ML19354E006
| ML19354E006 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001113 |
| Issue date: | 01/12/1990 |
| From: | Bidinger G, Horn M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19354E002 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9001250191 | |
| Download: ML19354E006 (2) | |
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JAN 121990 DOCKET NO:
70-1113 LICENSEE:
General Electric-(GE)
Wilimington, North Carolina
SUBJECT:
SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT,' AMENDMENT, APPLICATION DATED-DECEMBER 20, 1989, RE TRANSFER OF CALCIUM' FLUORIDE i
Background
i By application dated October 27, 1989, GE requested an amendment to authorize the transfer of industrial waste treatment products (primarily calcium fluoride)'
- for briquetting and eventual use in the production of steel without continuing NRC controls. The application was' resubmitted on December 20, 1989, to include a commitment for a sample plan to provide a 95 percent-confidencevlevel.that the mean uranium concentration will be below 30 picocuries' per gram and to' provide some actual: concentration data.
of GE's fuel fabrication operation.The calcium fluoride is'a solid waste product The material contains low levels of enriched uranium (less than '30 picocuries per gr_am on a dry weight basis).
Discussion The chemical conversion of uranium hexafluoride to uranium dioxide results in
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- an insoluble calcium fluoride precipitate containing: small amounts of uranium.
The dewatered calcium fluoride solids contain less than 30 picocuries of-uranium per gram on a dry weight basis.
Currently, these solidsire
/
transported offsite-to a waste burial facility for disposal.
GE proposes to
'c ship this material to a briquette manufacturer to be mixed with other steel flux forming materials, briquetted, and further distributed to-steel
- manufacturers in the production of steel.
Chemical separation of the uranium" from-the waste would not be permitted.
w' Calcium fluoride is used as a fluxing agent in the steel making process.
The.
A calcium fluoride from naturally occurring ore (fluorspar) contains natural u.ranium ranging from 2 to 10 picocuries of uranium per gram. The fluxed 4
impurities in the steel _ making process end up as_a slag for subsequent disposal.
- t; t
- 3 GE's calcium fluoride may contain uranium in the O to 30 picocurie per gram
' q' 1989 indicates a more typical range of 0 to 10 picoeuries per gram.The range.
x The calcium' fluoride meets the cutoff level (0ption 1 of the Branch Technical Position for the disposal of uranium and thorium wastes).that. allows disposal in an unrestricia manner.
In order to assure that only calcium fluoride that contains uranium at a concentration below Option 1 is shipped, GE has committed-.
4 to using a sample plan to provide a 95 percent confidence level that the
. population mean'for each shipment is less than 30 picocuries per gram on _a dry weight basis.
Mixing of the calcium fluoride in the briouetting process will j
further. dilute the uranium, thereby further reducing the concentration. GE
'1 plans to ship approximately 1,000 tons per year. The company GE will supply produces 13,000 tons of briquetted products per year. The reuse of GE's calcium fluoride is not expected to result in an adverse impact to humans and/or-the environment.
3 C
i JAN 121990
, General Electric 2-Condition 11 of the license granted authorization for transferring test
. quantities of calcium fluoride as specified in the existing section 1.8.12, Part I, of the application. The amendment application revises section 1.8.12 1
to authorize transfer of production quantities; however, Condition 11 which grants the authorization remains unchanged.
Conclusion / Recommendation i
l The calcium fluoride from GE contains small quantities of uranium below the specified limit for unrestricted release contained in the Branch Technical L
Position.. The reuse of this material will not result in an adverse impact to humans or the environment. Approval of this application is recommended.
The Region II' Principal Inspector has no objection to this action.
l QtqualSigned By:
i Herri Horn l
Uranium Fuel Section Fuel Cycle Safety-Branch Division of Industrial and
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OrW g g Medical Nuclear Safety, NMSS-Approved by:
George H. Bidinger, Section Leader Y
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GHBidinger:
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DATE:1/p-/90:
1//P/90:
1/12/90:
J OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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