Qualification of the stabilization and packaging process would permit materials

DOE-STD-3013-2004

compliance with DOE-STD-3013 for a limited set of stabilized plutonium-bearing

materials. The memorandum provides DOE sites the flexibility to determine the

appropriate applicability of SFE based on additional evaluation and studies

conducted at LANL. In addition, each site has the flexibility to request

authorization, with justification, for moisture measurement methods of its

selection. Inclusion of other techniques requires independent evaluation and

DOE approval consistent with Item 5 of the Foreword.

2) Qualification of the stabilization and packaging process would permit materials to

be stabilized and packaged without the requirement for measuring the moisture

content of every batch of material to be packaged.

The plan to qualify a process must be developed by the packaging site,

consistent with quality assurance requirements and practice at that site. The plan

must include the following information: 1) specific materials to be stabilized and

packaged; 2) process parameters (times, temperatures, glovebox humidity, etc.)

that define the process being qualified; 3) product testing program to

demonstrate process stability and product consistency; 4) post-qualification

materials testing needed to verify continued process control; 5) any changes to

storage surveillance requirements needed to assess storage safety; and

6) actions (such as including the process parameters in the facility Authorization

Basis) required to "institutionalize" the qualified process. If the materials to be

packaged are to be stored at another site, it is recommended that the storing site

be consulted during development of the qualification plan.

Approval of a qualified process will be subject to a technical review of the

qualification plan and testing program by an independent technical review team

appointed by the Savannah River Operations Office, Nuclear Programs Division

Office (see Item 5 of the Foreword). The review must include an assessment of

the plan and testing results by the storing site, if that site is different than the

packaging site.

3. The criterion of 0.5 wt% moisture provides a reasonable balance between the

difficulty of achieving and measuring lower moisture contents and the cost (of both

the container and any ancillary impact on storage facility size) of providing a

container that will withstand the pressure theoretically generated by a higher