Residues - std301320040025

DOE-STD-3013-2004

storage is underpinned by extensive experience with plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel

in the commercial nuclear power sector.

Acceptability of materials at the Y-12 Plant is determined in accordance with the Y-12

acceptance criteria [USDOE 1997]. In very broad terms, the upper limit for plutonium is set at 5

ppm. This limit has been accepted as the lower limit for plutonium in uranium to be

dispositioned by the Materials Disposition Program [USDOE 1998].

The minimum plutonium

"RESIDUES"

content for those oxides

The word "residue" does not have a concise, consistent definition

that have significant

from site to site. During the time that weapons were being

produced, there were three general categories of plutonium:

quantities of uranium has

1) product metal or oxide or fuels-grade metal and ceramics;

2) residues - materials that were recycled to recover the

been set at the safeguards

plutonium; and 3) very lean material designated as waste, which

termination limit. This

was discarded. The distinction between residues and waste was

largely economic. When processing was stopped, some product,

provides a convenient and

residues, and wastes were left in unsatisfactory storage

conditions [see e.g., DOE 1994c, DNFSB 1994]. This led to

practical threshold for

DNFSB Recommendation 94-1 and the DOE 94-1 Implementation

distinguishing between

Plan (IP), which defined categories for all materials.

Categorization was worked out on technical and practical

materials that require

grounds, with oxides and metals >50 wt% Pu comprising one

continued safeguarding (or,

category, and residues and mixed oxides <50 wt% a second.

However, the Rocky Flats "Residues EIS" codifies five residue

alternatively, further

categories, none of which include oxides. Rocky Flats plans to

place its oxides in long-term storage, as it is commonly

processing to reduce the

understood that the Fissile Materials Disposition Program will

attractiveness prior to

accept all RFETS materials currently categorized as oxides. Thus,

at Rocky Flats, and generally throughout the complex, the word

disposition), and those that

residue has come to mean materials to be discarded, not stored

might be disposable

long-term.

Most Rocky Flats residues have been declared waste and are

without further processing,

destined for appropriate low-level or TRU disposal, although a

regardless of the

very small fraction may be processed. Some residues at other

sites may also be processed to produce a storable oxide or metal

enrichment level of the

based on practical, programmatic considerations. Since the

contained uranium.

products of such processing are expected to have impurities and

other characteristics similar to the materials already categorized

as oxides or metals, they are included in the scope of this

This Standard does not

Standard.

apply to materials destined

In summary, oxides are included in the scope of the Standard

and residues are not. Broadly speaking, oxides in the EM

for WIPP, such as residues

program are destined for disposition by the Fissile Materials

and TRU Waste.

Disposition Program and residues are destined for disposal.

Finally, plutonium content is not the distinguishing factor

The scope of DOE-STD-

between oxides and residues the two are separated in the final

analysis by programmatic decisions.

238

3013-96 limits the