Decontamination and Decommissioning

DOE-STD-1128-98

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Plutonium Facilities

10.0 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING

At the end of the useful life of a facility, activities are undertaken to restore the facility to

noncontaminated status and permit its unrestricted use. These activities are typically termed

decontamination and decommissioning (D&D).

Although plutonium facilities are no longer useful and operational activities are no longer

conducted, measures must be continued to control the residual radioactivity. The decision may be

made to undertake a D&D program to minimize or eliminate long-term institutional control. This

may be done in a variety of ways, most of which may be termed D&D. The exception is converting

the facility to some other nuclear use. With the elimination of the DOE weapons production

mission, more plutonium-contaminated facilities will require D&D in the near future.

This chapter provides guidance on establishing and implementing an effective D&D program.

Major topic areas include regulations and standards, design features, D&D program, D&D

techniques, and D&D experience. This chapter concentrates on the radiation-protection aspects of

D&D at plutonium-contaminated DOE facilities.

10.1 REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

The standards that apply to the decommissioning of a plutonium-contaminated facility include

virtually all of those that were applicable during facility operations, (e.g., 10 CFR 835, DOE P

450.1 and DOE Order 440.1a) plus some additional ones such as 10 CFR 835.1002(d). The

occupational safety and radiation dose limits, safety management requirements, radioactive and

hazardous chemical disposal regulations, and transportation requirements are unaffected by the

activity to which they apply.

No single DOE regulation covers all D&D requirements due to the wide variety of issues

encompassed by D&D. These issues include project management, environmental surveillance,

health and safety of workers and the public, engineering design, characterization survey techniques,

D&D techniques, waste management, and waste transport. The primary DOE Orders pertaining to

D&D activities are DOE Order 4700.1, Lifecycle Asset Management (DOE, 1998d); DOE Order

5400.5, Ch. 2, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment (DOE, 1993c; DOE Order

231.1, Environment Safety and Health Reporting (DOE, 1996e); DOE Order 420.1A, Facility

Safety (DOE, 2002a). The DOE operations offices may have implementation procedures

corresponding to these Orders that which contractors will also need to comply.

DOE Order 430.1A, Lifecycle Asset Management (DOE, 1998d), provides the requirements to

ensure a disciplined, systematic, and coordinated approach to project management. All projects,

including D&D projects, should have clearly defined goals and objectives that support program

requirements. Specific objectives include (1) promoting project execution that meets technical,

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