Decontamination and Decommissioning Program Requirements

DOE-STD-1128-98

10.3 DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING PROGRAM

REQUIREMENTS

The basic requirements for a D&D program at a DOE facility are found in Section 5 of

DOE Order 5820.2A, Radioactive Waste Management (DOE, 1988b). Planning for facility

decommissioning should be initiated during the design phase for new facilities and before

termination of operations for existing operational facilities (see Section 5,3.a.(2), of DOE

Order 5820.2A). DOE Order 5820.2A divides the discussion of requirements into several

time periods: pre-operational and operational activities, post-operational activities, D&D

activities, and post-decommissioning activities. To assist in D&D activity planning the

Office of Environmental Management distributed the "Decommissioning Resource

Manual." Refer to that document for guidance.

Requirements relating to occupational radiological protection include (this is not an all

inclusive list, facilities must determine the applicable set of requirement):

DOE Order 430.1A, Lifecycle Asset Management (DOE, 1998d), contains the

requirements by which all DOE projects must be managed; It requires that a project

management plan be developed for major system acquisitions and major projects and states

that environment, safety, and health technical requirements for project design and

implementation should be included in the work-plan section of the project management

plan.

Safety analysis reports (SARs) typically do not need to be written to cover D&D activities

for those facilities that are currently shut down or will be shut down in the near future [see

DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports (DOE, 1992d)]. Only a

decommissioning plan would be required. (However, a "Bases" for Interim Operations is

required for facilities not yet shut down to continue operations.) The requirement for a

decommissioning plan will apply for a large number of the plutonium-contaminated

facilities that are awaiting decommissioning. For new or operating facilities, provisions for

D&D need to be included in the new or updated SAR.

10.4

DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING TECHNIQUES

This section concentrates on decontamination techniques to be used in the final

decommissioning of a plutonium-contaminated facility for unrestricted release.

Some of these techniques are similar to those used during routine operations (e.g.,

some equipment and building surface decontamination). Contamination detection

methods are similar for routine and D&D operations and are discussed in Chapter

10.4.1 Equipment and Surface Decontamination

Decontamination of surface areas may be as simple as hosing off the floors

with water, washing surfaces with detergent and water, or wiping with

household dust cloths. Waste material generated from decontamination

activities (e.g., water and wipe material) must be contained and disposed of

as radioactive waste. For some locations, vacuuming the surfaces may be

appropriate. If vacuuming is used, HEPA-filtered vacuum systems are

required to keep airborne radioactive material out of the vacuum exhaust.

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