Information Notice 1989-13, Alternative Waste Management Procedures in Case of Denial of Access to Low-Level Waste Disposal Sites

Alternative Waste Management Procedures in Case of Denial of Access to Low-Level Waste Disposal Sites

ML031180518
Person / Time
Site:	Beaver Valley, Millstone, Hatch, Monticello, Calvert Cliffs, Dresden, Davis Besse, Peach Bottom, Browns Ferry, Salem, Oconee, Mcguire, Nine Mile Point, Palisades, Palo Verde, Perry, Indian Point, Fermi, Kewaunee, Catawba, Harris, Wolf Creek, Saint Lucie, Point Beach, Oyster Creek, Watts Bar, Hope Creek, Grand Gulf, Cooper, Sequoyah, Byron, Pilgrim, Arkansas Nuclear, Three Mile Island, Braidwood, Susquehanna, Summer, Prairie Island, Columbia, Seabrook, Brunswick, Surry, Limerick, North Anna, Turkey Point, River Bend, Vermont Yankee, Crystal River, Haddam Neck, Ginna, Diablo Canyon, Callaway, Vogtle, Waterford, Duane Arnold, Farley, Robinson, Clinton, South Texas, San Onofre, Cook, Comanche Peak, Yankee Rowe, Maine Yankee, Quad Cities, Humboldt Bay, La Crosse, Big Rock Point, Rancho Seco, Zion, Midland, Bellefonte, Fort Calhoun, FitzPatrick, McGuire, LaSalle, 05000000, Zimmer, Fort Saint Vrain, Shoreham, Satsop, Trojan, Atlantic Nuclear Power Plant
Issue date:	02/08/1989
From:	Cunningham R E, Rossi C E NRC/NMSS/IMNS, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
IN-89-013, NUDOCS 8902070339
Download: ML031180518 (7)

UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20555February 8, 1989NRC INFORMATION NOTICE NO. 89-13: ALTERNATIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURESIN CASE OF DENIAL OF ACCESS TO LOW-LEVELWASTE DISPOSAL SITES

Addressees

All holders of NRC specific licenses.

Purpose

This information notice is being provided to inform addressees of importantrecent and potential future events concerning restrictions on disposal oflow-level radioactive waste, and to suggest actions to minimize possibleadverse consequences of these events if licensed activities involve the needto dispose of radioactive waste. It is expected that recipients will reviewthis information for applicability to their activities and consider action,as appropriate. However, suggestions contained in this information noticedo not constitute NRC requirements; therefore, no specific action or writtenresponse is required.

Description of Circumstances

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (P.L.99-240, theAct) established a series of milestones, incentives, and penalties designed toassure that States and Regional Compacts without low-level radioactive wastedisposal facilities make timely progress toward development of such facilities.States and Regional Compacts which do not meet the milestones specified in theAct can be subject to penalties such as higher disposal costs, and may even-tually be denied access to currently operating burial sites.The most recent milestone under the Act was on January 1, 1988. This milestonerequired non-sited Regional Compacts (those not affiliated with the currently-sited States of Nevada, South Carolina, and Washington) to identify a host state,develop a siting plan, and delegate legal implementing authority. States notaffiliated with a Regional Compact were required to develop a siting plan andprovide for delegation of authority as well.In January of 1988, the U.S. Department of Energy and the sited States of Nevada,South Carolina, and Washington determined that the States of New Hampshire andVermont were in noncompliance. On December 19, 1988, the State of WashingtonCriz/339 ZIA

IN 89-13February 8, 1989 informed the States of New Hampshire and Vermont that effective January 1, 1989,waste originating in those States would be denied access to the regional disposalfacility located near Richland, Washington. Similar action is anticipated by theStates of South Carolina and Nevada.On January 31, 1989, the Governor of Michigan issued a letter to the members ofthe seven-State Midwest Interstate Compact in which he stated that he washalting the siting process for a disposal facility in Michigan. As a result,the State of Washington has denied access to waste originating from the Stateof Michigan. Similar action is anticipated by the States of South Carolinaand Nevada. At this time, it does not appear that any immediate action willbe taken to deny access to waste originating from the other members of theMidwest Compact (Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin).Discussion:Denial of access to disposal sites could disrupt licensed operations whichgenerate waste by preventing licensees from shipping waste from their faci-lities. This, in turn, could cause regulatory and safety problems such asexceeding authorized possession limits due to the accumulation of waste, in-adequate waste management capability, or inadequate waste storage facilities.It is suggested that licensees monitor the progress of their States or RegionalCompacts in meeting milestones specified in the Act. Licensees in States forwhich it appears milestones will not be met may need to prepare for the possi-bility of severe restrictions on disposal of radioactive waste. Licensees inNew Hampshire, Vermont, and Michigan may wish to consider actions now to miti-gate the potential impact of loss of disposal capability. Following are examplesof suggested actions to be considered:1. Review your current NRC license and license application, particularlypossession limits and procedures and requirements for waste processing,storage, and disposal to determine if changes need to be made forincreased storage of waste.2. Determine how much of your waste goes to a licensed burial site eitherdirectly or indirectly through a "waste broker."3. Evaluate potential safety problems and technical difficulties which mightresult if radioactive waste remains in storage at your facilities for longperiods of time; e.g., package deterioration, inventory control, firehazards, etc.4. Review alternatives to minimize generation of waste shipped to burialgrounds; for example:a. Carefully segregating long-lived radioactive waste from short-livedand non-radioactive waste.b. Stopping unnecessary work which generates waste.

IN 89-13February 8, 1989 c. Changing processes, procedures, or radionuclides to reduce volumeof generated waste.d. Using volume reduction techniques, such as compaction.5. Review alternative waste management and disposal methods; for example:a. Transfer of unneeded sealed sources to their respectivemanufacturers.b. Disposal of biomedical wastes in accordance with 10 CFRSection 20.306.c. Decay-in-storage.d. Incineration.e. Interim storage pending transfer to a licensed burial site if accessis restored in the future.6. For waste management measures which are not currently authorized by yourNRC license, consider requesting an amendment to your license to authorizeadditional waste management actions in the event of restricted access toburial grounds. Examples would be amendments to authorize increased pos-session limits, decay-in storage, incineration, or use of interim storagefacilities.The above suggestions would not be a permanent solution to waste burial restric-tions, but would better assure that licensees have contingency plans in placeto avoid safety violations and to minimize disruption of licensed activities.A number of parties have inquired about the granting of emergency access underthe provisions of Section 6 of the Act. On February 3, 1989, NRC issued a newrule, 10 CFR Part 62, in the Federal Register (54 FR 5409) which establishescriteria and procedures to be used in determinning whether emergency accessshould be granted. These criteria and procedures, consistent with Congressionalintent, view the granting of emergency access as a last resort. Therefore,waste generators should be aware that only under the most limited and rarecircumstances would generators be granted such access.Questions about license requirements and license amendments should be directedto the appropriate NRC licensing office, either in one of the Regional Officesor in Washington, D.C. Questions on low-level radioactive waste policy issues

IN 89-13February 8, 1989 should be directed to: Paul Lohaus, Chief, Operations Branch, Division ofLow-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, Mail Stop 5E4, U.S. NuclearRegulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Phone: (301) 492-3345. Nospecific action or written response is required by this information notice./errw ,.Richard E. Cunningham, DirectorDivision of Industrial andMedical Nuclear SafetyOffice of Nuclear Material Safetyand Safeguards, DictorDivision of Operational Events AssessmentOffice of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Technical Contact:

Paul Lohaus, NMSS(301) 492-3345Attachments:1. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices2. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices

Attachment 1IN 89-13February 8, 1989 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNMSS INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to89-1289-0389-0288-100Dose Calibrator QualityControlPotential ElectricalEquipment ProblemsCriminal prosecution oflicensee's former presidentfor intentional safetyviolationsMemorandum of understandingbetween NRC and OSHA relatingto NRC-licensed facilities(53 FR 43950, October 31, 1988)Teletherapy EventsUnauthorized removal ofindustrial nuclear gaugesIndustrial radiographyinspection and enforcementRecent findings concerningimplementation of qualityassurance programs by suppliersof transport packages02/09/8901/11/8901/09/8912/23/8812/2/8811/22/8808/22/8808/12/8888-9388-90All NRC medicallicenseesAll Fuel Cycle andmajor nuclear materialslicensees-All holders of NRCspecific licenseAll major nuclearmaterials licenseesand utilities holdingCPs and OLs.All NRC medicallicenseesAll NRC licenseesauthorized topossess, use,manufacture, ordistribute industrialnuclear gaugesAll NRC industrialradiography licenseesAll holders of NRCquality assuranceprogram approvals forradioactive materialpackages88-6688-62OL = Operating LicenseCP = Construction Permit

Attachment 2IN 89-13February 8, 1989 LIST OF RECENTLY ISSUEDNRC INFORMATION NOTICESInformation Date ofNotice No. Subject Issuance Issued to89-12Dose Calibrator QualityControl89-1189-1089-0989-0889-0789-06Failure of DC Motor-OperatedValves to Develop RatedTorque Because of ImproperCable SizingUndetected InstallationErrors In Main Steam LinePipe Tunnel DifferentialTemperature-Sensing Elementsat Boiling Water Reactors.Credit for Control RodsWithout Scram Capabilityin the Calculation of theShutdown MarginPump Damage Caused byLow-Flow OperationFailures of Small-DiameterTubing in Control Air, FuelOil, and Lube Oil SystemsWhich Render Emergency DieselGenerators InoperableBent Anchor Bolts inBoiling Water ReactorTorus SupportsUse of Deadly Force byGuards Protecting NuclearPower Reactors AgainstRadiological Sabotage2/9/892/2/891/27/891/26/891/26/891/25/891/24/891/19/89All NRC medicallicensees.All holders of OLsor CPs for nuclearpower reactors.All holders of OLsor CPs for BWRs.All holders of OLsor CPs for test andresearch reactors.All holders of OLsor CPs for nuclearpower reactors.All holders of OLsor CPs for nuclearpower reactors.All holders of OLsor CPs for BWRs withMark I steel torusshells.All holders of OLsfor nuclear powerreactors.89-05OL = Operating LicenseCP = Construction Permit

IN 89-13February 8, 1989