ML20155H703
| ML20155H703 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/05/1998 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20155H691 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-QA-99990063-981105 99990063-98-05, 99990063-98-5, NUDOCS 9811100246 | |
| Download: ML20155H703 (12) | |
Text
i U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGIONlli Docket No:
999-90063 License No:
Non-Licensee Report No:
999-90063/98005(DNMS)
Licensee:
Englehard Corporation Facility:
Englehard Corporation Buildings Location:
1000 Harvard Avenue Cleveland, Ohio Dates:
August 25 and 27,1998 Inspectors:
D. W. Nelson, M.S., Radiation Specialist P. J. Lee, Ph.D., Radiation Specialist Approved By:
Bruce L. Jorgensen, Chief Decommissioning Branch Division of Nuclear Materials Safety l-I.
9811100246 981105 RE03 GA999 EMV*****
k l-99990063 PDR 4
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
Englehard Corporation NRC inspection Report 999-90063/98005(DNMS)
Confirmatory surveys of the interior surfaces of Englehard Building K-1 were conducted to determine if the licensee's final survey data accurately reflected the condition of the building and to independently survey for residual contamination. The confirmatory surveys did not identify any residual surface contamination within Building K-1 in excess of the NRC's unrestricted release guidelines.
Soil samples were collected in the east section of Building K-1 where contaminated concrete and soil had been removed. Analysis of the samples in the NRC Region lli laboratory showed the average concentration in the samples was less than NRC unrestricted release guidelines.
Wipe samples were collected at various locations within Building K-1 and were analyzed in the Oak Ridge institute of Science and Education analytic laboratory. None of the wipe samples analyzed contained detectable radioactive contamination.
The inspectors also reviewed the results of B. Koh & Associates, Inc., final closeout surveys of the exterior surfaces of Englehard Buildings K-1, L-5 (Raw Shed), L-1 and L-2 (Locker Room) and the Oxygen Tank Storage Wall (Attachment B). All of the exterior surfaces of these buildings and the wall had been designated unaffected areas by the contractor and the l
contractor's final closeout surveys indicated that the surfaces were contamination free.
Confirmatory surveys of these surfaces were not performed by the inspectors since confirmatory surveys were deemed unnecessary.
The interior and exterior surfaces of Building K-1 and the exterior surfaces of Englehard Buildings L-5 (Raw Shed), L-1, K-1 and L-2 (Locker Room) and the Oxygen Tank Storage Wall meet NRC criteria for release for unrestricted use.
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l Report Details
1.0 Background
Natural uranium was used in the production of uranium hexafluoride for the Manhattan Engineering District and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in the 1940's and 1950's at this site. Building G (see Attachment B) was the main processing building. Building G is a three story building made of brick and concrete and has approximately 66,500 square feet of floor surface. Building G was decommissioned by the Harshaw Chemical Company and released from AEC controlin 1960. Currently, the Englehard Corporation owns all of the buildings on the site except for Building G, which is owned by the Chevron Chemical Company.
From 1976 through 1979, surveys of the site were conducted by Argonne National Laboratory for the Department of Energy. These surveys identified residual uranium contamination in excess of NRC release limits within Building G. The other buildings were also surveyed anc'several were found to be contaminated in excess of release guidelines.
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in early 1997, an Englehard contractor, B. Koh & Associates, Inc., began remediating all of the contaminated buildings owned by Englehard. Chevron has indicated that Building G will be remediated at some future date.
2.0 Confirmatory Surveys 2.1 Insoection Scooe (87104)
The two contaminants of concem found within Building K-1 were natural processed uranium and thorium. Thorium contamination was found throughout the East Wing and in one isolated area in the west section. Contamination in other areas of Building K-1 was found to be uranium. All contaminated areas were designated "affected* areas.
The NRC confirmatory surveys were conducted in accordance with inspection Procedure 87104, The surveys performed within Building K-1 included direct surface scanning surveys of interior surfaces (floors and lower walls) within designated affected areas and minimal random direct surface scanning surveys within designated unaffected areas. The surveys also included measuring exposure rates one meter above the floors and the collection of smears from the floors surfaces.
Direct surface scanning surveys of the building floor were conducted using Ludlum Model 2241-2 Ratemeter/ Scalers coupled to Ludlum Model 44-9 Geiger-Mueller (G-M) pancake probes. Exposure rates were measured at a height of one meter above the building floors using Ludlum Model 19 micro R meters. See Attachment A for details on survey instruments. Efficiencies were calculated for the direct surface survey instruments prior to arriving at the site. Due to surface attenuation, most of the particles detected were expected to be high energy betas. Based on the ratio of alpha to beta activity, beta measurements were used to determine the alpha surface activities of source materials.
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l The NRC's unrestricted release guidelines for uranium for fixed activity on building surfaces are 5000 disintegrations per minute (dpm) (84 becquerels (Bq))/100 square 2
centimeters (cm ) averaged over an area not to exceed one square meter, and i
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i 15,000 dpm (250 Bq)/100 cm maximum activity over an area not to exceed 100 cm.
The guidance is 1000 dpm (17 Bq)/100 cm for removable activity. These guidelines are 2
found in the NRC's " Guideline for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material," dated August 1987.
l The NRC's unrestricted release guidelines for thorium for fixed activity on building j
surfaces are 1000 disintegrations per minute (dpm) (17 becquerels (Bq))/100 square I
2 centimeters (cm ) averaged over an area not to exceed one square meter, and 2
2 3,000 dpm (51 Bq)/100 cm maximum activity over an area not to exceed 100 cm. The 2
guidance is 200 dpm (3 Bq)/100 cm for removable activity. These guidelines are found l
in the NRC's " Guideline for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment prior to l
Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material," dated August 1987.
2.2 Qhaprvations and Findinas 2.2.1 Buildino K-1 Englehard Corporation classified six distinct areas within Building K-1 as affected areas based on characterization surveys and the collection of soil samples from borings in the building's floor (Attachment C). The exterior surfaces of Building K-1 were classified as unaffected areas based on record searches and characterization surveys. The " Final Radiological Survey for the K-1 Building Interior and Exterior," survey report dated
~ August 19,1998, for Building K-1 was reviewed by the NRC prior to visiting the site.
The final survey data indicated that the areas surveyed were less than the NRC unrestricted use guidelines.
The six distinct designated affected areas within Building K-1 were the SW Room, the East Wing, the West Section Area A, the West Section Area B, West Section Area C and the Center Section Area A (Attachment C). Thorium contamination was only found in the East Wing and in one small area within West Section Area A.
a.
East Wino To remove contaminated concrete and soil, a large section of the floor of the north end of the East Wing had been excavated (Attachment D). -The inspectors performed direct o-scanning surveys on surfaces within the hole left by the excavation and on the adjacent floor surfaces. The inspectors performed direct surveys over approximately 60% of the surface area of the hole and 50% of the adjacent floor surfaces. Activities ranged from 60 to 90 counts per minute (cpm) with a general area background of 60 cpm. No residual activity above the NRC release criteria for thorium was detected in the hole or on the adjacent floor surfaces.
l Exposure rates were measured at one meter above the surfaces within the hole and one meter above the adjacent floor surfaces. The exposure rates ranged between 9 and 13 microRoetengens per hour. The background exposure rate throughout the building averaged about 10 microRoetengens per hour.
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Fourteen smears were collected from the East Wing floor surfaces and seven soil samples were collected from the base of the East Wing excavation. The smears and soil samples were returned to the NRC Rlli laboratory or Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC release criteria for thorium (Attachment F). The average activities in the soil samples were also less than the NRC release criteria for thorium in soil (10 picocuries per gram Attachment E).
b.
SW Room Floor The inspectors performed direct surface scanning surveys on approximately 30% of the floor surface. The activities ranged from 50 cpm to 280 cpm with a general area l
background of 50 cpm. No residual activity was above the NRC unrestricted use i
guidelines.
Exposure rates measured at one meter above the floor surface ranged between 8 and 10 microRoetengens per hour.
Three smears were collected from the floor surface. The smears were sent to the ORISE laboratory for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC release criteria for uranium (Attachment F).
c.
West Section Area "A" The inspectors performed direct surface scanning surveys on approximately 80% of the floor surface. The activities ranged from 40 cpm to 80 cpm with a general area background of 40 cpm. No residual activity was above the NRC unrestricted use
. guidelines.
Exposure rates measured at one meter above the floor surface ranged between 10 and 12 microRoetengens per hour.
Three smears were collected from the floor surface. The smears were sent to the ORISE laboratory for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC release criteria for thorium or uranium (Attachment F).
d.
West Section Areg "B" The inspectors performed direct surface scanning surveys on approximately 60% of the floor surface. The activities ranged from 50 cpm to 80 cpm with a general area background of 50 cpm. No residual activity was above the NRC unrestricted use guidelines.
. Exposure rates measured at one meter above the floor surface ranged between 10 and 11 microRoetengens per hour.
l, Three smears were collected from the floor surface. The smears were sent to the ORISE laboratory for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC l
release criteria for uranium (Attachment F).
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e.
- West Section Area "C" The inspectors performed direct surface scanning surveys on approximately 60% of the floor surface. The activities ranged from 50 cpm to 80 cpm with a general area L
background of 50 cpm. No residual activity was above the NRC unrestricted use guidelines.
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Exposure rates measured at one meter above the floor surface ranged between 7 and 8 l
microRoetengens per hour.
Three smears were collected from the floor surface. The smears were sent to the ORISE laboratory for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC l
release criteria for uranium (Attachment F).
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- f..
Center Section Area "A" The inspectors performed direct surface scanning surveys on approximately 100% of the floor surface. The activities ranged from 60 cpm to 90 cpm with a general area background of 50 cpm. One isolated hot spot with activity of 600 cpm was found during 1
the survey. The hot spot was immediately remediated to less than 300 cpm. No l
residual activity was above the NRC unrestricted use guidelines.
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l' Exposure rates measured at one meter above the floor surface ranged between 8 and l
13 microRoetengens per hour.
Three smears were collected from the floor surface. The smears were sent to the ORISE laboratory for analysis. None of the smears had activities above the NRC release criteria for uranium (Attachment F).
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Extenor Surface Buildina K-1 Englehard Corporation classified the exterior surfaces of Building K-1 as unaffected l
areas, based on searches of the records and surveys. Based on reviews of the final L
survey results, confirmatory surveys by NRC were deemed unnecessary and were not performed on the exterior surfaces of Building K-1.
I 2.2.2 Exterior Surfaces of Enalehard Buildinas L-5 (Raw Shed). L-1. K-1 and L-2 (Locker Room) and the Oxvaen Tank Storaae Wall (Attachment 3).
l in the report " Final Radiological Surveys for the Oxygen Tank Storage Wall, Utility Shed, Raw Shed (L5) Exterior and Building L-1 Exterior," dated August 7,1998, the licensee indicated that based on record searches and surveys the exterior surfaces the these structures had been classified " unaffected" areas. The report also indicated that the licensee's limited final closeout surveys had confirmed that the activities on the structure's surfaces were below the NRC unrestricted use guidelines. Based on reviews of the final survey report, confirmatory surveys by NRC were deemed unnecessary and were not performed on the exterior surfaces of these structures.
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L 2.3 -
Conclusions i
The interior surfaces of Englehard Building K-1 were surveyed for residual contamination. The confirmatory surveys did not identify any residual surface contamination or residual contamination in soil samples within the building in excess of the NRC's unrestricted release guidelines. Based on these results, the interior surfaces of Englehard Building K-1 can be released for unrestricted use.
Based on reviews of the final radiological survey reports, the exterior surface of Building K-1, Utility Shed, Raw Shed (L5) and L-1 and the Oxygen Tank Storage Wall can also be released for unrestricted use.
3.0 Exit Meeting Summary At the conclusion of the onsite inspection, the preliminary results of the confirmatory surveys were discussed with the individualidentified below. Subsequer.tly, on September 15 and November 5,1998, on respective completion of analyses of soil and wipe samples by the NRC Region lll laboratory, the results of those analyses were discussed with Mr. Kopas.
Attachments: A. Surveyinstruments B. Site Map C. Building K-1 West Section Floor Plan with Identified Affected Areas D. East Section (Wing) Floor Plan E. Building K-1 East Section Soils F. Analytical Results for Smears from Englehard PERSON CONTACTED T. Adams, B. Koh & Associates, Inc.
INSPECTION PROCEDURE USED i
IP 87104: Decommissioning Inspection Procedure for Materials Licensees l
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Attachment A i
Survev instruments L
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Instrument Model No.
Serial No.
Detector Last Calibration Ludlum 2241-2 132190 Ludlum 44-9 07/20/98 i
Ludlum 2241-2 132192 Ludlum 44-9 06/22/98 Ludlum 19 33540 N/A 11/21/97 The beta efficiency for the Ludlum 2241-2 meter with the Ludlum 44-9 probe was about 25 percent. The Model 19 meter background varied depending on the composition and location of the surrounding structures.
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L Attachment E l
Englehard Corporation l
Thorium Concentrations in Building K-1, East Section Soils (pCi/ gram) i Sampling Th-232 + Th-228 Uncertainty (2 o) location K-1 10.5 2.0 l
K-2 6.4 2.0 i
K3 6.4 2.6 K-4 7.5 2.4 K-5 3.0 1.4 l
l K-6 4.8 2.0
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K-7 4.7 1.8 l
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1 Attachment F ANALYTICAL RESULTS FOR SMEARS FROM ENGLEllARD, CLEVELAND, OHIO.
RFTA# 99-09, DOCKET # 999-90063
- Dave, Forty five smears taken on 8/27/98 were counted for gross alpha and beta activity. Results for all samples were below minimum detectable activity (MDA). MDA's were 8.9 dpm/ smear for alpha and 14.7 dpm/ smear for beta. All QC was acceptable.
- Please contact me or Dale Condra with any questions or comments.
Regards j
Mark Laudeman i
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