Environmental Discharge Requirements

DOE-HDBK-1129-99

The amount of removable material should be determined by wiping an area of 100 cm2 on the

object using dry filter paper or a dry Q-Tip, applying moderate pressure, and measuring the

amount of radioactive material on the dry wipe.

-- Dry Filter Paper: The wiping technique, using dry filter paper, should consist of wiping a

total path length of 16 inches using a single 16-inch lazy-S path or multiple shorter lazy-S

paths that total 16 inches (tests show an average wipe width of 1 inch for dry filter paper).

-- Q-Tip: The wiping techniques, using a dry Q-Tip, should consist of wiping a total path

length of 80 lineal inches of Q-Tip path (tests show an average wipe width of 0.2 inches for

a Q-Tip).

The Generic Wipe Survey Technique can be used for most applications; however, items with

hidden surfaces or inaccessible areas require special consideration. For items that possess

inaccessible areas that do not normally contact tritium, use of the Generic Wipe Survey

Technique on the accessible surface area is sufficient in that these areas become

contaminated only as a result of contamination on the surface area. However, for inaccessible

areas such as pipes, tubes, drains, ductwork, valves, pumps, vessels, or transducers that

potentially contact tritium, a two-step process is recommended:

First Wipe Survey: The accessible surfaces of the item should be wipe-surveyed using the

Generic Wipe Survey Technique.

Second Wipe Survey: A second wipe survey should be made of the entry points into the item

inaccessible areas (such as fittings, valve throats, ends of tubes, cracks, doors, and louvers).

The second wipe survey should be made with a Q-Tip inserted as far as reasonably possible

into the openings of the items. The total area of wipe should be estimated and the results

corrected to dpm per 100 cm2.

8.1.3 Environmental Discharge Requirements

DOE Order 5400.5 makes use of a "best available technology" selection process to reduce

effluent discharges; however, this process is not applicable to tritium. DOE Order 5400.5 relies on

the philosophy of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) in tritium operations to reduce effluent

levels. The restriction on liquid surface discharge is that the concentration be maintained less than

the DCG value of 2.0E-3 Ci/ml. The NRC release limit for 10 CFR 20, is 1.0E-3 Ci/ml.

For airborne effluents, the annual discharge to the air (as stated in 40 CFR 61, National Emission

Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants) for all radionuclides on site must be such that the offsite

boundary dose is less than 10 mrem. Therefore, stacking and evaporation are methods that could

be considered if this contribution and all others result in a dose under 10 mrem. Agreements with

local regulators, however, may preclude or significantly reduce the release values allowed by these

regulations, as could ALARA concerns.

All discharges to the environment that may contain tritiated wastes should be provided with

monitoring systems. Future designs will likely incorporate real-time attributes to annunciate when

the discharge concentration exceeds the specified limits. Soil column discharge is highly

discouraged.