NRC updates guidance to licensees for extended
storage of low-level waste
May 29, 2008 -- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS/ContentWorks
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued updated guidance to its fuel
cycle and materials licensees regarding the potential need to store some
low-level radioactive waste onsite for an extended period after the
low-level waste disposal facility in Barnwell, S.C., closes to much of the
nation.
NRC regulations establish safety requirements for the near-surface disposal
of low-level waste, which is classified as Class A, B or C depending on its
hazard and physical characteristics. About 96 percent of all commercial
low-level waste generated in the United States is Class A, the least
hazardous.
The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act, as amended, gave states the
responsibility for disposing of low-level radioactive waste and created a
system of interstate compacts to create and manage disposal facilities.
There are currently three licensed low-level waste disposal facilities. One,
in Clive, Utah, accepts only Class A waste from licensees in all states. A
second facility, near Richland, Wash., accepts all classes of low-level
waste from the 11 states in the Northwest and Rocky Mountain compacts
(Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada,
Colorado and New Mexico). The Barnwell facility has accepted all types of
waste from the rest of the country, but because of declining disposal
capacity South Carolina has said the site will only accept waste from the
three states of the Atlantic compact (South Carolina, New Jersey and
Connecticut) as of July 1.
The closure of Barnwell will leave licensees in 36 states with no disposal
options for Class B and C waste. About 95 percent of Class B and C waste is
generated by nuclear power plants, which have the space, expertise and
experience needed to store radioactive wastes for extended periods. The
Nuclear Energy Institute, along with the Electric Power Research Institute,
has prepared updated low-level waste storage guidance for nuclear power
plants affected by Barnwell's closure. These groups submitted the guidance
to NRC May 13 for review and possible endorsement, if NRC agrees with it.
The remainder of the Class B and C waste consists primarily of liquid wastes
from radiochemical producers and sealed radioactive sources from industrial,
research or medical licensees. These licensees are the intended audience of
NRC's updated guidance. While some of these licensees may have some
experience in storing radioactive wastes for short periods, the need for
extended interim storage may present new challenges. These are addressed in
the guidance.
The guidance advises licensees to consider ways to minimize the production
of Class B and Class C low-level wastes, and to consider whether they may
need to seek a license amendment to increase their possession limit for
radioactive materials as a result of the need to store waste onsite. The
guidance also addresses considerations such as security, worker safety, and
the need to keep track of radioactive materials, including during
emergencies.
In addition to NRC licensees, the guidance has been provided to regulatory
authorities in the 35 Agreement States that regulate the commercial uses of
radioactive materials under agreements with the NRC. Those state agencies
may use the guidance as they deem appropriate to meet the needs of their
regulatory programs.
NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2008-12, "Considerations for Extended Interim
Storage of Low-Level Radioactive Waste by Fuel Cycle and Materials
Licensees," is available on the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/gen-comm/reg-issues/2008/
index.html.
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