ML20055E093
| ML20055E093 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/26/1990 |
| From: | Gibbons D, Mallett B, Mccann G, Patterson J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20055E088 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99990003-900628 99990003-90-06, 99990003-90-6, CAL, NUDOCS 9007110014 | |
| Download: ML20055E093 (5) | |
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L U. S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III Report No. 9999003/90006(DRSS)
Docket No. 9999003 i
License Number: Non-Licensee 1-Non-Licensee:
Cabot Corporation j
950 Winter $treet
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P. 0. Box 9073 Waltham, MA- 02254-9073 1
Special Inspection Conducted:
February 22, 1990 Inspection At: Cabot Corporation Quarry, Kokomo, Indiana I
I A6 M Inspectors:
D. R. Gibbons-J ( /66 i
Radiation Specialist' Date f -
e-J. W. Patterson M 25 Radiation Specialist D'a te
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Reviewed By:
G. M. McCann, C tef b Ed.slf90 Nuclear Materials Safety Date Section 1 4'f t h
Approved By:
B. S.
allett, Ph.D., Chief F
_6 B C,1f 90 l
Nuclear Materials Safety Branch
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Special Inspection Summary-Inspection on February 22, 1990 (Recort No. 9999003/93006(DRSS))
Areas Inspected:
This was an announced special safet t inspection initiated
-as a result of inquiries from local and state officials, and'in response to
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an allegation received by an anonymous telephone call to the Region III Office.
The special inspection included a review of procedurts and representative 3
records, observations,. independent measurements and interviews with personnel.
Results: A Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) was issued to Cabot Corporation i
on February 28, 1990 (see Section 2).
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-9007110014 900628 REG 3 QA999 EMVCABC 99990003 PDC l
h DETAILS 1.
Backaround Two Region Ill inspectors were dispatched to Kokomo, Indiana, to review-an excavation project underway in an old quarry that was previously used to dispose of toxic and radioactive waste. The-inspection was in: response l
-to inquiries from Local and State officials requesting the NRC to visit the site to determine:
(1) whether radioactive material is in the quarry;-
(2) who has jurisdiction; (3) radiological hazards, if any; and -(4) whether procedures are being followed to protect the workers and general public near the excavation area. The inspection was also in response-to an allegation that several drums unearthed during the excavation were 1
exhibiting radiation levels of 1.5 mR/hr at their surfaces, j
i The inspectors were informed by personnel at the site that the excavation project was being performed by the Bechtel Corporation under authority n{
of the Cabot Corporation. Cabot Corporation owns the quarry and had previously disposed of various materials into it, including approximately 300 pounds of uranium (believed to be depleted uranium).
Bechtel personnel informed the inspectors that they were confident that they had unearthed the 300 pounds of uranium in four or five barrels.
Prior to the j
inspection, the excavated barrels were isolated and partially buried to shield the radiation emitted from them.
The barrel storage area was already roped off and properly posted with radioactive material and radioactive contamination signs when the inspectors arrived onsite.
F A detailed history of the licensed activity pertaining to these barrels.'
I was outlined in a letter dated February: 27,1990,- from Mr. Donald J.-
Robinson, Director of Public Affairs, Cabot Corporation, and ' addressed to Bruce Mallett, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region III. The letter-explained the licensing actions permitting the initial procurement of j
.the licensed material..the procedures and methods used to machine the material, and the final disposition by burial as-approved under 10 CFR 20.304.
Region III elected not to issue a violation to Cabot Corporation j
pertaining to the possession of licensed material without~ a valid NRC license. This was based upon. Cabot Corporation's past~ approval j
pursuant to 10 CFR 20.304 to dispose of licensed material by: burial, their initiative-to recover the licensed material, the continued' updates submitted to' Region III pertaining to the excavation project, and the submittal of an. application to the Comission for possession of licensed '
material incident to disposal.
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o In addition to the original 300 pounds of uranium, many other barrels I
co itaining unknown' radioactive materials have been unearthed during the project, including a number of grinding wheels that reportedly contain natural thorium.
Certain of.the ecavated materials were analyzed prior to the inspection in an attempt to characterize the material.
Further sampling end analysis will be conducted after NRC approval.. Bids had been submitted by several companies for further analysis of the drums.
1 As of March 21, 1990,. it was determined that no bids had been accepted, i
and Bechtel personnel were revising their work plan to include procedures' 3
for Bechtel personnel to open and sample the drums.
The plan will be submitted to Region'III for approval before implementing sample procedures.
By March 2,_1990, a total:of 301 barrels had been excavated by Bechtel.
Four'of these barrels have been sampled and analyzed by-Bechtel's facility at Oak Ridge, Tennessee; These barrels are packaged for ultimate disposal:
at a hazardous waste facility.-
On ' Februa ry. 28, 1990,- a ' Confirmatory Action Letter-(CAL) was issued to document Cabot's--agreement to maintain all source material at the quarry, submit an updated work plan, and an application for a source material license by March 30,-1990.
'The drums containing the depleted ~ uranium exhibited beta / gamma-surface radiation levels of 0.8 mR/hr to'1.5 mR/hr maximum. The grinding wheels measurea 4 to 6 times background (0.02 mR/hr), using Bechtel's survey instruments (Ludlum 3 with Nal probe).
The excavation project started in April-1989 and is' target'ed to be completed in early May-1990.
The final' disposition of the 301 drums, grinding wheels, and other debris that may be four.d, wi_11 not be_
1 performed until'the sampling and analyses have been completed,-and approval:is granted'by Region III.
Cabot Corporation's representatives notified Region III:on May 11', 1990 that excavation related work was completed on May _8,:1990.
None-of.the drums or other excavated materials have been tested or removed from the
- I site. Test procedures are being formulated in Bechtel's Oak Ridge,.
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L Tennessee office.
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l 2.
Allegation' Followup An allegation was evaluated during this inspection and' consisted of record and procedure review, interviews with personnel, radiological surveys and.
observations by the NRC inspectors. The allegation was received by telephone to the Region III-Office by an anonymous caller who identified himself as a contractor-employee. -The-allegation and the inspector's findings are discussed below (Allegation No. RIII-90-A-0016 (closed)).
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4 Allegation x
Several drums unearthed in a quarry _were surveyed and found'to have readings of 1.5 mR/hr at the surface.
The alleger was inquiring as.
to NRC requirements-for his company to sample the drums found in the quarry.
1 Discussion
.The NRC inspectors. observed five drums unearthed'at a quarry located in Kokomo, Indiana. The drums were surveyed by the inspectors and found to display radiation levels from 0.8 mR/hr to 1.5 mR/hr. 'Bechtel Corporation, a contractor, hired by Cabot Corporation, located these drums during an excavation project of-a. quarry previously used 'to
-d spose-of waste material including approximately 300 pounds of depleted uranium. Personnel were confidentethat_the 300 pounds of' uranium were:
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containod within the five barrels.
There were a total of 301 barreis-excavatad during the project, and a number of grinding '.;hseis.
Personnel j
had prr perly segregated the five drums and wheels from the other barrels, I
proper y posted the drum' area.-and were receiving bids for sampling of all the drums-before disposing of them at approved waste facilities.-
Cabot Corporation ~ personnel were informed that the uranium required a sourci material. license for possession incident to disposal, and that' i
the aplication for that license should include sampling procedures and methods planned for disposal of the uranium.
Finding The allegation was substantiated. A total of'301 drums were unearthed; l
five displayed radiation levels of from 0.8.mR/hr to 1.5 mR/hr. -The
'l drums, however, were properly shielded and posted and' Cabot Corporation' 1
has applied for an-NRC license to possess-the unearthed material-for i
purposes incident to disposal.
1 3.
Confirmatory Action Letter (CAL) Status During excavation of an old quarry located in Kokomo, In' diana, Cabot i
Corporation excavated approximately 300 pounds of what is believed to be depleted uranium. A CAL was issued on February 28, 1990, in'which Cabot Corporation agreed to take certain specific actions' due'to' their possession' of potentially NRC licensable materials.
Thelactions'taken by the Cabot Corporation for each specific CAL item are described below.
CAL Item 1:
Demonstrate within 30 days that your possession of the unearthed-radioactive materials does not require NRC licensure or apply for an appropriate NRC License to allow possession and handling of the-material incident to disposal. The license application will be accompanied by:
(a) an inventory of the radioactive materials including isotopes, l
quantities and forms of known materials and volume information for t
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1 unknown radioactive materihls; (b) a description of y'our procedures for handling the radioactive materials; and (e) the applicable' licensing fee as delineated in-10 CFR 170.
In addition, you'should' submit a proposed plan for analyzing the radioactive contents of excavated drums and a proposed plan for ultimate disposal of the' material.
-Cabot Corporation's Action:
TheCabot-Corporationmanagementdeterminedthattheexcavatedmaterialj required NRC licensure. An' application ano licensing fee was received i
May.25, 1990. The application is being reviewed'by the Region'III
. materials licensing staff.
CAL Item _21 Continue to follow your previously developed excavation plans entitled,
" Washington Street Quarry Remedial Actions Project (Phase 3), revised August 18, 1989 and " Health and Safety Plan! for Phase III," revised July 24, 1989, with the exception of Step 5.2.4.2 of the former plan and Step 2.2.2 of the'latter, regarding analysis of unidentified radioactive materials.
Cabot Corporation's Action:
The Company has continued with their excavation-plan, and informed the Region III office that'the excavation phase of_the. project was completed on May 8,1990. Analysis of unidentified ~ radioactive materials has been postponed pending NRC approval of proposed sampling and analysis methods.
CAL Item 3:
Continue to maintain the excavated drums containing: radioactive materials in guarded. and secure storage at the quarry, and:do not open the drums or-process the material further until approved by the NRC.
Cabot Corporation's Action:
All of the drums containing radioactive materials are guarded, secured,
=d pc!+ad in the quarry and have not been opened.
CAL Item 4:
Notify this office immediately should continued activities at-the~ quarry identify additional radioactive materials or if problems involving radioactive materials arise.
Cabot Corporation's Action:
The licensee has had no additional problems with radioactive materials, and committed to keep the NRC Region III office' informed-of-future disposal' plans.
In summary, the licensee has satisfactorily met all CAL requirements.
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