Waste Management - doe-std-1136-20040183

DOE-STD-1136-2004

Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiation Protection in Uranium Facilities

8.0 WASTE MANAGEMENT

A material is a waste once there is no identified use or recycle value for it. Normally, wastes are

considered by their physical form as either solids, liquids, or gasses, except that containerized liquids are

considered solid waste under some of the current regulations. Although these forms are each processed

differently, there are interrela tionships. For example, it may be possible to reduce solid waste by replacing

disposable protective clothing with reusable clothing that must be laundered. The laundry will produce

liquid waste. In treating liquid waste, solids may be generated, e.g., filters or ion exchange resins. By careful

engineering, waste generation, and treatment alternatives, a site can minimize the total waste volume and

elect to generate types of waste that can be disposed of. The following sections address potentially

contaminated waste and waste terminology and handling of airborne waste, solid waste, and liquid waste.

The treatment of excess materials to reclaim uranium is not a waste treatment process and is not discussed

here.

8.1 POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED WASTES

Wastes are generated within a plant or facility as a consequence of creating the uranium product(s)

for which the plant was designed. Uranium may be entrained in the air, may contaminate equipment,

materials, or other scrap, or may be contained in low concentrations in liquid wastes and effluents. Wastes

resulting from operation of a uranium facility may include radioactive, nonradioactive, and mixed materials

in the form of liquids and gaseous effluent or solids requiring disposal.

Uranium recovery operations and processes are an operational feature of most major facilities

handling large quantities of material for at least two major purposes, i.e., to salvage valuable material and to

reduce effluent concentrations and volumes to acceptable levels.

The facility and all waste systems must be designed to minimize wastes that result in the release of

radioactive materials, during normal plant operation, the occurrence of a Design Basic Accident (DBA)

meeting the regulatory limits, and conditions in which dose is kept as low as reasonably achievable. Waste

systems include retention containers, cleanup systems for liquids and solids, and analytical equipment.

Accounting for waste management for solid and liquid wastes is discussed below.

8.1.1 Solid Waste

Facilities should provide for the safe collection, packaging, inventory, storage, and transportation of

solid waste that is potentially contaminated with radioactive materials. Such provisions include adequate

space for sorting and temporary storage of solid waste, equipment for assay of the waste, and facilities for

volume reduction appropriate to the types and quantities of solid waste expected. All packages containing

potentially contaminated solid waste should be appropriately monitored, both before being moved to

temporary storage locations and before being loaded for transport to a disposal site.

8.1.2 Liquid Waste

Industrial wastes such as discharge from mop sinks, overflow from positive pressure circulating

waste systems, and process steam condensate (if existing) should be analyzed, collected and transferred to

a liquid waste treatment plant or similar treatment area if mandated by the chemical analysis. Provisions

should be made for continuous monitoring and recording of radioactivity, flow volume, and

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