ML20059E145
| ML20059E145 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/30/1993 |
| From: | Kenneth Lambert, Mccann G NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20059E143 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99990003-931230 99990003-93-34, NUDOCS 9401110010 | |
| Download: ML20059E145 (4) | |
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t U.S.. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION III Report No.. 999-90003/93-034 Docket No. 999-90003 License No. Non-Licensee Facility: ~ Aluminum Company of America (ALC0A) 1600 Harvard Avenue Cleveland, Ohio r
Inspection Conducted: Onsite September 21-23, 1993, October 15, 1993, and in office review of soil sample data on November 15', 1993.
Inspection By:
- 4M4 ko Wh0 k 3 Kehnet'h JI Lambert Date Radiation Specialist Accompanying NRC Personnel:
Don Sreniawski Keith Andre i
Approved By: bM 7L t.~, -
/2/30 [9 3 George"M. Mc'Cann,1 Chief Date '
/
Fuel Facilities and Decommissioning Section Summarv Inspection on September 21-23. 1993. October 15. 1993. and November 15. 1993
'j (Report No. 999-90003/930034(DRSS))
Areas Inspected: This was a special inspection to accompany Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (0 RISE) during the confirmatory survey of ALC0A Building 65 and to perform radiological surveys of the previously remediated grid A,0 and filled LSA boxes.
Results: The preliminary results of the ORISE confirmatory survey did not identify any areas in excess of NRC unrestricted release criteria. The exposure rate survey of the LSA boxes did not identify any. areas in excess of NRC-regulatory requirements.
Results of wipes taken on the boxes do-not.
indicate the presence of removable contamination. The soil sample results from grid A,0 do not indicate the presence of radium-226 -(Ra-226) thorium-232 (Th-232), or uranium-238 (U 238) in excess.of NRC unrestricted release.
1 criteria.
j
.i 9401110010 931230 REG 3 GA999 ENVALCOA i
99990003 PDR j
3 DETAILS 1.
Persons Contacted
- M. Gradert, Environmental / Industrial Hygiene Specialist
- A. Ansari, ORISE, Project Leader 2.
Facility History The Aluminum Company of America (ALC0A), Cleveland Works is a large aluminum refining, casting, and finishing facility in Cleveland, Ohio.
Refined thorium was used at the facility since the 1900's with little information on the quantities and forms used prior to 1954.
The Atomic Energy Commission license expired on February 28, 1961.
Limited radiological surveys were performed by the NRC in 1980; by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (0RAU) in 1985; by NUS Corporation in 1989; and by Remcor Corporation in 1990. The latter two survey reports identified Th-232 contamination in the south east corner of the facility along the southern property line. This area was remediated by Remcor Corporation in 1991.
Subsequently, a confirmatory survey conducted by ORAU identified one grid with U-238 residual soil contamination above NRC unrestricted release criteria.
In addition, ORAU performed a scoping survey of buildings 65, 71, 107, Ill, 119, and 120 and the solid waste landfill.
This survey identified contamination in the duct work of building 65. The grid with soil contamination was remediated by NES Corporation (NES) in October, 1992. NES remediated Building 65 in the spring of 1993 and submitted a final survey report to NRC in July 1993.
ORISE, formerly ORAU, conducted a confirmatory survey in September 1993.
NRC is currently waiting for the confirmatory survey report from ORISE.
In 1992, ALC0A requested permission from NRC to demolish the buildings in the Permanent Mold Area of its facility, with the exception of Building 65. To assure that no contamination existed in those buildings, NRC contracted with Dak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (0 RISE) to perform a limited radiological survey of buildings 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 70, and 72. This survey identified depleted uranium contamination above NRC unrestricted release criteria in the mezzanine of Building 25. ALC0A contracted with NES to remediate the mezzanine. On October 15, 1992, NES initiated remediation activities, in accordance with a plan approved by NRC, and completed remediation efforts on October 18, 1992. On October 19, 1992, ALC0A submitted the final survey for the mezzanine, which indicates residual contamination below the unrestricted release criteria.
3.
ORISE Confirmatory Survey The ORISE confirmatory survey was conducted from September 21 to 23, 1993. The inspector and ORISE project leader modified the confirmatory survey plan on September 20, 1993. The modified plan is as follows:
Survey a minimum of 5 percent of the roof grids. The survey of selected grids included 100 percent scanning for alpha and beta activity. When 2
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survey plan on September 20,1993. The modified ' plan is as follows:
Survey a minimum of 5 percent of the roof grids. The survey of. selected.
grids included 100 percent scanning for. alpha and beta activity.. When j
scanning indicated ' activity below NRC unrestricted release criteria, one J
direct measurement was performed at the location of the highest activity '
l identified in the grid. When grid scans-indicated all measurements the same,. direct-measurement was performed at the center of the grid.. A wipe was collected from the location of direct readings. - When activity in excess of NRC average unrestricted release criteria'is identified, direct measurements will be performed at five points in the grid. Duct j
. work will be scanned at access points. When scanning indicates activity.
j below unrestricted release criteria, one direct measurement and wipe 1
will be performed. When activity in excess of unrestricted release i
criteria is identified, five direct measurements and a wipe will-be' performed in a one meter square area. Two to four rooms will have a minimum of fifteen measurements performed for comparing to ALC0A's. final survey report data. The remaining rooms will have one to two measurements performed as time allows.
.j ORISE conducted the confirmatory survey as planned above.
Preliminary data did not identify areas with residual radioactive material in excess of NRC unrestri' ed release criteria. NRC unrestricted release criteria l
are 5000 disint
'ations per minute (dpm) (83 Becquerel (Bq))/100 square centimeters (cinj overage p activity; 15,000 dpm (250 Bq)/100 cm' j,
maximum $ activity; and 1000 (17 Bq)/100 cm* removable $ activity.
These criteria are found in NRC's." Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or 1
Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material," August 1987. The suitability'of Building 65 for unrestricted release will be determined after reviewing the ORISE confirmatory survey-report.
4.
Survey Procedures Exposure rate surveys were performed in the vicinity of 32 filled.
LSA boxes on September 22, 1993. These boxes are filled with. roofing material and other contaminated articles from the remediation of.
Building 65 and are awaiting disposal. The boxes are located south of Building 65 along ALC0A's east fenceline. Wipes were collected-from the surfaces of boxes to determine if any removable activity is present.
The area surrounding the boxes has been roped off and posted with
" Caution Radioactive Materials."
At the request of NRC, Division of Low Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, a radiological survey was conducted on October 15,.
1993, at' the former Permanent Mold Division. The' survey was performed.
of grid A,0 in the remediated area south of former Building 71. This area was remediated by ALC0A after the ORISE confirmatory survey report-identified an area with depleted uranium activity in excess ~ of NRC unrestricted release criteria. The survey consisted of exposure rate measurements and soil sampling.
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Survey Results Exposure rate measurements of LSA boxes were performed using an Eberline E-520 survey meter, serial number 1786, last calibrated on September 22, 1992, coupled to an HP-270 probe. Background was determined to be 10.microroentgens per hour ( R/hr) [2.6 nanocoloumbs per kilogram per hour ((nC/kg)/hr] at a height of one meter.
Exposure rate measurements were indistinguishable from background.' A total of six wipes were collected from the top and sides of selected LSA boxes. The wipes were analyzed in the NRC Region III Laboratory for gross alpha and beta activity.
Results indicate that gross alpha activity was indistinguishable from background and gross beta activity was less than 1.6 disintegrations per minute p'er 100 square centimeters (dpm/100 cm*)
(27 millibecquerels (mBq)/100 cm ).
Surveys of the remediated area south of Building 71 were conducted using a Ludium Model 19 microroentgen survey meter, serial number 21533, last calibrated February 9,1993.- The survey measurements of grid A,0 at a height of one meter were indistinguishable from background;
Background
was determined to be 10 pR/hr (2.6 (nC/kg)/hr) at a height of one meter.
Five soil samples were randomly selected for gamma spectroscopy-in NRC r
Region III Laboratory. Samples were analyzed for Ra-226, -Th-232, and U-238. Ra-226 and Th-232 concentrations were less than I picocurie per gram (pCi/g) (0.04 Bq/g) of soil. The U-238 concentrations ranged from 12.7 to 25.9 pCi/g (0.5 to 1.0 Bq/g) of soil. The U-238 to U-235 ratio 1
indicated the activity to be from depleted uranium. The NRC
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unrestricted use criteria for depleted uranium in soil is 35 pCi/g (1.3 Bq/g). This criteria is found in NRC Branch Technical Position,
" Disposal or Onsite Storage of Thorium or Uranium Wastes from Past Operations" (46 EB 52061, October 23,1981).
6.
Exit Meetina
'n exit meeting was conducted on September 23, 1993 with the individuals as specified in the Persons Contacted section of this report.
Preliminary results of the ORISE confirmatory survey were discussed.
The suitability of Building 65 for unrestricted release will be determined after reviewing ORISE's confirmatory survey report. An exit meeting was conducted with Mark Gradert on October 15, 1993. The preliminary results of the confirmatory survey of the remediated area south of Building 71 was discussed. ALC0A representatives did not identify any information discussed as being proprietary.
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