1. Radioactive Waste sites
Past and Present

2. Waste Sites
Used to be that only government was carrying out activities that used radioactive material
They could take care of their own wastes
As applications of rad mat increased they became a need to others to dispose
At one time there was places for most material to go but that has changed

3. LLW Disposal Sites (2008) Beatty, NV closed
Barnwell, SC (compact only) open
Richland, WA (compact only) open
Maxey Flats, KY closed
West Valley, NY closed
Sheffield, IL closed
Clive, Utah (class A only) open

4. Closed Disposal Sites Beatty, NV – 1962-1993 Sheffield, IL – 1967-1978
First to be licensed
137,000 cum
Sheffield, IL –
3M cuft
Maxey Flats, KY –
4.7 M cuft
West Valley, NY –
Reprocessing and liquid waste
2.3 M cuft

5. Active Disposal Sites
Barnwell, SC (1971)– compact only, except North Carolina
Hanford, WA (1965)– restricted to Northwest and Rocky Mountain compacts
Clive, UT (1991)– open to all states, restricted to class A material

6. Other Disposal Sites Ward Valley, CA – licensed but not operating
Boyd County, NE – license request denied
Hudspeth County, TX – license request denied by TNRCC
Wake County, NC – under license review
WCS- Andrews County, Tx- Licensed by the State of Texas/TCEQ 2009

7. Envirocare

8. Locations of Operating LLRW Facilities in the U.S.
U.S. Ecology Facility
Richland, WA
Envirocare Facility
Clive, UT
Radiation is energy traveling in the form of particles or waves in bundles of energy called photons. Some everyday examples are microwaves used to cook food, radio waves for radio and television, light, and x-rays used in medicine.
Demonstration with Chart of Electromagnetic Spectrum
Radioactivity is a natural and spontaneous process by which the unstable atoms of an element emit or radiate excess energy in the form of particles or waves. These emissions are collectively called ionizing radiations. Depending on how the nucleus loses this excess energy either a lower energy atom of the same form will result, or a completely different nucleus and atom can be formed.
Demonstration of Chart of Nuclides with Next Slide
Ionization is a particular characteristic of the radiation produced when radioactive elements decay. These radiations are of such high energy that when they interact with materials, they can remove electrons from the atoms in the material. This effect is the reason why ionizing radiation is hazardous to health, and provides the means by which radiation can be detected.
Chem Nuclear Facility
Barnwell, S.C.

9. The Barnwell Facility in South Carolina
By law, disposal priorities are as follows:
Atlantic Compact generators – SC, CT and NJ
Site now closed to non-Atlantic Compact generators
No current discussions to open site acceptance
Last site cap for non-compact waste:
FY 2008 – 35,000 ft3

10. Barnwell (Chem Nuclear Systems)
video

11. Shallow Land Burial

12. Shallow Land Burial

13. Closed Trench

14. The Clive Facility in Utah
New site owner focused on upgrading facility
In 2005, received 22M ft3 of waste for disposal – record year
Expansion of facility possible – need further approvals
Current lifespan for disposal capacity is 20 years taking Class A low-level radioactive waste from across U.S.

15. Drum Inspection Scans No Liquids No Batteries (Cd) No . . . . . . . .
They will find it and send it back to you at your cost!

16. Texas Focuses on Radioactive Waste Disposal
Texas’ Historical Moves to Address Disposal Issue
– Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority created
– Authority completes state-wide screening
– Site in McMullen County proposed, later that year focus shifts to state-owned land
– Site in Hudspeth County proposed near Fort Hancock, TX
– Another site in Hudspeth County proposed near Sierra Blanca, TX
– Sierra Blanca site license denied

17. Texas Enters into Interstate Compact
Texas establishes the tenth low-level radioactive waste disposal compact
– Texas passes Texas Compact legislation
- Initial Texas Compact members – Texas, Maine and Vermont
- Texas designated as Host State
– Texas Compact ratified by U.S. Congress
– State of Maine officially withdrawn from Texas Compact

18. Changes Resulting from 2003 Texas Legislation
The passage of House Bill 1567, 78th Texas Legislature, marks a policy change in Texas statutory provisions regarding low-level radioactive waste disposal
Key changes for the new disposal concept:
Privatizing disposal facility (formerly limited to public entity)
Allowing the disposal of federal facility waste, in addition to Texas Compact waste under a single licensing action
Fee on waste received at a Texas facility deposited in state’s general revenue

19. Current Agencies in Texas Working on the LLRW 2009
The Texas Senate Natural Resources Committee is charged with studying the necessity for storage and disposal options of LLRW, Texas Compact issues.  The Texas House Environmental Regulation Committee is charged with determining the ramifications surrounding the handling, processing, and disposal of LLRW in the Texas and Vermont.
The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality Is conducting a contracted study to investigate the technical aspects of the LLRW issue in Texas and the Texas Compact.  The Texas Radiation Advisory Board will be addressing allowable LLRW storage and waste processing.
Texas LLRW Compact Commission is to work with the TCEQ and others of setting prices for waste disposal and coordinate with the other compact member

20. Highlights of Technical Review Process
Site Closure
Institutional Control
Financial Assurance
QA / QC
Qualifications & Personnel
Environmental Report
Site Characteristics
Performance Assessment
Facility Design
Facility Construction
Facility Operations
Waste Characterization

21. Proposed Texas Facility Under Current Licensing Action
Compact Low-Level Radioactive Waste Facility
Accept Texas Compact LLRW - Texas and Vermont
Proposed waste acceptance for pending licensing action
Texas Compact waste that can be accepted million cubic feet in volume and 3.9 million curies in radioactivity
Calculates to approximately:
90% of Class A LLRW
9% of Class B LLRW
1% of Class C LLRW
Proposes all waste to be over-packed in steel reinforced concrete canisters with the void spaces filled with grout

22. Proposed Texas Facility Under Current Licensing Action Continued
Federal Facility Waste Disposal Facility
Accept federal government facility LLRW
Proposed waste acceptance for pending licensing action Dispose of mixed federal low-level radioactive waste
Proposed construction of two federal disposal units
One unit to utilize steel reinforced concrete over-packs
Other unit to emplace uncontainerized contaminated soil waste in engineered, compacted lifts
Initial volume limitation of 300,000 cubic yards or 8.1 million cubic feet of containerized waste
Total proposed volume of 26 million cubic feet and total radioactivity of 5.6 million curies

23. Texas LLRW Compact Commission
Group of people appointed by the governs of the compact states (Tx, Vt) to carry out the provisions of the compact
6 from Tx
2 from Vt
Review issues related to compact disposal
Hold public meetings regarding waste

24. Questions?