ML19346A299

Forwards Mods to 810601 Version of 10CFR60 Re Technical Criteria for Disposal of High Level Radwastes in Geologic Repositories

ML19346A299
Person / Time
Issue date:	06/02/1981
From:	Bradford P NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Ahearne J, Gilinsky V, Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML19346A298	List: ML19346A297 ML19346A299 ML19346A300 ML19346A301 ML19346A302 ML19346A303
References
FRN-45FR31393, REF-10CFR9.7, RULE-PR-60 NUDOCS 8106190044
Download: ML19346A299 (5)

Text

.

ne

.*p ouq'e UNITED STATES j h s g ~,h NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

/2

' +

WASHINGTON. D.C. 20555

... m

~

%,..v. /

June 2, 1981 OPPICE CP THE COMMIS$10NER MEMORANDUM FOR:

Chairman Hendrie Cemissioner Gilinsky Comissioner Ahearne 2 5.

FROM:

Peter A. Bradford

SUBJECT:

SECY-81-267 - 10 CFR PART 60

" DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADI0 ACTIVE. WASTES IN GEOLOGIC REPOSITOR *ES:

TECHNICAL CRITERIA" Attached are the modifications I think shculd te made to the June 1,1981 versien of Part 60.

I undarstand that all of these,modifica:icns are acceptable to the staff.

The changes are:

1)

Page 46, Enclosure J (attached) 2)

Page S. Enclosure A (attached) 3)

The staff will supply language before the next meeting to the effect that ALAPA principles have not been applied to natural features because these features are not susceptible te modifications once the site has been selected.

4)

The staff will supply language before the next meeting which gives examples of processes and events which NRC considers to be unlikely.

As a result of this morning's discussion, I suggest we handle the reasonable assuranco issue on page 29 by adopting the suggestion of Comissioner Ahearne.

This suggestion as I understand it is attached.

I have not taken this issue up with the staff.

I would urge that we meet again Friday, June 5, on this matter to see if we can at least agree in -inciple. The Office of the-Secretary is requested to track respenses.

cc:

W. J. Dircks, EDO L. Sickwit, CGC D. Rathbun, OPE j S. Chilk, SECY e-e

.e e *ue G

810619O N

'3* !*

45 Alexancee 5/A G cune.ater-travel times fece re; sitory ce;tas to tne a::essible envir:nment cf 1,000 yenas are achievatie in many nyde:1c;ii systems.

F r a gr:un: ater trave' time cf 1,000 years, ser; tion e uiliccium ::efficients of 100 ml/g or les s are su"i: tent to prevent most of the --incidal contri:uters :: cese free ea:ning ne a::essi:le environment.

Scr;; ion equilibrium : effief ents measured

in the lacerat:ry for the actinides and other nuclices that are principal contri-butors t: cese are in the range of 102-104 ml/g, so that some margin is provided,

=0m ensate fer the uncertainty in a:tual values :f K: un er re:: sit:ry

nci-icas.

Be:aus'e Of the greater ::nfi:ence in our a:U ity t: measure hycraulic rather inan ge::hemical parameters, an: the : nservatism tna; is ira-::a:ed. it seems prucent : select tne.ater travel time rather nan X: ::

e 1 e a amete- : ce reculate:.

(meet-ine-evertii perf orma-::-stancer:-)

ine efere, we have frame: our site performance obje::ive se ina; the travel time f ec-tne reposit ry 10 the at:essiele environment be at least 1,000 years anc we inten:.tna; 00 consicer curing site screenin; :nat sites with 1cnger water travel

\\

\\1 h

tris a :q qq\\. 4 time a-e preferred.

If sites ith long encugh water transport times are selected as potential repository tites, some of the major uncertainty in site evaluation can be res ive:

L4:ensing issues will then mainly ce restricte: to ensuring that tne proposed reposit:ry does not disrupt the hydreiogic flew pathways such that sacrter travel times to the environment are :reatec, an tne acequacy Of engineered barriers cealing -ith cisru:tive events anc natural processes tna-coule result in shorter flew pathways.

t s e e

e O

e*

e-e 'ee'.

e e

0 e

Enclosure J

JNSF.RTTOPAGE460FENCLOSUREJ It is likely that site geochemical parameters may need to reduce some of i

the radionuclides by an additional factor to meet the EPA standard, but no requirement can be quantified in rule form at this time.

Gross estimates of this factor range from 10-100 and even beyond decending on what values are in the EPA standard and depending upon further analyses.

d 0

m 5

I e

e e

o h

?

o O-4

+

4 r,---

c -

,,,,n,.,

..g..

enstitute a

- eas $4:'e a #iaci9; inat tre issua9:e :" a license.fil

t eiss t: t~e net *t-a: sa'ety O'

t.9e cucii:.

Tre Ou-:s:e :# t-i s;::a-is te set cut :e=':-.ance etjectives anc site an: cesic :

'te-a wai--

If satis #ie:

su:::rt su:- a "incinc c' n:

--e a s a :

• e i s *.. #4 W, W !vnW M 9*' M W *^

A$

$+"

W T3 ine Commissier :: find tnat is ne unreasona:1e risk. it must nave reasena:1e assurance en the : asis :" the ree:-c cefore it inat Onese objectives and criteria.111 ce met.

(1 Sue: art E e' nis ta-t aise lists 'incines.tnat must :e ea:e in suceert c' an autneri: tien te construct a ceeleei: -eeesit: v coe-sticas area.

In : articular. 460.31(a) recuires a 'incine tnat tne e is eas:na:*e assurance that the ty es and amounts of -aci: active mate-iais cescriced in tne a: lication can be receivec. cessesse:. and cissese: c' in a recesite v c' the esien Orc osed.itncut unreasonable risk te tne nealts an: sa'etv c' ne Ou:'tc. 'As stated in that carac a:-

in a-riving at nis cete-,1 ati:n, e : m-ission will consice netner the si e anc cesie : m:'v witr tne t

e-iteria containec in this su:: art.

Once acain, wnile tne : 'teria may me w-itten in uncealified terms. the comonstration of cemelfance mav take un:e.tiinties anc cars in knowlec;e inte ac: urt. Oreviced inat tne

• m-ission.can make the s:ecifie: fincine e' easenat'e assuran:e.

(a)

P-4 3 s::: set states-tne :e e:- e : -::f e:tives-t:-:. ::.-4.ve:

s.... n e...= n.4 =... =....

..,0.:...e.

5,...e. m. <.. :...-.. : -.... e: -..

s

.--t:-

s u-ts e 'i.:f ;s-::H e:- f:--f r-5:::s-t-3-:'-ini s ::

t. '

4 P00RORIBIN!1 e

29 En:1:sure A

i

.i....u.,

my CCE in its'id: ease a :11:stie-

!f :ne : ::ess er event is ur'ikely, One-

ne overail syste must stili limi OCI.d :"'ne rele,ase o f ragienu: lice s *-). :: s d s te-4.5 It* p'A M. -tq1, with :ne E:A stancard 3:- -

'-r' -:u;-..

Multt:1* Ba--fe-s The pre:esec secnnical criteria were cevel pec not enly.::n :ne uncerstancing sna: E8A's generally a; lica:*e environmental stancar:

would neec :: ce im;lemented, at least in art. cy performing cal:ula-ti:ns :: preci:: :erf rmance, :ut also wit? :ne <newlecge na seme cf tnose calcula icns woule :e ::m; lex anc uncer ain.

Na ural systems are t

difficult :: nara::eri:e anc any uncerstancing of :ne site will have s igni ficar limita:icns anc uncertainties.

Tnese :recerties wni:n :ertai-

is:1atier. Of hun' are diffi:vi: :: measurt anc tne measurements -ni:t 4

are ma:e will be su ject :: several sources of errer anc uncertain:).

ine pnysi:a1 anc :nemical processes nic.. isciate ne waste: are themselves i

varie: anc ccm; lex.

Further, those pr cesses are es;ecially difficul:

uncerstane in tne area close :: :ne em: laced wastes cecause :na area is nysically anc :nemica11y cistur ec ey ' ne neat generatec y inese 4

s

wastes, newever, a ge: logic re;cs ttery censists of engineerec features as

~

~.e il as tne natural geologi environment.

Any evaiva-icn cf.e:csit:ry

erf:rmance, :nerefore, 4fli c:nsicer :ne waste f:rm anc ::ner engineering I

waien is elemental :: :ne re:csit ry ss a system.

By partiti:ning of

ne engineered system int: twc maj r barriers, the =as e ;ackage an

-he unce gr:und f a:ility, and estatiisning ;e-f:rmance ::jectives f:

ea:n, the Cecmissi:n has sougnt t: ex;1 eft :ne ability :: design the engineerec' D"

P00" GRIGINAL 5-Enc 1csure A

.