.5 million gallons /RRY) is disenarged to the ground. Of the 150 million gallons of water evaporated per RRY, about 55 million gallons of water are evacorated from mill tailings ponds, and the otner 95 tillion gallons of watar are evaporated from cooling water free fuel cycle facilities.

To cetarmine the cumulative watar usa effect related to a prospective nuclear economy, one must first convert water use per RRY to water use per model 1,000-MWe LWR lifetime (20 years), and then multiply that value by One equivalent nuncer of model 1,000-MWe L%Rs projected (GWe). The factor used to convert water use per ARY to water use per sodel LWR life is 20. However, to determine the watar use evaporated or af scharged to ground, the conversion factor for mining and iilling ocerations is 67; and One factor for other fuel cycle operations is 20.

Environmental Effect: The water use requirements pelated to the fuel cycle in succor of a nodel 1,000-MWe LWR co not reoresent a significant imcact.

't all plants sucolying electrical anergy usac cooling ::wers, the water use of tre fuel cycle woulc te aceut 5% of that escuired by. One nocal 1,000-MWe LWR, The evaooratac datar less of the fuel cycle is aceut 2% of ne evacoratac water loss of a tocol 1,000-MWe L'nR cooling tower.

l

4 41 c.

Fossil Fuel Electrical energy and process heat are used in the fuel cycle. The e'ectrical energy (323 thousand Wh/RRY), of wnich aDout c6% is used for uranium enrichment, is :rocucad by c:nventional, coal-t.rea, power plants.U Most of the process heat used in the fuel cycle is supplied ::y the coecustion of natural gas (135 millfon scf/RRY).

In general, about 50% of the natural gas is used for yellewcake drying,U 15% is used in UF6 producifen, 3% is used in fuel fabrica-tion, 22% is used in recrocessing, and IC% is used in waste management ocerations.

To cetermine tne cumulative fossil fuel use effect related to a prospective nuclear ac:ncay, multiply the fossil fuel per RRY value ey 20 to c:nvert to the fossil fuel use over the 20 year life of the model 1,000-We U4R, and Men multiply that value by :ne acuivalent nuacer of medel 1,0CO-We CoRs projected (G'de).

Envirermental Ef*ect: The fossil fuel use requirements relatad to the fuel cycle in succort of a model 1,000-We UAR do not represent a significant incact. The electrical energy neecs of the fuel cycle are only aceu 5% of

• no electrical energy ;:roduced by the mecel 1,CCO-We UeR.

• f :ne natural gas c:nsumec :y the fuel cycle were used to generata electricity, it would c:ntributa less than 0.4% of tne electrical energy precuced my the mocal teR.

l l

e s

42 2.

Effluents - Chemical a.

Gases The gaseous enesical effluents fres ne fuel cycle result, for the sos part, from ne ::acustien of fossile fuel ;c previce electrical energy or process for fuel cycle facilities.'4 Tc :etermine tne cumulative gaseous caemical nea effect relatac to a prospective nuclear ec:ncey, perfors the calculation in a manner similar Oc :nat given accve for fossil fusi.

Envirermental Effee : The guecus :nesical effluents estatad.c the fuel cycle in succcr cf a sccel 1,000-MWe L'nR cc not recrosent a significant s

imcact. Based en :ata in a Council' :n Environmental Quality recer.," :nese esissions recrosent a very small acci:fon (accut 0.C:%) ;c emissions fres trans:cetatien anc stationary fuel ::scustica in tne United 5:atas.

3.

Ctner Gases Small ascun:s f nalogen ::eccunes are releasec as gasecus effluents to ne environs, ;rimarily as ficcrices fres UF. ::nversion and ursnf us enri:nment e

eratices.

~ nvirer ental Effec : 4easurements f flucrine in unrestrie ac areas incicata

n=entrations :eicw the level at.nica :eietaricus effe::s nave :een ::servec. ~

Mortever, long-ters ::sarvatices nave c; revealec any a: verse affects attributacle :- flucrice releases fre.1 UF. ::nversion, uranium enti:nsent, anc 3

fuel f a:ricati:n f acilities.

4 4

43 c.

f.iquids and Solids Some liquid caeefcal effluents are released to surface waters frea UF3, enrica-ment, and fuel fa ricatien facilities. Tailing solutions from the uranius mill ace:unt for ce sulk of mass of liquid (240 =cusanc MT/ RAY) anc solic (91 tacusand MT/ RAY) affluents frem tae fuel cycle. Hewever, tae tailing solutions are slcwly cissipated by natural ; recesses, principally tarcugn evacoration, leaving the ailings solids for eventual disposal.17 Thera era :no major acueous wasta streams asscciatad with ne wet UF c:nversion o

recesJ.

One is sace un of dilute sc uctor so.utions wnica are treatac with lime to precipitata calcius fluoride, and is Sen ciluted with c:oling water effluent before it is releasac. The c:ner is a raffinata stream nien is nelc in sealed ;oncs and te watar is allcwed to evacorata. The solics wnich are ete:ve-ed fres ne settling ;cces are ;ackaged anc ultimately burf ec. The discharged of water to surface s: eams is in ace:rcance with a Nati:nal Pollutant Oisenarge Ilimination System 8 emit issued by 13A anc ce state.

A numcer of caemicals (;riserily calcium, en1crine, sccius, and sulfata ions) are present in :ne ifcuid effluent from the enric? ment ;1 ant. *datar treatment l

anc tilutten :y Ne recafving river reducas ce c:ncantra: fen of remicals.:

i

<a a saali fraction of tae rec:mmendec ;emissible.atar cuality stancarcs.-

~he liquic efficent frem fuel facricatien factiities c:ntains nit-egen ::::cunes l

esulting fr a ce usa :f ammonium Nycrexice in ce recucif en Of UC3 ;cwcer,

y.

A 4

.-l u

and from the use of nitric acid in scrao recovery operations. The fluorine introduced into the fuel cycle during UF6 production becomes a waste product during the production of UO2 powder. The gaseous fluoride is removed from the affluent air streams by water scruccer systems.20 The s:ruccer system wastas

~

are treatac with time to precipitata calcium fluorice, wnien is filtered from the wasta effluent stream and packaged (acout 11 cubic yarcs/RRY) for disposal.21 The cisenarge of water to surface streams is in accordance with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit issued by EPA and the state.

To determine the mass of tailing solution and solid tailings related to a prospective nuclear economy, which are a function of tne average grace of cre processed, multiply the values for tailings solutions and solids in Tacle S-3 by 67 to obtain the mass of tailings solution and tailings generated over the scdel LWR lifetime.

Environmental Effect: The licuid and solid enemical effluents related to the

.uel cycle in sucport of a mocal 1,000-% LWR do not reoresent a significant imcact. All licuid disenarges from fuel cycle facilities into the navigacle watars of the Unitad States are subject to recuirements and ifattations set forth in the National Pollutant Oischarge Elimination Systam ?trmit issued ty an accroariate state or feceral regulatory agency. When milling activities are terminated, the tafiings pile may be graded, covered with earta anc tocsoil, l

and saeced to reduce racon emanation.'

'At tais time, racon emissions are excluced from tne 3-3 fuel cycle rule.

Procosec regulations related to the ciscosal of nill taiiings were puclisnec in :ne Feceral Register ce August 24, 1979.

4 o

e

.t 4

3.

Effluents - Radiological a.

Gases and Liquids Tacle 5-3 summari:es (except for raden-222 and tacanetium-99) the curies of radioactivity released ;er RRY in :ne gaseous and liquid effluents frem the uranium fuel cycle in sucport of a sodel 1,000-We LWR. In general, the natural radionuclides (radium. thorium and uranium) are released from the front end, and the others are released from the back and of the fuel cycle.

In the front and of the fuel cycle, small amounts of racium, thorium and uranium are released to the environment in the gaseous process affluents and in the ventilation air discharged to the atmosphere fr:m milling, UF,3 production, enrienment and fuel fabrication f acilities. Small amounts of uranium and its daugntars also are released in the liquid affluents from these facilities, but most of these radionuclides become part of tne solic wasta collected in the tailings pile from ailling scerations or in settling ponds associated with tne other front'and operations.

In the :nca-througn fuel cycle, the spent fuel is stored for five or more years and then discosad of in a geologic rescository nen :ne recository is ava11acie to recaive s:ent fuel.22 Ouring intaris storage prior to sealing of the repository, some of the gaseous anc volatile radionuclides c:ntained in the scent fuel may escace due to the failure of tae fuel element claccing and leakage of the scent fuel ciscosal centainers.23 l

l

i l

f 46 About 50% of : e krypton, IC% of the carton-14, and L4 of tritium and iodine contained in spent fuel exists withtn the gas spaca in the fuel roc and is likely to be released free the fuel rod if the cladding fails. However, the curies of tritium, carton-14, krypton-35 and iodine-129, given in Column F of Taole 5-3A reoresent ne total curies of eacn contained in 35 sitric tons of spent fuel (the annual reference reactor fuel requirement), f eraciated to 33,000 mwd /MT, and aged 5 years. Since the site and metaod for spent fuel disposal have not yet been defined, the NRC staff cannot cetermine wnat amounts Of racionuclides may eventually esca:e frem the repository or when taey say entar the environment. However, the NRC :,taff mace a generic assessment, cased on a reference recository, to identify wnich racionuclides have the higner probability of migrating from a repository, and wnich of tasse racio-nuclides are the principal contributors to environmental cosa c:mmitments if they do eventually enter the biospners. In general, the gaseous racionuclices that escape frem failed fuel rods, or leaking waste canisters, before tne recesitory is sealed, and the very long-life radionuclidas that have icw retarcation in soils, s' h as fodine-129, whicn say migrata with gr und water and eventually reach the biosphere, are the principal c:ntributors to environ-sental cose commitments. Accordingly, to userella the uccer bouncs of prospective cose ::mmitments, it was assumed that all of tne tritium, carton-la, krycton-35.

anc f ocine-129 centained in 5 year-olc spent fuel per ARY *as releasec to : e envir:nment.

In :ne uranium-only recycle cotion, ine scent fuel is recrocassec. During recrecassing, tte gaseous racionuclices (tritium, car:en-14 anc krypt:n-35) are released to the atmos:ners; however, most of : e focine is removec fr:m

,,n.

.--w

t s

2 47 the process affluents.24 The radiological effluents related to the uranium-enly ree/cle cotion are given in column H of Table 5-3A.

These values, per RRY, are based on the reprocessing of six acnth old spent fuel.

Since the radiological effluents given in Tacle S-3 are based on the higner values taken frem eitaer fuel e/cle, the radioicgical consideratioos related to the back end of the fuel cycle are cased on ICM telease of the tritium, carton-14, krypton-SS, and f odine-129 contained in six scnth aged spent fuel, and small amounts of other fission peccuct and transuranic racienuclides that may be released if spent fuel were reprocessed.

Envirenmental Effect: Excluding racon, the raciological effluents releasec per RRY frem the fuel cycle in succort of the accel 1,000-Mie L%R result in an estimatad 100 year environmental cose cemnitment to a tJ.S. pcputation of 300 tillion persens of aceut 650 :erson-rem, of wnica accut 550 person-rem is attributaole to gaseous affluents and accut 100 persen-rem is attributaole to l

Ifcuic effluents. Of the Jose c:mmitment attributacle to gasecus effluents, secut am is from trittun, 31% is from careen-14, 5% is from krypton-SS,10%

is frem iodine, and the balance (12%) is frem all otner racionucifces, whien c:ntributa ;rimarily to tae local peculation dose c:mmitment.

Altacugn radon effluen*.s are excluded f s Tacle 5-3, tne cosa c:mitment fr:m racon has to te acced to the acove fuel cycie environrental case c:mmitment to arrive at -he estimated dose c:mmitment attributacle to ne entire fuel cycle.

3asec en ecent studies, the 100 year environmental cose c:mit::ent per RRY attributacie to racen emissiens from nining anc tilling is acout 210 ;ersen-em.

4 o

i a

48 On tais basis, the 100 year environmental cose c:mmitment attributable to tne entire fuel cycle is aoout 360 person-rem per ARY. For comparison, che annual dose c:mmitment to a U.S. population of 300 million from natural background radiation is acout 3,000,000 person-res. Thus, the cose c:maitment per RRY from the fuel cycle is aceut 0.02% of the dose c:mmitment to tne U.S. population from natural background radiation.Section III c:ntains an assessment of tne environmental dose c:mmitment to the U.S. population attributacle to the radiological effluents, except radon, released frem the uranium fuel cycle.

b.

Solids The curies per RRY of radiccuclides in buried radioactive icw-level, high-level and transuranic waste macerials are given in Tacle 5-3.

As discussed above, it is assumed that there will be no release of solid radionuclices to the environment frem turied solid waste saterials..Moreover, the radiological effluents frem wasta nanagement are so small in relation to the otter segments of the fuel cycle that they do not snew up in the totals presentad in Taole 5-3.2*5 About 10,700 curies of mixed radionuclides are buried per RRY at icw-level

.asta lanc burial sitas. Of this total, ?,100 curies ::mes frem L'nR Icw-level waste;25 1,500 :uries are attributaole to dec:mmissioning Of nuclear facilities, including the reac or:27 and the :alanca, acout 100 curies, is generated by tne uranium fuel cycle ocerat'ons in succort of the LWR. About 500 curies of uranium anc its daugntars are acrid per RRY to the tailings sile at tne 1111 site.'S

s o

e

's 49 The high-level radioactive wasta ft:m the enca-tarougn fuel cycle is the spent fuel assemolies, wnica will be packaged and disposed of in a geologic repository.

The radioactive wasta from the uranice-only recycle cotien consists of the fuel assemoly hulls, the high-level and intermediata-level wastes free reproces-sing, and the plutonium easta. These wastas will be disposed of in a geologic repos4 tory in the form of solids wnica will have enesical and pnysical properties "nat sitigate the release of radionuclides to the environs. It is assumed anat the geologic recesitory will be designed and operatad so that the solid radioactive wastas are confined incefini.aly.

Environmental Effect:

There are no significant releases of solid racioactive materials from snallow land-burial facilities, c'r free the geologic recesitory, to the environment.

4 Effluents - Thermal The uranium fuel cycle in succort of a socal 1,000-MWe '.'nR discharges acpecxi-nataly 4 trillion Stu of heat per RRY into the environs. Most of tnis heat, acout 50%, is rejected to the atsosenere at the pewer plants sucplying electrical energy to the enriciment plant or at the enricament plant itself.29 Wasta nanagement and scent fuel storage ::ntributa aceu IS% of tne heat rejectac to the environs. This neat results from the cecay of racionuclices. The rejection of process neat frem fuel cycle facilities ace:unts for the remaining 2% of the thermal effluent fr:m the fuel cycle.

i l

a o

50 To cetermine the heat rejection my the fuel cycle over the model LWR lifetime, multiply the thersal effluent value per RRY by 30.

Environmental Effect: The thermal effluents estatac to the fuel cycle in succor: of a accel 1,000-Mke LWR co not recrosent a significant incact. The tnermal effluent of tne fuel cycle is only aceut EE of the heat dispersed to the environs :y the model LWR.

5.

Transportation The cose c:maitment to '.orters and the pucif e related to the transport of nuclear materials in succort of a accel 1,000-MWe LWR is estisatad to be about 2.5 person-rem per RRY.30 i

To determine tne transportation dose consitment over the accel LWR lifetime, multiply the cose c:mmitment per RRY by 30.

Envirennental Effect: The transportation dose c:mmitment estated to tne fuel 1

l cycle in succor: of a sacel 1,0CO-MWe LWR cess not recresent a significant incact. C ecarte to natural backgrounc ractation, tais c se c:maitment is smali.

1 1

5.

Cc:::ational Ex:csure The Oc:::ational ex:esure saiue given in Tacle 3-3 (22.5 ;erson-rem) eteresents an uccer ex:esure va:ce relatec to recrocassing anc as a management activi-f es l

a s

51 associated with the back and of the fuel cycle, if the model 1,000-MWe LWR is operated on the uranium-only recycle mode. Most of the occupational exposure attributable to the back and of the fuel cycle results fres the vtriety of coerations associated with reprocessing and related waste sanagenint activities involving the disposal of irradiated spent fuel. For concarison, tae occucational excesure related to the "back end" of the "ance-througha uranium fuel cycle is estimated to be 7 person-ree per RAY. The occupational exposure attributaale to the entire uranium fuel cycle in sucport of a model 1,000-MWe L%R is estimated to about 200 person-rem per RRY.31 Environmental Effe;1: The occupational exposure attributable to the fuel cycle in succort of a model 1,000'-MWe LWR is acceptable. NRC regulations ifmit the permissible occupational exposure of any individual.o 5 rem annually.

1 i

s

• t 52 Section II - References 1.

NUREG-0115, Section 2.6 and 4.6.

2.

! bid., p. 4-109.

3.

Ibid., 4-117.

4 Ibid., Section 4.4.

5.

Ibid., p. 4-114.

5.

Ibid., Section 2.5 and pp. 4-100.

7.

Ibid., Section 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5, and Section A.4 8.

Ibid., p. 4-114, 9.

Federal Register, 14, p. 45371.

10. WASH-1248, p. 5-9.

11.

Ibid., p. 5-15.

12.

Ibid., p. 0-14.

13.

Ibid., p. 3-10.

14.

Ibid., p. 5-18.

15.

0.5. Council on Environmental Quality, "The Seventh Annual Report,"

Sectancer 1976, Figures 11-27 and 11-29, pp. 238-239.

16. WASH-1248, p. 5-13.

17.

Ibid., p. E-9.

13.

Ibid., p. f.-4 19.

Ibid, p3 0-18, 19.

20.

Ibid., p. E-3.

21.

Ibid., p. E-3.

22. NUREG-0115, p. 4-109.

23.

Ibid., ;o. 4-110 and 4-115.

a.

S.

53 24 Ibid., p. 4-9.

. 25. Ibid., p. 4-84, Tele 4.18.

25. W REG-0218, p. N-17. Tele VII.

27.

Ibid., p. H-18, Te le VIII.

l

28. WASH-1244, p. 5-24.

1

29. Ibid., p. 3-24.

8 I

30. WREG-0118, p. 4-150, Tale 4.35.

I

31. W REG-0218, p. I-2.

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4 l'

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a o

i 54 III. Calculated Population Oose Commitments and Health Effects of the Uranium Fuel Cycle In the Federal Register Notice presu1 gating the final fuel cycle rule (a4 FR 45362), the C amission stated, in note 35, that one iscertant issue to be addressed in the narrative is the question of the time period over which dose ccanitments frea long-lived radioactive affluents should be evaluated.

In particular, now dose c:amitaent evaluations over extended periods of time af gnt ce perforsed and what their significance signt be are sucjects that the Commission directed be acdressed in this narrative.

This port on of the narrative has been develooed to meet the acove Commission di rective. Section A c:..itains a discussion of the population dose c:mmf *Jents and health effects calculated to result frem the radioisotope releases given in Table S-3 when integratad over 100 years." Section 3 c:ntains a discussion of the period of time that the waste in a Federal repositor / may reoresent a i

significant potential ha:ard, the incremental radioisotope releases from the repository whicn might oc:ur during that period, and te period of time for wnf en calculations say provide meaningful information. Section C c:ntains a l

ciscussion of now ve/ long-tars (cousancs of years) dose ::neitsents and healta effects att.-ibutanle to long-lived radioisote:es releasec to te envi-renment sign: be calculated, and wnat ce significance of tne calculations might e.

SASH-1248 and Table.-3 cid not accress tae question of seculation dose c:mmit-rents or potential health effects. However, cese teoics ere discussac in consicersole cetail in NUREGs-0115 and -0216 (Su:alements 1 and 2 of WASH-1248).

These recorts present a detailed reevaluatten of ue "tacx enc of tne uranium fuel :ycle.

s 1

55 A.

100 year Environmental Oose Commitments The environmental models used to calculata the transport of released radio-activity to man and to estimate the potential somatic and genetic health effects used in the following discussion are the models discussed in the GESNO Hearings.

The models have been described in some detail in Appendix C of NUREG-0216. Basically, the models account for the discersion of radioactivity released in the environment, the bicaccumulation in food ;athways, the uptake by man and the dose commitments resulting from that uptake. There are two types of population dose c:mmi'Jents calculatad: the 50 year dose commi Jent from continued external excesure and uptake of the rad 19isot: pes released in a 1 year period, and the environmental dose commitment (EDC).

The ECC represents the sum of the 50 year dose c:. itsents for each year of a specified period du' ring wnica the radioactivity is released or remains in the environment.

In practica, it is impossible to estimate realistically the complete EDC for ver/ long-lived nuclices, such as iodine-129 (17 sillion years half life).

There is no way to predict with any degree of certainty the many variaeles that affect such estimates so far into the future, e.g., tae growth of human

oculation, technological advances, the envirormental behavior of long-lived radionuclides, and the oc:urrence of catastroonic cifmatic and geologic changes.

(See Section C for a discussion of how long-term dose ::mmi'Jents signt :e calculated.)

I 1

.4RC, EPA, and other agencies use a so-called inc:molete ECC.

In GE!MO,2 One length of tre inc:moleta ECC selected was 40 years for a total U.S. occulation j

of 250 million. Thus, 50 year population cases.ere :alculated for eacn jeer i

I

e o

56 of the 40 year excesure period and summed (i.e., the total langth of time covered was 40 + 50, or 90 years). These calculati ns have been modifiec to extend the population dose integration period to 100 years, as recommendec by the 5-3 Hearing Board. Since each year's exposure is calculated for 50 years, the total time covered is 150 years. For the overall fuel cycle, the total body exposure is projected to be !!0 person-res/RRY for an assumed stacle U.S.

population of 300 zillion.

It snould be notad that for tritium and krypton-95 (two of the major dose contributors), there is little difference tetween a 40 year and a 100 year EDC, since acout SC% of both nuclides will decay within the first 40 years.

Furthermore, such the same is true of most of the fission and activation produc*s released from the nuclear fuel cycle (e.g., iodine-131, ruthenium-lC6, strontice-90, casium-137). For this reason, increasir; the length of the EDC from 40 to 100 years results in auch less than a doucling of tne estimated dose commitments and potential health effects; not such additional enange would occur if the EDC were extended beyond the 100 years for most isotopes.

However, for the very long-lived radioisotopes such as carton-14 and fodine-129, moong others, and the special esse of 3.3-day racon-222 wnich continues to be fcrsed by cecay of long-lived parents, the EDCs continue to. increase with time and the calculated nealta effects 71so continue to increase. (See Section C for a discussion of very long EDCs.)

1

n tne area of health effects, it is cessible that even the 40 year EDCs calculatac for the 5-3 hearings overestimatac the imoacts of the releases l

a

=

o 57 The health effects accels represent a ifnear extracoistion of effects ecservec at nign dose rata (e.g. Jacanese nuclear beso su vivors) to otential effects at icw cosas and low dose ratas.

In accision, the assantion is sace that there is no cosa below wnich effects cannot occur. It is believec that the use of such mocels, although useful for regulatory aurtoses, tends to overestimata the effects of exposure to Icw-level tenizing radiation. Most animal'and cellular studies indicata recuced sematic and genetic effects as ce cosas are reduced.

. urther, at low dose ratas, the effects per unit of ractation dose for scaatic effects say cecline cue to cellular recair anc ather secnanisms.

The health risk estimators free the GE5M3 stucies are as fc11cws:*

otal accy cose:

135 cancer deaus ;er stilien person-res 258 genetic effects ::er sit ion ;:ersen-res thyroid cose:

13.4 cancer coaths ;er lifilf en perscn-res lung cose:

22.2 cancer coaths per littlien person-res tone cosa:

6.9 cancer deaths ;:er milif en ersen-res Althcugn :ne rist of a genetic effect occurring is accu: twice that of a cancer coath, zest of the genetic effects (assumec to :s oc=rring at tne equilibrium rate nien retuires aceut 5 generations) -oulc not :e fatal.

'The conclusicns in ce S-3 narrative ::ncerning :ctan:f al Oiological ef'ects i

are based on risk estimators in the 3EIR ! Recort :c.:ified u reflect ~x:re recent radicbfological data in WASH-11CO. ~he 3EIR ::!, wnica reevaluates the risk esti :ators resented in SEIR I, recently has been :ublisned (July,1930).

Althougn the :1RC staff review is s:ill uncemay, ce range of risk estimat:rs for Icw level raciati:n : resented in 3E:R !!I a:: ear u :e essentially ne same numercially or less can these : resented in SEIR I for *nole bocy ex::csures.

Mcwever, in some cases the cancer risk estimat:rs for s:ecific Organs in 3EIR !!!

aceear u te different fr m (semesna: nigner that. 2cse in 3EIR I anc nose in the 5-3 narrative.

~hus, cancer risk estima=rs for scme s::ecific or;ans =uld be scmewna: underestimated in :na 5-3 narrative. Mcwever, si :e the :ulk :f t e collective :c::ulation doses frem te uranium fue: :ycle (ere!.:ing ac:n} are wnole bccy ex::csures, the conclusions of te 5-3 nr-2:ive 4cul de enatgec :nly slign:1y, if at all. if ne 3EIR I!! risk estima :-: er: : :e used.

1 q

5 D

58 2ecause there are higner co a commitments to cartain organs (e.g., lung, bone, thyroid) than to the total body, the total risk of raciogenic cancer is not accressed by the total cocy cose commitment alone. By using the risk estimators

~

presented above, it is possible to estimata the wnole body equivalent dose commitments for certain segans. The sum of the wnole cocy equivalent dose comitments from those organs was estimated to be acout 100 person-rem. Wsn added to the above value, the total 100 year environmental cose commitment would be about 550 person-res/RRY.

In summary, the potential radiological impacts of the supporting fuel cycle (including fuel recrocessing and wasta management but excluding raden emissions fr m sining and mill tailings) are as follows:

total body person-rem /RRY:

550 (100 year dose comitment) risk equivalent person-rem /ARY:

550 (100 year dose commitment)*

fatal cancers /RRY:

0.088' genetic effects /RRY:

0.14 Thus, for example, if three 'ight water reactor power plants were to be operated for 30 years each, the supporting fuel cycle would cause risk equivalent wnole body peculation dose commitments of about 59,000 person-res and a genetically significant cosa ::mitment of acout 50,000 person-rem, leading to estimates of 3 fatal cancars and 13 genetic effects in tne U.S. peculation (200 million sersons) over a period of 100 years. Some parspective can te acded by comcaring suca estimatas with " normal" cancar wrtality for the same ;oculation. Assuming that future peculation charactaristics (age distribution, cancer suscactibility, etc.) anc comceting risks of mortality remain :ne same as tocay, such pru.ctions s

"!ncluces dose comitments to etner organs as well as wnoie tocy :ese.

a n

59

\\

would predict aceut 60 million cancer deaths frea causes other tnan generation of nuclear power during tne next 100 years. Assuming that the occurrence of genetic effects remains c:nstant, projections would predict aoout 25 sillion genetic effects frca causes other than generation of nuclear power during the next 100 years.

Using the lifetime risk estimate of 135 cancer deaths per 105 person-res and averaging the 650 risk equivalent person-res per RRY over the U.S. pcoulation of 200 million persons, the average lifetime indivicual risk in the U.S. fece cancer mortality fres adioactivity released from the succorting feel cycle is accut 3 caances in 10 billion per RRY. Assuming one RRY sucpiles electrical sewer for accroximately a million persens and that all i the cancer risk is torre only by those users, the average lifetime risk to tais population greuc

.oulc te accut 9 cnances in 100 sillion per RRY. This would also be the ac=roximate average lifetime risk per person per ARY fr a tne fuel cycle if all of the electricity used in the United Statas were produced my nuclear

=cwer plants. However, sinca nuclear gewer presently provices aceut 10% of the total electricity generstad in the United Statas, ne average lifetime risk :er ;:erson in the U.S. would to acout 9 caances in 1 million per RRY.

l In 3 :er to provide some :erscoctives an the risk sf :ancar sortality ft m :te sue: rting fuel cycle, scoe urtality risks wnica are nu:arically a: cut ecual to 3 cnances in 1 billion are as follows: a few puffs On a :igarette, a few si:s of wine, driving the family car 1: cut 5 biccxs, flying accut 2 sites, canceing for 3 see:ncs, or being a man aged sixty for 11 sec:ncs.

Using electricity generatac ty any means f:r typical Ocmestic use results in an I

1 l

I

e

.s 60

-6 average risk of i x 10 per year from accidental electrocution.5 Thus, a risk of 9 in 1 billion would be equivalent to using electricity for anout one-half day.

It is believed that the estisated Taole S-3 values and the cose and health effects models used by the NRC to develop the above estimatas result in conserva-tively high projections. Therefore, they provide reasonable assursace that the radiological effects resulting from the releases in Tacle S-3 (as presented in NURECs-01116 and -0216) have not been underestimated.

3.

Potential Lone-Term Effects of'daste Discosal NUREG-0116 Environmental Surve..if the Reprocessing and 'dasta Management Portions of the L'4R Fuel Cycle, contained estisatas of the snort-ters impacts from waste discosal operations (i.e., those iscacts that could result frem the waste discosal oceration during their operating life). Although NUREG-0116 and NUREG-0216 contained data on potential long-tars risks from escace of 6

racionuclides free a recository and face f ew-level wasta disposal ocerations, no entries were nade in Taole S-3 for these potantial releases because tney were fucged to to too small to be of significance.

The staff nas reviewed tne long-ters effects of lew-level waste discosal and TRU snd high-level wasta or spent fuel discosal for oth of the two fuel cycles covered by the cresent proceeding--onca througn and uranium-only recycle.

l l

The potential effects resulting from long-ters releases of iow-level wasta nave seen accressed in NUREG-0216,0 and no accitional consiceration of the

otantial effects of iscosal of these types of *astas is believed to

e i

I i

e a

e

%l 61 l

necessary. Moreover, since it has been assumed that TRU waste <, will be discosed of in a repository along with hign-level wastas, there is no explicit discussion of TRU wastes because the TRU wastes are considered to be part of the hign-level wasta.

The wastes free the once through and uranium-only fuel cycles that will be disposed of in Federal repositories differ feme one another in several ways as noted below:

Wasta Fors - The dominant amount of radioactive waste from the once-througn o

fuel cycle is in the form of spent fuel assemolies, with the fission prt 3 cts and actinicas in a UO matrix; wnile the dominant waste from the 2

uranf ue-only fuel cycle will be solidified hign-level, plutonius, and TRU wasta. The latter will be in the form of solids having precerties engineered to reduce nobility of fission products and actinices. The NRC cannot at this time describe in any detail the variations in the pecperties (in terms of :ettar long-ters retention of fission creducts anc actinides) of one. type of waste fors from the other. Hence, for this discussion, the various forms of solic waste have been assumed to have similar nuclice-retention crecerties.

o Racionuclide Content - The scent fuel contains all of the nonvolatile fission procucts, transuranic elements, and activation products precuced in the course of its f eradiation, as well as all the resicual uranium.

Similarly, the hign-level wastes in coscination with tne plutonium and any TRU was as from the uranium-enly fuel cycle contain essentially al!

O o

e 62 of the nonvolatile fission products, transurante elements, and activation products produced in the fuel in the course of irradiation. The main differenca between the scent fuel and the wastas fece uranium-only recycle is that the wastes free the latter contain only 2-!% of the residual uranium. Thus, on a occad concarative casis, sicca all other nuclices are present in about equal amounts in both wastas, the spent fuel reortsents a sligntly greater long-tars risk because of its larger uranium contant.

Since all solidified wastas have been assumed for this study to have equivalent nuclide retention properties, and sinca spent fuel reprisents the greater long-tarn risk, the following discussion is based on spent fuel.

The potential effects free long-ters releases of radioisotopes frca a reposi-scry, require the consideratioi; of two basic issues:

o over what period of time does the waste represent a significant potantial hazard, and given the stata-of-the-art of accoling transoort of radionuclides, co a

alculations previce neaningful information over nat period of time?

One way to accross the cuestion of.tima over wnica the spent fuel in the stoository reortsents a significant nazard is to assess the not sotantial incact of the disposal of the waste relative to the potential incacts if ne

c. arge to the reactors (fresn fuel) had remained in :ne ore bocy. For this assessment it is assummec that an engineered sys as. inclucing wasta from

a o

.g

?

63 packaging, and the repository, can e expected to confine (isolata) radioactive wasta satarials' at least as well as an isolated ore body. This assumption is believed to be reasonable, based upon the following observations. Ore deposits were located in various geologic settings by natural phenomena and some say be in contact with groundwater, in soils with only occarata retardation of soluta sovement, and with varying f an travel distancas to the biosphere. A recosi-tory, on the other hand, will be located in a hydrogeologic setting purposely selected to have no known or pruspective contact with circulating groundwater, hign retardation of soluta novament and long ion travel distances to the cioschere.

In addition, the recository system, including vasta form and packaging, will also include engineered features which are intanded to prevent or greatly slew the release of the waste to the host media.

Fo- :sta placed in a repository system to reach the biosphere, one of two types of events must occur. The first involves essentially common place occurrences and requires: (1) water to inffitrate the repository; (2) the wasta container to corrode; and (3) radionuclides to leach from the wasta l

form. Long-lived radionuclides will eventually reach the biospnere by migration of teached racionuclides with the getreent of grounewatar to a discharge point or to a well. This type of er.rt cult expose man to radioactive natarials via food enains or other er '*n n - tal pathways. The second type of event involves unusual occurrensas, such (3 disruction of the rescository Oy ian or natural events, wnich released racionuclices to the biosphere. However, sitas l

for wasta r+cositories will be selected in areas wnere the procability nat a 1

natural event ould disturb tne recesitory is extrasa*y icw anc locatec away from identified natural resourcas to minimi:e the procacility tnat man.ould

J3 64 accidentally disture the repositorf. An analysis of the consequences of a meteorite strike of the repositorf, an extraordinary event that would be classified as coming under scenario two, has been given,in NUREG-0116.9 Thus, the analysis here considers primarily the probability of waste reaching the biosoNere under the c:nditions of scenario one.

In the event water infiltrated the repository, it would take a long time for any of the leached radionuclides to be transported to the biosphere by grouncwatar migration. Movement of grouncwater is itself slow, and retarding mechanisms such as ion exchange increase the travel time for most radionuclides such that it might take tens to hundreds of thousands of years for them to reacn the biosphere.10 In this period of time, most radioactive material will have decayed away before it could reach the biosphere. On tne other hand, fission precucts carton-14, technetium-99, and todine-129 have a c:meination of low retardation by fon exchange in soil and long lives. Accordingly, if these radionuclides were leached free wastes by infiltrating water, they could reaca the biuphere in relatively small concentrCiens over.a rather long ifme period. However, in developing the source terms for Table S-3 it was assumed that careen-14 and iodine-129 were released to the biosphere before the waste was sent to the repositor /. While not the actual case with rescect to the disposal of spent fuel frem the once-througn fuel cycle, for tne purpose of the S-3 rule this assumption bounds the ucper limits relevant to releases of carton-14 and f o< ine-129 from the uranium fuel cycle. Tecnnetium can exist in severs 1 oxide forms. Under the concitions expected for greunewaters no in c:ntact with tne atmosphere, insoluole Tc0 or related ycrated forms should 2

be the solucility-c:ntrolling snases, and the c:ncentrations of techr.atium in

a

.o 55 sigrating grounewater snoulc be extremely 1cw. Mcwver, the oxidation ::nditions are difficult to precict due to me effects of c:nstruction of the recository and cue to waste-nck interactions. Thersfere, tecnnetius has been c:nsidered to be present as the ;ertacanetata exyanion (Tc0;) which is assumed to sigrata to the atoscrers with the grouncwatar.

To determine the time period over which scent fuel sign be deemed a significant hazard, we have c: scared its dilutica index with that of unirractated uranium fuel. The cilution incex is a seasure of tae ascunt of water ret;uirec to ciluta the c:ncantration of racienuclides is the ifaits of 10 CFR Part 20 for unrestricted release, wnica can be used ts :: scare the c:nsequences of ingestien of racicactive saterials. Fr:s Figure 3, it can be seen that in spent fuel the fission products ccainata the dilution incex um to accut 200 years free reactor discharge. Beyond 200 years to accut 50,000 years the transuranic racionuclides and taoir daugatars ccainate ce cilutien incex, and beycnc 1C0,000 years uranica and its caugntars desinata the cilution index. Fres Figure 4, it can te seen :nat tae growtn of uranium caugatars radium anc lead acainata the cilution index for aged unir-aciated uranium fuel, suca cat Oy accut 1C0,000 years the afiution incexes for Octa s:ent fuel anc unieraciatac uranium fuel Art a: cut tae same, both Oeing acainatac by uranium anc f*J augntars. Thus, witacut ::nsideration of cis:ersion or retarcation. elative to grounewater trans:cet time, at aceut 1C0,C00 years te cilutten incex of l

ue easte in a recesitory is aceut ce same as agec unieractated uranit:s fusi.

Moreover, sinca slut nium anc americium have icng celay times curing trans:cet from the rtecsit:ry to Os envir:nment, tae cilutten incex of ncse matariais in :ne wasta nat ::ule :ctantially te releasec is ameut the same as aged unir-aciatec fusi aftar 13,000 years.

k.

3 66 108 TOTAL 7

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10 100 1000 10,000 100,000 1,000,0C0 CECAY TIME FRCM REACTCR CISCHARGE (Yrs)

Figure 3 Oilution incex fer Scent Uranium Fuel.

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CECAY TIME FRCM REACTOR CISCHARGE (Yrs)

FIGURE 4 Ciluton Index for Acunides and Caugnters in Scent and Aged Fresh Uranium Fuel l

l 1

C mb l

58 Thus the answers to the previously posed questions concerning the potential long-tars effects of wasta repositories may be framed as follows:

1.

For natural-type releases from a recository, significant net potential f acacts of spent fuel relative to aged fresh fuel exist for less than 10,000 years. In natural-type releases, there is a long time delay (N104-105 years) between the time 'the nuclice (or its parent) leaves the repository and reaches the biosshere. The net iscact of such releases can be c:nservatively (hign side) accroximated by assuming the c moleta release of the technetium-99. Given the nuncer of c:nservative assumptions recuired to scdel the releases feca a repository under natural-type circumstances and the small potential not impact aftar 10,000 years, calculating releases foe natural-type c:nditions beyond 10,000 years orovides little meaningful infor nation.

2.

If disturcancas of a repository which could result in the direct release of significant quantities of ottenvise imobile isot ces are being c:nsiderec (well-cigging), significant not potential ha: arts could persist for 100,000 years. The iscacts from the af sturbance would decenc.cn the time and nature of the action. Aftar 100,000 years, ce.asta in :ne recosit:rj l

resents no greatar ha: arts than ce original matarials carged to tne react 3r.

C.

Oose C:mit. rents and wealth Ef'ec s f em Tone-Lived Racicisot ces leieasac f en ne unnium Nei Cycles The Comission Of rectac ce staff to ciscuss tne time ;erice over.nf en cose cemit:ents snould ce evaluatac, how tne cose c:mmitment evaluations Over l

f<-h 69 1

1 extended periods of time might be evaluated, and what their significancs sight be.

In Section A, page 56, it was shown that a 100 year EDC was adequata to provide the total dose comeitunt from most isotopes. 'iry long-time EDCs are necessary if the completa environmental dose commitmen*s from fuel cycle emissions suen as carcon-14 and f ocine-129 are to be estarmined. In acdition to these isotopes, the analysis given in Section 3 showed that a very conser-vative evaluation of long-tars emissions from a repository would show technetium-99 could be released from a recository. Apolicaole releases for these isotoces are:

Carton-14 24 Ci/RRY Iodine-129 1.3 Ci/RRY Techneti um-99 woper bound for long-tars releases from the repository is 500 Ci/RRY,10CE of the technetium in fuel."

l Caroon-14 and iodine-129 would be esitted as volatfie materials; technetium l

would be leacned from the wasta repository and reacn the biosonore dissolved l

in water.

Mathematical models are avafiaole for estimating the long-tars potuiation doses from caroon-14 and iodine-129. No models are currently availacle for estimating long-term cosas from tacanetium.

'Environmentai Stancards being coveicoed :y E.3A and regulations :eing develocec by NRC are exoected to require reasonacle assurance inat releases of Tc-39 are a small fraction of tais cuantity.

QJ y

70 1.

Calculation of Oose Commitments To calculate dose commi*Jents and health effects over long time periods, one

,aust: (a) predict the population at risk; (b) aodel the time-cependent behavior of the nuclide in'the environment and (c) predict the response of the population to the exposure in terms of cancer mortality and genetic defects.

a.

Population at Risk In considering population at risk over time periods of 100,000 years or more, several gross assumotions must be made. Realistically, geologic history would predict several catastrophes such as ice ages (as many as 10 signt occur over 250,000 years)U and large fluctuations in population might be expectac to be caused by such catastrophes. The staff, for want of a better rationalization, has assumed a stacle world population of 10 billion for the first 10,000 years of ex osure, with periodic variations of population of from 2 billion to 10 billion as a function of time beyond 10,000 years. Further, One U.S. popula-tion was assumed to be a constant 2% of the world population.

b.

Models of Nuclide Behavior (1) Caroon-14 The GE5MO and S-3 hearing recorc do not contain a mocal tnat acecuately predicts the benavior of caroon-la in tne envircement over long time ;eriods. The GE!MO model (RAEGAD) can be used to estimata One dose commitment to tne U.3.

=coulation from tne initial passage of caroon-14 before it mixes in the wor!c's caroon : col. The carton-la mocal develooed by X111cugn can be modified, using the peculation variations given scove, to act-3 long-tarm dose c:mmitments.

V,'e t

71 (2) Iodine-129 Appendix C, Section 3.0 of NUREG-0216 provices an acequate model for estimating long-term population doses from iccine-129. The GESNO sodel (RA8GAO) can be used for estimating the U.S. pcpu'ation cose resulting frca the initial passage of the iccine-129 prior to mixing in the world pool of stacle iodine. For the long-ters, the model assumed for the S-3 hearings results in 1.1 x 10-12 res/ year /Cl to each person in the world after the mixing occurs, with the annual cese-rata declining with a half-life of 17 million years. Althcugn removal :seenanisas probanly exist wnich would result in an environmental half-life much less than the 17 millien year radiological half-!ife, the envir:nmental half-life was c:nservatively taken to to the raciological half-life.

• his conservatisa is prucent until tetter long-term fodine xcels are developed.

c.

Resconse to Exposure In consicaring resconse of the peculation to excesure to racicactive nucifces, l

the staff has no basis to encese any responses other taan tacsa estimated currently--135 cancer deaths /105 :erson-rem, and 258 genetic cefects/iO5

erson-res.I3 In an attamot to consider the potential effects of acvances in tecanology, three scenaries were used--no curs or preventions for cancer or genetic cefacts; a possible cure or preventien for cancer and genetic cafects in 1000 years; and a possible cure or prevention for cancer or genetic cafects in 100 years.

l l

&)

.t l

72 2.

Numerica; Estimates of Dose Commitat is and Health Effects The models described above, together with the assumptions delineated for population and population response to exposure have been used to calculata long-tar s cose c mmitments resulting from car:on-14 and iodine-129 releases.

The values are given in Taale I (car on-14) and Table II (iodine-129). It can

e seen free Table I that integrating carcon-14 dose commitments over 10,000 years captures essentially the total person-res dose commitments frca carton-14.

These data indicate that tae total U.S. population ex:osure to infinity is about 3-4 times the first-pass exposure and the infinite world populat.on excesure is about 8 times the first pass world peculation excesure.

If no cancer cure is found, cumulative excess cancer nortalities/RRY of about 0.06 (U.S.) and 1 (world) might :e predicted frem the carton-14 releases. If a cancer cure is effected in 1000 years, the excess cancer sortalities/RRY would peak at about 0.02 (U.S. ) and 0.3 (world). A cancer cure in 100 years would ifmit excess cancer sortality/RRY to about 0.02 (U.S.) and 0.1 (world). A l

cumulative total of about 0.1 (U.S.) and 3 (world) genetic defects RRY would te predicted to result over a period of 100,000 years from the careen-ia released.

If prevention of genetic cafects were possible in 1000 years, the cumulative genetic defects /RRY would be acout 0.05 (U.S.) and 0.5 (world);

with preventien in 100 years, the cumulative genetic defects /RRY would be acout 0.04 (U.S.) and 0.2 (world).

It can :e seen from Tacle II that the dose c:nmitments from iodine-129 c:ntinue to increase with time, even beyond 250,000 years. Since se mocal coes not ine:rporata any removal mecnanism other than radioactive cecay (17 militon

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Populatiosi Dose Commitments and Potential llealth Effects for 1.3 Ci/RRY Nelease of I-129 frosii a illW Repository no Cancer Cure or Prevention or Caire of Genetic Ociects

~ lime Cimulative Person-Rem Cumulative Genetically Significasit

{E59)

[fifaT65e/rFslequivalent)^

)

Pot 5Iafi5n Gose (organ-res)

T 11.S.^^

W rid *"

U.S.^^^

World***

100 31 40 4.4 S.4 1,000 34 123 4.7 IS 10,000 60 950

7. S 109 100,000 I/$

4800 20.2 530 250,000 390 12,000 43.9 8320 Cumulative Casicer Nrtality Cimulative Gesietic Effects

11. S.

World U.S.

Worlot 100 0.0042 0.0054 0.0011 0.0014 1,000 0.0046 0.017 0.0012 0.0039 10,000 0.0001 0.13 0.0019 0.028 100,(100 0.024 0.65 0.0052 0.14 250,000 H.0$3 1.6 0.OII 0.34 lotal lioely close esguivalesit is tiie sum of the total laody dose and eacle organ dose multi of the mortality risk per organ rem to the mortality risk per person res (total luuly) plied by flie ratio AA I irst l'ast Oose = 31 liersosi rem whole body risk esguivalent l

AAA I irst l' ass Organ llose 4.4 oroan rem

b~~.

,c s

75

)

year half-life), the calculations could, in :natory, be extended to 200 million years or so to capture the total dose ccomitments of iodine-129. This nas not been done for the present treatment. (A Jiscussion of the significance of long-time calculations is given in Section 3. belcw.)

The dart in Tacle II shew that the 250,000 year dose consitzents (whole bocy risk equivalent) from iodine-129 (390 U.S. and 12,000 world persen-rem /RRY) are about acual to the 100,000 year (infinite) dose ccamitments from careen-la (140 U.S. and 11,000 world person-res/RRY). C: mulative excess cancer mortal' ties /RRY for a 250,000 year exposure arn accut 0.05 (U.S.) and 2 (world);

cumuiative genetic defects /RRY (250,000 year) are aceut 0.01 (U.S.) and 0.3 (world).

)

If a cancer curs were achieved 1000 years henca, excess cancer sortalities/RRY from fodine-129 would te limitad to acout 0.005 (U.S.) and 0.02 (world). For a cancer cure in 100 years, excess cancar nortalities/RRY frem iodine-129 woulc peak at accut 0.004 (U.S.) and 0.005 (woria).

If prevention of genet c i

defects were possible in 1000 years, genetic defects /RRY would total accu +.

0.001 (U.S.) and 0.004 (world); if genetic cafects were preventante in 100 years, genetic defec s/RRY would tots 1 accut 0.001 (U.S. and world).

3.

The Significance of Long-Tern Ocse Ccmmit:ents In the acove section, at the direction of the Ccmmission, the staff has reviced taeoretical mathematical calculations for cose c:mmit=ents anc nealta effects of car:en-14 anc iccine-129 for us to 250,000 years.

In order to perform

(

..nu..n~.a 76 these calculations, the staff has had to sakn T series of assumotions based upon little foundation and in which it has little or no conficance. Because of the shortness of human lifa expectancy relative to the much slower changes occurring on earth, such as variations in climate, continental drift, erosion and evolution of species, it is cifficult to esecrenend the immensity of.

potential enanges over long periods of time.

For comoaratively short-lived isotoces, dose commitment integrations can be projected for what 3 mounts to infinite time intervals. For example, an infinite time integration of population dose can be done for tritium or krypton-SS since such a time integration effectively requires consideration of a period of acout 100 years or less. However, projectin population at risk, and population response to risk over even such relatively short time intarvals requires many assumptions which the staff has reaser, to cuc< tion.

It is possible, for examole, to reasonacly postulate the following occurrences during the next 100 years: sajor enanges in the si:e of the ;oculation at risk because of war or global starvation; cures for or prevention of cancer and genetic defects; the casat of the " greenhouse effect; the depletion of oil, natural ;as and mineral resources. Any of these occurrences oay have significant effects on worlewide conditions and affect the validit.i of calculated dose c:mmitments and estated health effects.

In adcition to enanges in the environment, it is also possible that the response of man to exoosurs to radiation will change either um or down in :ne future.

It is thougnt provoking to esmeart the oajor health risks in tocay's America I

wita those at the turn of the last century.

U.S. vital statistics ' show nat

I f

a ja 77 in a period of only 70 years, monumental enanges have occurred in many health areas. For example, life expectancy at birth has increased from 33.0 years to 65.3 years for non whita Americans and from 47.3 years to 70.9 years for white Americans. This translates to a perceived increased risk of cancers and carciovascular diseases in recent years sicoly because acre pecple are living longer than before, anc therefore, have a greater peccability of contracting such diseases which occur primarily in the later years of life.

e In addition, both cancers and cardiovascular diseases have tended to increr.se simply cecause of advances in the cars, treatment and prevention of many other serious diseases. Since the total lifetime risk of mortality is 1 for everyone, when the statistical pre.cility for nortality from a given cause declines, other procacilities must increase. For example, consider the following changes in death rates for major diseases since the beginning of this century:

Change in Risk of Cause of Death Deaths /100,000 Doculation

, Mortality ov 1970 1900 1970 Tucerculosis 194.4

2. 5 factor of 75 lewer Typnoid & Paratyphoid Fever 31.3 0.05 600 "

Diphtheria 40.3 0.05 SCO Cancer 64.0 162.3 2.5 higner Major Carciovascular &

Renal Diseases 345.2 496.0 1.4 Influenca & Pneumonia 202.2 30.9

6. 5 1:wer Gastritis, Duodenitis, Entaritis & Colitis 142.7

0. 5 210 Accidents (inclucing motor venicle) 72.3 56.4 1.3 Other major diseases 58.4 35.1 a

1,7 a

CVERALL:

1,150,3 724.4 factor of 1.5 icwer i

Ad

?

78 Thus, it is clear that the effective c:ntrol or elimination of many diseases which, in the beginning of tae ::nentieth century, typically nere fatal befert people reacted an age where the risk of cancer er carciovascular disease would j

have tec:me significant has at least partially resulted in an apparent increase in suca diseases by 1970. It is also clear, however, that tne overall risk of sortality by major causes in the U.S. has decifned by atout one-third in only the last 70 years. As a result, one signt speculate that there may be an

• ecicemic" of pecole cying frca "old age in the centuries ahead free causes d

that ars little known er rare by tcday's standarcs.

Changes sf ailar to thosa wnica have largely occurred in tha cast as the result

, dramatic medical discoverles say eccur as science continues to seek a'r.d cisc:ver mort effective ways of curing or preventing cancer in the years l

anead. The futurs radiological imcact of the nuclear fuel cycle can be affected by such researen since latant cancer is the only known sericus result of human raciation extosures received at dose rates which do not result in early.nortality.

7he staff is unacle to sake any cefinitive statements accut tae possible variations in the long-term dose c:mmitments and healta effects resulting from l

l

otantial futart ha:ce ings. Mcwever, the staff celieves tnat tae cumulative 1

ccmcined imacts f es icng-livec racionuclices such as car:en-11 and icdice-129 are small estative to those ft:m natural tackground whica is 4: cut TCO,000 l

tillion :ersen rem (world) over a 250,000 year total. The c:mcined incact is Only a: cut 10' ;ercent of natural ackground.

l l

f -,,

. z I

79 Section III - References

'i. Docket No. RM-50-5, Generic Environmental Statament on Mixed oxide Fuel (GESMO). Hearing transcripts for January 19, 25 and 25,1977.

2.

NUREG-0002, Chaoter IV-J.

3.

Ibid., Chanter IV-J, Apcencix 3, page IV-J (B)-1.

4 Pochin, E. E., "The Acceptance of Risk," 3r. Med. Sull., vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 134-190 (1975).

5.

U. S. Nuclear Requiatory Commission, The Reactor Safety Stucy, Main Recort, WASH-la00,1975. Table G-3, 6.

NUREG-0116, page 4-94 ff.

7.

NUREG-0216, Apcendix H, page H-16 ff.

3.

Ibid.

i 9.

NUREG-0115, Table A-19.

10.

Oak Riege National Lacoratory," Siting of Fuel Reorocessing Plants and Waste Management Facilities, ORNL-4451, July 1970.

11. Norwine, J., "A Question of Climate: Hot or Cold?," Environment, 19, 98,

p. 7, Nov. 1977, Mitcnoll, J. M., Jr., " Carton Dioxide anc future EIisate,"

E.O.S., N.0. A. A., Commerce, March 1977; Calder, N., " Head South with All Deliberate Sceed: Ice Age May Return in a Few Thousand Years," Smithsonian, 3, #10, Jan. 1978.

12.

sillougn, G. G., "A Diffusion-Type Model of the Global Carcon Cycle for the Estimation of Dose to the World Population from Releases of Carcon-la to Atmosoners," ORNL-5259, May 1977.

13.

NUREG-0002, Chacer II-J, Accendix S.

la.

U.S. Sureau of the Census, " Historical Statistics of tne Unitac Statas:

Colonial Times to 1970, 3 art I Series 3 149-166.

t 1

4%

30 Section IV.

Sociesc:nomic Imcacts Socioec:ncaic impacts of the uranium fuel cycle can result free increases in 1evels of ecoloyment and puolic services recuirements. !ecause the ::oic is l

so Orcadly definec, it is :esiracle to apprcaca f* as a series of intar elatec succategories. Stiefly, these censist of:

Peculation - changes in ;coulation resulting frca the influx of.crkers and their f amilies at Octa the c:nstruction and ;eration stages Of facilities.

s Ec:ncay - induced canges in inc:ee and ex;enditures, fccluding comancs for services, oth ;uolic anc privata.

While mis fact:r '.as not discussed in WAS*ri-1248, it.as triefly c:verec in the instant proceeding on the back end of the fuel ejcle, and =e failewing ciscussion is casac on the rec:rd of cat proceecing.

or tee nuclear fuel cycle, ;:cculation and ec:ncaic ata un :e :tained at esca stage f-ce mining, silling, and fuel facticatien tar:ugn '.asta isoistion.

The.a:ulation of c:nventional sccicec:ncaic incac.s at eaca stage can ;revice a generic measure of the ::nventional sccicec:rNaic incacts associatac f u =e entire fuel cycle.

For eacn stage of tne fuel :ycle, tne c aractar anc sagnitude Of t e sccicac:-

nemic i=cacts are sita-s;ecific and are catarsinec Oy ne si:e Of tre.crt force, the si:e Of ne 1 cal :cculattens, ne nt.=cer :f inc:mirg.crters in

f-

- s

-n al relation to the population size, the capacities of public service facilities impacted, the acministrative capability of the impacted political jurisdictions, and other related factors. The size of work forces needed for reprocessing plants and waste-relatad facilities suggests that socioeconomic incacts should be manageable througn proper planning anc sitigative efforts. In fact, the socioeconcaic effects of establisning reprocessing plants and waste-related facilities are not expected to differ fn queatity or quality from those asso-ciated with any commercial nuclear power plant. The socioeconomic considera-tions can be summarized as follows:

Iscacts that can be expectad are ccmcaracle to or less than those caused by UiR construction activities and could include noise and cust around the site; disructions or dislocations of residences or businesses; physical or public-access incacts on historic, cultural, l

and natural features; impacts on public services sucn as education, utilities, the road system, recreation, public health, and safety; increased tax revenues in jurisdictions where facilities are locatad; increased local excenditures for services and satarials, and social stresses.I

' dita resoect to the socioeconomic incacts that say be attributacle to recrocas-sinc facilities,.NUREG-0115 citas T/A information snowing the anticipatad socioeconomic incacts associatac with the construc-ion of an '.'nR are recresenta-tive of nose socioec:nomic impacts whien czn be ex:ected from conscruction anc :cerstion of a etcrocessing f acility.

l

AU 82 Since a 2,000 metric ton reprocessing plant (the si:e of the model reprecassing plant) is capacte of servicing 57 reactors annually, the sociceconomic incacts from construction of a reprocessing plant attributable to a single reactor can be approximated as less than 2% of those of the reactor.

1 With respect to the socioeconomic impacts wnich can be attributed to a high-level waste repository (HLWR), commercial nuclear power plant information was utilized to illustrata the anticipated impacts. The anticipated incacts can be expected to vary depending upon the location of the repository and the si:e of tne surrounding communities.

Preliminary estimates of the construction lacor force, developed by the Office of Waste Isolation at Cak Ridge National Laboratory, show a peak nuncer of 800 people, in contrast to the average LWR work force of 2,000. The anticipated socioeconomic imcacts of hign-level waste recesitory construction taus could be expected to be less than those of construction of an LWR. Sinca the proposad recository has the capability of servicing a total of 133 reactors, and can store fuel from 40 reactors (based on 1,200 RRYs over 30 years of operation),

the socioeconomic incacts resulting from construction of the recesitory, when allocatad to a single reactor, would be only a few percent of the socioeconomic iscact of :enstructing the reactor.

In terms of ocerating wort force, ;rsifminary estimates cevelopec at the Office of Wasta Isolation at CRNL set tne numcar of pean iacer force for a hign-level waste recository at 1,530, acout 10 times that of an LWR wort forca (170).

3, l

i 83 An added 1,530 workers to a rural amoloyment case would mean a change in the economy of the area. If the pattarn folicwed the experience of large industrial plants 1ccating in small towns, the fo11cwing observations c:uld be expected to apply:3 1.

Rural industrial development seldom procuces an unmanageamle popula-tion growth rate; it provides a stabiiizing influence en population; 2.

There is a tancency for long distance ccmmuting, wnich tancs to spread out imoacts en c:mmunity facilities; 3.

Housing would me a c meon problem in rural areas.

If the settlement pattern were very c:ncentrated, the impacts on community facilities and housing could be expected to be larger. It is believed that the lead times will be sufficient to allow the potentially imcacted comuni-l l

ties anc the appiteant to develop mitigative programs which would allow for an orderly and manageable resolution of potential socioeconomic imcacts.

Should the repository be locatac within a relatively easy c:mmuting distanca.

it is te11eved that the sur cunding c:mmunities sneuld be tale to anscre the 1,630 workers with fewer imoacts ec:urring and be able to resolve any ;c ential imoacts.equiring mitigation in advanca of the coeration phase.

Basec ucen these assessments of socioecenemic c:nsicerations asscciatad with the ::nst ucticn and cceratien of recrocassing and wasta turial facilities, it l

e '.

34 was concluded that wnen they are spreac over many powe* reactors, they add an insignificant amount to the environmental inoacts of an individual reactor.

Thus, no specific value for socioeconcef e considerations was placed in Tacle S-3.

l In its effort to update Tacle S-3, tne Commission is performing socioeconomic stucies which are intanced to provide acre detailed data on the incacts actually experienced as a result of construction and operation of the facilities involved in each sten of the nuclear fuel cycle. The studies may provide inforsation

nat will permit an incremental assessment of socioeconomic impacts attributad to the fuel cycle activities.

1 l

l l

1 l

l L

~

l

~

n 85 Section IV - References 1.

NUREG-0116, Section 4.11.4, p. 4-168.

2.

Ibid, p. 4-170.

3.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Policy Research Associates,

" Socioeconomic Impacts: Nuclear Power Station Siting, NUREG-0150, June l

1m.

e

-