Solid Waste

DOE-STD-1128-98

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Plutonium Facilities

achieve such a sample are given in numerous references such as the DOE Implementation

Guide. Workplace Air Monitoring (DOE, 1999f), and ANSI N13.1-1969, Guide to

Sampling Airborne Radioactive Materials in Stacks and Ducts (ANSI, 1969b). For

sampling, the analytical methods are the same as those discussed in Chapter 3 of this

document for workplace sampling.

Monitoring is used to determine if current conditions are within expected parameters and to

initiate corrective action if they are not. For monitoring, the system design should conform

to ANSI N42.18, Specification and Performance of On-site Instrumentation for

Continuously Monitoring of Radionuclides in Effluents (ANSI, 1974b). The choice of the

filter medium will depend on the analysis that will be done on the sample. For samples

containing only plutonium particulate, a non-absorbing filter such as a membrane filter will

have the highest efficiency for alpha counting. In all cases, the final count must be done

after any residual radon has decayed because it will often result in a large amount of alpha

on the filter that is not plutonium. If there are other radionuclides in the waste stream that

cannot be decayed in a reasonable time, either alpha spectroscopy or chemical separation

must be done. Chemical analysis must also be done if there are stable contaminants of

interest such as beryllium or heavy metals. The nature of these procedures is beyond the

scope of this document.

8.2.5 Disposal

Airborne effluents are not stored. Disposal of the airborne effluent, possibly containing

traces of plutonium, is generally arranged by the design of the facility and the existing air-

quality permits. Normally, the design of the facility is such that the method of disposal of

the cleaned effluent should be unimportant during normal operation. However, the facilities

are designed to minimize the impact of a filter failure or operational difficulty that results in

a release. Disposal of airborne effluents is handled at the design, environmental impact

assessment, and safety analysis stages of facility construction. Disposal of secondary waste

from air cleaning is covered in the sections that follow.

8.3

SOLID WASTE

Solid waste will come from all phases of operation and from decommissioning of plutonium

facilities. Because most plutonium solid waste will be TRU (containing more than 100 nCi/g),

disposal in the near future is uncertain. Thus, it is highly desirable to minimize the generation of

solid waste in the design, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of plutonium facilities.

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