ML20040B834
| ML20040B834 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Limerick, 05000000 |
| Issue date: | 01/18/1982 |
| From: | Lochstet W LOCHSTET, W.A. |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20040B769 | List: |
| References | |
| FRN-44FR61372, RULE-PR-50, RULE-PR-51 NUDOCS 8201260459 | |
| Download: ML20040B834 (7) | |
Text
.
i United States of America i
j Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1
In the Matter of
)
4
)
{
Pronosed Rulemaking on
)
l The Storage and Disnosal
)
PR-50,51 of Nuclear '.'aste
)
(44 FR 61372) m, 0
("aste Confidence Rulemaking)
)
l 4
a Statement of Position 18 W >
5; Offic cf iS S::rerf by gg pe;.g g 333
,4 i
Eram C
William A. Lochstet t
,,4 i
m l
j It is my nosition that there is no confidence that safe l
disposal of radioactive waste from licensed nuclear fa cilities will be available by 2007 -2009.
It is further held that it j
is unlikely if such safe disposal will ever be,available.
Given enough time, on-site disnosal or storage will prove to
?
j be unsafe.
This last position follows from the two which j
nreceed it.
On-site storage can only be useful and safe for a 4
j short period of time ( few decade's). If permanent storage is
]
never developed, then the wasto must remain in this on-site d
j storage beyond this time period, and become leaky and unsafe.
Thio position is taken in resp 6nse to the' U.S.
Denartment of Energy's
" Statement of Position" in this prodeeding (Ref.1).
The main thrust of this position is that an acceptable means of disrocal for nuclear waste can be found in a mined geological 3
formation.
Dose rates below background are Significant N
j The Department of Energy (DOE) takes the tosition that 3
releases from a waste depository with consenuences of a few.
J l
4 1
8201260459 820114 PDRADOCK05000g C
2 milliren to a few tens of millirem ner year vill be considered a c centable ( P.ef. 1, nace II-9 ).
If this is applied to t he cresent a
world nopulation of 4 x 10- people, using the conclusions of the 1972 BEIR recort (Ref. 2), the conclusion is a steady state death rate of 2700 to 6600 persons per year.
In 100 years this 'oulo accumulate 270,000 to 660,000 deaths.
I Cannot a.oree that such health effects are acceptable.
This accentance of consecuences of a few tens of millirems ner vcar dose rate is used by the DOE in its definition of Isolation for nuclear waste (
3ef.1, page II-9 ),. Thi s definition is therefore rejected. Rather actual consequences will be asessed.
The Iodine-129 imoact The total inventory of fission nroducts to be accumulated by the year 2000 has been estimated by Blomeke and Bond ( Ref 3) 11 to be approximately 10 curies. Of this approximately 7000 Curies will be iodine -129, an amount close -to the' EPA estimate of 1973
( Ref. 4 ).
The DOS sugtects tk t it can Guarantee that the geological denository will remain intact for 1C,000 years ( P.ef. 1).
This is probably a factor of ten too optomistic, but is still 6
very short concared to the 17 x 10 year half life of I-129.
Sunpose tFat the denository remains intact not for a mere 10b years, 6
but for 10.
And then suppose that it k:dt takes a second million years for the iodine to leak out. This is in keening with the DOE results of sections II.F.1.4.2.3 and II.F.1.4.3.4 ( Ref.1, pa ges II-231 and 11-23 5 ).
To nimplify the calcula tion, consider that the I-129 become uniformly diluted in the stable iodine lb or the blocchere. I estinate that there may be as much as 10 kilograms of such stable io. ; no available to the biosrbere. This defines a minimum concentration, of I-129.
The standard x human thyroid contains 7 milligrans of iodine (Ref 5). FHom this,
the activity in a standard thyroid can be calculated, and in turn, ust the methods of ICT "ublications 10 and 2, tbe dose is obtaincu (Ref 6),
i l
3 The world nonul ation.is assumed, conservatively, to remain at its nresent level of 6 billion.
Then, the total dose is only 127 nerson-rem ea ch year to the thyroids, inir.ia lly..
22 Si Summing this over the totsl decay neriod for the iodine-129, 9
results in a total of 3 x 10 ner son-rem to the thyr, ids.
Usins; the method of EPA (Ref. 7) vhich uses the
- linear, no'n-threshold theory and tre 1972 SEIR renort (Ref. 2), a total of 30,000 to LQ,000 thyroid cancers is estimated.
Of these, 500" to 10,000 wou]d be fatal at current rates.
This number of health effects is not considered to be acceptable.
In fa ct this number is compcrable to the EPA estimate for the entire nuclear industry thru the year 2020 (Ref. 4).
The Uranium-238 Impact The Interarency Review Group estirate of lLEG'ile nuclear cnpacity by the year 2000 uould result in 88,600 MT of heavy mztal discharged as opent fuel ( Ref. 8).
Pohl and Kepford l
( Ref. 9, 10) have pointed out t ha t the natural radioactive
(
decay leads to the production of radon-222 in large cua7tities. This matter has been reviewed by Dr. R.L. Gotchy of tie I RC staff ( Ref.11). The uranium in the snent 16 fuel vi]l yiela a total of 1.3 x 10 curies of radon-222.
To provide an estimate of tbc health consequences of l
radon releases, the'world populdtions and population distributions I
are assuned to remain at oresent levels.
The !!RC suggests that a releacc of 4,200 curies of radon-222 fron a mine or mill in the vest will result in 0.023 excess deaths ( Ref.12, page 11, 18).
-6 This nrovides a ratio of 6.E x 10 deaths per curie.
- Thus, tbo radon rroduced could cause about 6 x 1C dea th s if it all escaned to the a tmosnhere.
This value would be diminished only by the average fraction of the uranium which remains buried.
If the depository were to be uncovered by erosion the health nnu conceauonces would be proportional to the time uncovered.
It should be noted that the erosion of the Grand Canyon is twice
as deen no is nlanned for thr ce unstes. Thus, erosion ic not, totally iv.occible.
Conclucionc:
The DOE position that very small doce rates in the order of 10'millirens acr year, or less is acceptable can lead to very cerious consecuences, if allo <ed to percist for long periods of tire.
Thic shoule: lead to a new definition of what is a cceptable.
In rarticular, the consecuences of Iodine - 129 are alnoct certainly too large to be acceptable.
It would not be rossitic to guarantee the contdinnent of the waste for hundreds of nillions of years es this would recuire.
The decay of Urani.:n.- 238 to radon-222 has potentially severe concecuenecc.
!!ere the nsjor factor is what fraction of the tine, what fraction or the uraniun is close enough to the earth's surface far the radon to escane into the air before it deccys.
Erosion will tend to uncover tha waste.
Erocion uill also tend t o re-bury it.
The averat;e result is unclear, and very ::t site-cnecific.
for these reasons, any scenario for nuclear vaste disrocal in a mined geologic disposal site will be unacceptable.
It ic noted that the very long term impacts must be considered.
Footnote 12 of URDC v. USimC, 547 F.2nd 633 (1976) recuires that consideration be given to the full deto::ificatien period for the unstes. !.lco Calvert Cliffs Coordinating Comnittee v.
USAEC, ht9 F.2d 1109 at 1115 (1971) mandates a particular sort of infor nnd decision-making,
and sta t,es that if the :b:c decinion wa s reached procedt. rally, without individualized concidrration of environncntal factors, it is the responsibility of the court,s t.o reverre.
Thun it it is the resconsibility of the agencies to not adopt a procedure that all dose rates of ten nillirenc rer year are accentable, 0
.- ~ -..
Di 4.. wur -
'*-*e**4*
'"~~N**
" ' * ' ~ ~ * * ~ '
~ * * * -
-e'*-
A References 1
":Jtatement of rocition of t!e United States Department of Enerrr in the l'atter of 'ronoceri Rulcmakinr, on the Stor: ge and Disposal of Huclear.l acte" PR-50,51 (LLFR61372),
U.S.
D0",15 Arril 1920, DOE /l:E-00r7 2
"The ef 'ects on nooulations of exnosure to Iow Levels of i Ionizinr Tadiation",
EEIR conmittee, "ational Acade.y of
'J ci en c e c-I.'a tiona) ' encarch ':ouncil,1972 3
"Einh-Lo. vel este.~anagement Research and Development ~?rcrram at aaP Ridr,e *ational Laboratory", in " Eigh-Level Radioaciive M.ste ana gem en t", ::.H. Cwebell Ed.,1976, American Che.mical loCiety 4
"3nvironmental Radia tion Doce Commitment: an ?.pplication to Thc 1:uc1 ear fo'?cr Inductry", EPl.., 1973-002 5
International C:mniccion on Radiological Protection, Publication Io. 2, "crcanon Press,19 59 6
lbid, and International Jomniscion on 2adiological Protection, Publication "o 10, Perganon Press,1968, 7
E.".A.
1973-002, nace D-17, on. cit.
6 "lecort to the '> resident by tre Intercconey Review Group on I!ucit ar a ste l'a nagement" TID-2FF17, Dra f t, October 1978 9
R.O. "chl, " Health Effects of Radon-222 from Uraniun I:ining" Scarch, 7(5), 365-350 ( Aucunt 1976) 10 Teatimony of Dr. C. 3. Kepford, "liet lth Effects Comrarison f,r Coal and ::uclear nower" in the matter of Three I'lle Island unit 2 ( Uacket 50-%O) orera ti nr, licence hea ri ngs.
11
.s f ri <h vi t of H.L. Got chy, ""nnendix", "Radiolor-ical Innact of
!!a don-2?? Pel ea nos", US!GC, in the mattir of 2bree !'ile Island Unit 2, Docket SG-320, January 20, 1978 l? "liral th Mfecta 't,tributable to Coa] and I:uclear Fuel Cycle u terna tiven" I'UMCG-03 3 2, Dra f t, U. 3. f.'3C,
Septenber 1977 3espect fully Submitted W$b L
SI &
' ill ian u. lachetet, Ph.D.
N Certificate of Service I hereby certify that copies of ".idditional Material supplied bypetitionerLochstctsubsequenttoPrehearingConferenggon;j-8 pf g January 1982" have been served upon those persons on the atts.ched Service I.ist by deoosit in the United States l' ail, first cless, postage prepaid, this 14 th day of January 1982.
I
' - w r V/j k V t'illiam A. Lochstet AEi istrative Judge Lawrence, Brenner 11. Frank R Re ano Ato=ic Safety and Licensing Board 61 Forest Avenue U.S. Nucicar Regulatory Cc ission A=bler, Pennsylvania 19002 Washington, D.C.
20555 Mr. Charles B, Taylor Administrat_ive Judge Richard F. Cole 24 West Tenth Atenue Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cc==1ssion Washington, D.C.
20535 s
y Administrative Judge Peter A. l' orris -
6504 Bradford Terrace Ato=ic Safety and Licensing Board, Philadelphia, Pecnsylvania 19149 U.S. Nucicar Regulatory Cot issica Washington, D.C.
20555 Sanuel & Clarissa B. Cooper P.O. Box 16 Colora, Maryland 21917 Judith A. Dorsey, Esq.'
Stephen H' Lewis 1315 K'alnut Street, Suit, 1632 i
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 19107 Counsel for NRC Staff Office of the Executive Legal Director {
Charles W. El-lio t t, Esq.
123 N 5th Street, Suite 101 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Cc :ission Washington, D.C.
20555 Allenton, PA 18102 Trey B. Conner, Jr., Esq.
conner & Wetterhahn Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ?anel U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 174 7 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D. C.
20555 Washington, D.C.
20006 Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Panel Philadelphia Electric Cc:pany U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission AT'~N :
Edgard G. Bauer, Jr.
Washington, D. C.
20555 Vice Pres. & Gen. Counsel 2301 Market Street
, Docketing and Service
-: tion Philaddiphia, ?cnnsylvania 19101 Of fice of the Secreta -
1 U. S. Nuclear Regulatn.y Ccmmission l
Washington, D. C.
20555
Alan J. flogee 3700 Chestnut Street isabert L. Anthony Philadelphia, PA 19104 103 Vernon Lane, Box 186 Moylan, PA 19065 Steven Levin '
11 Beard Circle Robert J. Sugarman, Esq.
Phoenixville, PA 19460 Berle, Butzel Kass Case and Sugarman 2115 Bainbridge Street Donald S. Bronstein,.Esq.
1425 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
,Mr. Joseph H. White, III 11 South Merion Avenue Robert W. Adler, Esq.
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 19010 Assistant Counsel Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DER Dr. Judith H. Johnsrud 505 Executive House, P. O. Box 2357 Co-Director, ECNP 433 orlando Avenue Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Thomas Gerus'ky, Director state College, Pennsylvania 16801 Bureau of Radiation Protection Walter W. Cohen, Esq.
Department of Environmental Resources Consumer Advocate 5th Floor, Fulton Bank Building
. Office of Attorney General Third and Locust Streets 1425 Strawberry Square i Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Harrisburg; Pennsylvania 17120 Randall Brubaker, Esq.
Steven P. Hershey, Esq.
Assistant Counsel Co=nuaity Legal Services Inc.
Commoquealth of Pennsylvnia, DER Sylvania House Room 1200,1315 Walnut Street Juniper & Locust Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvata 9107 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107 Director Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Basement, Transportation and Safety Bldg.
Harrisburg, Penn'sylvania 17120 John Shniper, Esq.
Hy Mayerson, P.C.
Meeting House Law Bldg. and Gallery Mennonite Church Rd. Schuylkill Rd.
Spring City, Pa 19475
/
~
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _.. _.. _. _.