ML20207R705
| ML20207R705 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000572 |
| Issue date: | 07/26/1984 |
| From: | Schimmel R MONSANTO CO. |
| To: | Hind J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION III) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20207R676 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8703180046 | |
| Download: ML20207R705 (2) | |
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2 Monsanto MoNSANTO COMPANY Dayton Laboratory 1515 Nicholas Road P.O. Boa 8 Station B Deytors Chio 45407 Phor* (513) 268-3411 TWX 810-4591681 26 July 1984 4
Mr. J. A. Hind Director Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region III 799 Roosevelt Road Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137
Dear Mr. Hing:
Confirming our meeting of July 17, 1984 in your Region III offices with Messrs. Axelson, Mallett and Slawinski, Monsanto is closing its radio-isotope source business in Dayton, Ohio.
Decommissioning of the facility l
is not expected to commence before year-end 1984 or early 1985 as orders now on the books must be completed. We will terminate our SNM-567 license or amend it in accordance with the activities to be carried out.
l Though it is not a firm decision at this time,"we anticipate contracting for l
the services of an outside organization having expertise in decommissioning nuclear facilities to carry out the actual decontamination work. We are now in the process of preparing a submittal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in accordance with 10 CFR 30.36, requesting termination or modification of our license and are soliciting bids from outside contractors to carry out l
the decommissioning work. We expect to have the license request in your hands within 60 days.
1 As you know, our facility has been licensed to handle large quantities of transuranium (TRU) radioisotopes. We will be generating considerable waste as a result of closing the activities.
This waste will be packaged in 55 gallon drums and boxes.
Though it is too early to have a good number we estimate on the order of 600 55-gallon drums and 550 cubic feet of packaged glove boxes and remote cells will make up the waste.
There are two problems that involve the Nuclear Regulatory Conmission.
The first is that under present regulations we will not be able to transfer the TRU waste to a comercial waste dump l
because of it being above permissable concentration. We do not think it advisable to store such waste on site (within the city limits of Dayton, Ohio) i for an indefinite period, which seems to be the present prospect.
Since the problem is associated with a regylatory constraint it is our belief that l
movement of the waste will occur only through direct intervention of the B703180046 860314 -
REG 3 LIC70 JUL 2 7 }gg4 SNH-0567 PDRb
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2-26 July 1984 Mr. J. A. Hind Commission.. Being v. ry specific the only viable alternative is to transfer e
the waste to a Department of Energy (DOE) waste facility.
In years past we have talked with the DOE and it has been their position that the DOE is not permitted by law to accept commercial waste unless the NRC requests such action in the interest of public safety. We believe the Commission must discuss this situation with the DOE with the intention of transferring our waste to the Government in the interest of community health and safety.
A second problem associated with the decommissioning of our facility is the packaging of the waste.
If the waste were to go to a commercial waste facility its packaging would be different from that sent to a government facility. Also, if the waste is required to be packaged and st.ored on site for an indefinite period what will be the packaging requirements when the waste is ultimately transferred to a waste facility (i.e., 5 to 20 years fromnow)?
4 Future repackaging of the waste will be a hazardous undertaking and will expose personnel to unnecessary radiation and potential contamination so it must be avoided.
j.
We are advising you of our intentions so that you can plan accordingly. We request that you initiate discussions with the Department of Energy relative to their accepting our TRU waste. We are more than happy to assistyou wherever
- possible.
Feel free to call upon us if we can help facilitate the removal of the waste from our Dayton site.
Respec,'tfully, Dayton Engineered Produ all. C Robert L. Schimmel Manager RLS:dgk cc:
R. Hart - Monsanto R. Bucknell - Monsanto W. L. Axelson - NRC i
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