Improving the Characterization Program for Contact-Handled Transuranic Waste Bound for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Improving the Characterization Program for Contact-Handled Transuranic Waste Bound for the WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT -- Copyright -- Preface -- ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- ES.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM -- ES.2 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 BOUNDARIES OF THE STATEMENT OF TASK AND STRATEGY TO ADDRESS IT -- 1.2 ORIGIN OF THIS STUDY -- 1.3 TRANSURANIC WASTE DEFINED -- 1.4 THE WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT -- 1.5 LIFE CYCLE OF TRANSURANIC WASTE -- 1.6 CHALLENGES OF TRANSURANIC WASTE CHARACTERIZATION -- 2 Transuranic Waste Inventories -- 2.1 EXISTING WASTE AND TO-BE-GENERATED WASTE -- 2.2 TRANSURANIC WASTE INVENTORIES -- 2.3 CHALLENGING WASTE STREAMS DESTINED FOR WIPP -- 2.3.1 Waste with high potential for generating flammable gas -- 2.3.2 Oversized containers -- 2.3.3 Fissile isotope content -- 2.3.4 Legacy waste generated in research laboratories -- 2.3.5 Prohibited items -- 2.3.5.1 OASIS and other organic sludge wastes -- 2.3.5.2 Sealed sources -- 2.3.5.3 Wastes containing heat-sealed bags -- 2.3.6 Remote-handled transuranic waste 10 -- 2.4 CHALLENGING WASTE STREAMS WITHOUT A CLEAR PATH FOR DISPOSAL -- 3 Regulatory and Policy Framework for Waste Characterization -- 3.1 REGULATORY BODIES FOR WIPP -- 3.2 MAIN REGULATORY DOCUMENTS -- 3.2.1 Land Withdrawal Act -- 3.2.2 EPA Certificate of Compliance -- 3.2.3 NMED Hazardous Waste Facility Permit -- 3.2.4 USNRC Certificate of Compliance for transportation packages -- 3.2.5 Waste Acceptance Criteria -- 3.3 HISTORY OF MODIFICATIONS TO WIPP'S REGULATORY DOCUMENTS -- 3.3.1 Programmatic changes relevant to EPA -- 3.3.1.1 Approved programmatic changes -- 3.3.2 Programmatic changes relevant to NMED -- 3.3.2.1 Approved changes to the HWFP -- 3.3.3 Programmatic changes relevant to the USNRC.

3.3.3.1 Approved changes to the USNRC Certification -- 3.4 DISCUSSION: REGULATORY CHALLENGES AND MILESTONES FOR TRU WASTE CHARACTERIZATION -- 3.4.1 WIPP as a First-of-a-Kind Facility -- 3.5 DISCUSSION: EXPERIENCE WITH THE PERMIT MODIFICATION PROCESS -- 4 Transuranic Waste Characterization Program -- 4.1 OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT WASTE CHARACTERIZATION PROGRAM -- 4.1.1 Acceptable Knowledge -- 4.1.2 Real-time radiography and visual examination -- 4.1.3 Non-destructive assay -- 4.1.4 Drum age criterion and headspace gas sampling and analysis -- 4.1.5 Gas generation testing -- 4.1.6 Homogeneous waste coring and analysis -- 4.1.7 Segregation or rework -- 4.1.8 Repackaging -- 4.1.9 Data management -- 4.1.10 Audits -- 4.2 STATISTICAL SAMPLING OR 100 PERCENT CONFIRMATION? -- 4.3 SITE-SPECIFIC CHARACTERIZATION ACTIVITIES -- 4.4 ACCEPTABLE KNOWLEDGE -- 4.4.1 Uses of Acceptable Knowledge -- 4.4.2 Qualification of Acceptable Knowledge -- 4.4.3 Accuracy of historical information -- 4.5 CHARACTERIZATION COSTS -- 4.6 DISCUSSION: LESSONS FROM EXPERIENCE AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES -- 4.6.1 Uses of operational experience -- 4.6.1.1 Operational experience has already produced improvements in waste handling -- 4.6.2 Different approaches for different waste streams -- 4.6.3 Different qualification methods for different waste information -- 4.6.4 Importance of effective communication -- 5 A Framework for Evaluating Waste Characterization Activities -- 5.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM -- 5.2 AN OVERVIEW OF A PROPOSED ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK -- 5.3 ASSESSMENT OF THE RISKS -- 5.4 COSTS OF WASTE CHARACTERIZATION -- 5.5 POLICY IMPACTS -- 5.6 SOCIETAL IMPACTS -- 5.7 COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS -- 5.8 IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS -- 5.9 APPLICATIONS -- 5.9.1 Headspace gas sampling and analysis -- 5.9.1.1 Assessment of risks -- 5.9.1.2 Value of characterization information.

5.9.1.3 Cost impacts -- 5.9.1.4 Policy impacts -- 5.9.1.5 Societal impacts -- 5.9.1.6 Cost-effectiveness analysis -- 5.9.2 Homogeneous waste sampling and analysis -- 5.9.2.1 Assessment of risks, costs, and other impacts -- 5.9.2.2 Cost-effectiveness analysis -- 5.9.3 Visual examination to confirm radiography results -- 5.9.3.1 Assessment of risks, costs, and other factors -- 5.9.3.2 Cost-effectiveness analysis -- 6 Findings and Recommendations -- 6.1 OBSERVATIONS -- 6.2 FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -- References -- A Biographical Sketches of Committee Members -- B Information-Gathering Meetings -- B.1 FIRST MEETING: OCTOBER 28-29, 2002 (CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO) -- B.2 SECOND MEETING: JANUARY 28, 2003 (SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO) -- B.3 THIRD MEETING: MARCH 3-5, 2003 (AUGUSTA, GEORGIA) -- B.4 FOURTH MEETING: MAY 19, 2003 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- C Characterization-Related Requirements in WIPP Regulatory Documents -- C.1 LAND WITHDRAWAL ACT REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSURANIC WASTE IN WIPP -- C.2 CHARACTERIZATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE EPA CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE -- C.2.1 WIPP's performance assessment -- C.3 CHARACTERIZATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE NMED HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY PERMIT -- C.4 REQUIREMENTS IN THE TRU WASTE AUTHORIZED METHODS OF PAYLOAD CONTROL -- C.5 REGULATORY BODIES -- REFERENCES -- D Transportation Package Requirements Affecting Waste Characterization -- D.1 CONTAINER AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES REQUIREMENTS -- D.2 NUCLEAR PROPERTIES REQUIREMENTS -- D.3 CHEMICAL PROPERTIES REQUIREMENTS -- D.4 GAS GENERATION REQUIREMENTS -- D.5 PAYLOAD ASSEMBLY REQUIREMENTS -- D.6 QUALITY ASSURANCE -- D.7 REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERSITE SHIPMENTS -- REFERENCES -- E Health and Safety Issues in Waste Characterization -- E.1 WASTE HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT AT GENERATOR SITES AND WIPP -- E.1.1 Worker health -- E.1.2 Public health -- E.2 TRANSPORTATION -- E.2.1 Worker health.

E.2.2 Public health -- E.3 CASE STUDY: SAVANNAH RIVER SITE OPERATIONS -- E.3.1 Worker doses and risks from operations -- E.4 CASE STUDY: ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SITE -- E.4.1 Workers doses and risks from operations -- REFERENCES -- F Risk Considerations -- F.1 RISKS RELATED TO WASTE HANDLING -- F.2 RISKS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION -- F.3 RISKS RELATED TO WASTE DISPOSAL -- REFERENCES -- Glossary -- Acronyms.

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