Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY AND SAFEGUARDS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555
May 4, 1990
Information Notice No. 90-31: UPDATE ON WASTE FORM AND HIGH INTEGRITY
CONTAINER TOPICAL REPORT REVIEW STATUS,
IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS WITH CEMENT
SOLIDIFICATION, AND REPORTING OF WASTE
MISHAPS
Addressees:
All holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power
reactors, fuel cycle licenses, and certain byproduct materials licenses.
Purpose:
This information notice is being provided to inform addressees of recent
developments concerning the stability of waste forms that contain Class B or
Class C low-level waste. The developments pertain to: the status of reviews
of topical reports (TRs) on waste stabilization media and high integrity
containers; the results of the Workshop on Cement Stabilization of Low-Level
Waste held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on May 31 to June 2, 1989; the
identification of constituents that create problems with cement
solidification of low-level wastes; and the notification to the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) of mishaps with waste stabilization.
It is expected that addressees will review the information for applicability
to their facilities and consider actions, as appropriate, to avoid problems
in solidification of wastes in cement and in disposing of certain waste
streams. Addressees are encouraged to distribute the notice to responsible
radiological staff and waste handling personnel. However, suggestions
contained in this information notice do not constitute NRC requirements;
therefore, no specific action or written response is required.
Discussion:
Update on Waste Form and High Integrity Container TR Review Status -
In Information Notice No. 89-27, "Limitations on the Use of Waste Forms and
High Integrity Containers for the Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste,"
March 8, 1989, it is pointed out that waste generators are required, under
10 CFR 20.311, to certify that any Class B or C wastes that they send for
disposal are structurally stable, in accordance with 10 CFR Part 61. The
information notice goes on to describe the NRC review of TRs on waste
solidification media and high integrity containers for the disposal of Class
B or Class C wastes. The status of these NRC TR reviews is summarized. A
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description is provided on how the Agreement State authorities that host the
three operating low-level waste disposal facilities have implemented NRC
decisions on the TRs. The information notice states that the status of
approved waste stabilization media and high integrity containers will change
periodically as TR reviews are completed, and as new TRs are submitted for
review. The information notice states that NRC will periodically issue
updates of the status of topical report reviews, to keep licensees fully
informed of approved solidification media and high integrity containers for
disposal of Class B and C wastes. Attachment 1 provides the status of NRC
topical report reviews as of April 1, 1990. Licensees are directed to
Information Notice 89-27 for further information that applies to disposal of
Class B and C wastes. Waste generators are urged to contact the disposal
facility operators for additional information and procedural details before
pursuing disposal options for Class B and C wastes.
Cement Solidification Workshop -
Information Notice 89-27 pointed out that NRC had not approved any topical
reports describing commercial cement stabilization of low-level wastes.
This situation still exists (see Attachment 1). To gather information that
would provide an improved understanding of the complex technical concerns
regarding the use of cement for waste stabilization and that would lead to
both short-term and long-term regulatory resolution of TR reviews on cement
stabilization media, NRC hosted the Workshop on Cement Stabilization of
Low-Level Radioactive Waste on May 31 - June 2, 1989. During the workshop,
the following topics were dis-cussed: lessons learned from small- and
full-scale waste forms and observations at nuclear power plants;
implications of laboratory test experience with cement solidification and
the application to problem waste streams; stabilized waste form testing
guidance (including NRC's 1983 "Technical Position on Waste Form"), and
process control programs and waste characterization. The results of the
workshop have been published as an NRC Conference Proceedings report,
NUREG/CP-0103. Licensees are encouraged to obtain a copy of this report and
determine if any topics discussed will potentially improve their application
of waste solidification processes.
Waste Constituents That Create Problems with Cement Solidification -
One important item that licensees should be fully aware of, which was
discussed in detail during the workshop, is continuing concerns with
deleterious chemical reactions during waste solidification using cement.
This subject was first brought to the attention of licensees by Information
Notice No. 88-08, March 14, 1988, "Chemical Reactions with Radioactive Waste
Solidification Agents." As a result of the continuing concerns with this
subject, NRC has developed the list in Attachment 2 of waste constituents
that could cause problems with solidification campaigns, particularly at
nuclear power plants. The first part of the list identifies "problem"
constituents of wastes that are expected ingredients in certain waste
streams. Licensees should ensure that proper formulations are being used
for these types of wastes, especially if the wastes require structural
stability. The second part of the list covers "problem" constituents of
waste streams that are not expected ingredients in
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the wastes, and may cause a problem with cement solidification if they
accidentally get into a waste stream, especially since the waste-processing
vendor may not necessarily be using a formulation that would successfully
treat the waste stream. Some of these constituents may be a problem for
successful cement solidification, even at parts per million concentrations,
depending on the waste stream they are in and the synergistic effects that
could arise. NRC has identified these as waste constituents that could be
controlled and possibly prevented from entering waste streams with good
housekeeping, inventory control, use limits, or pretreatment, thereby
minimizing the potential to affect cement solidification. NRC encourages
licensees to determine if they are using any of these items, and if they
are, to determine if housekeeping, inventory, or use controls are adequate
to prevent these "problem" constituents from entering waste streams that are
to be solidified; especially waste streams that require structural
stability. Licensees who are aware of having small concentrations of these
"problem" constituents in their waste streams, and are using a proper
solidification formula to treat the wastes, should be aware that changes in
concentrations of these constituents may result in a problem. Licensees are
also encouraged to evaluate the use of alternative products or chemical
constituents, in order to reduce or eliminate the possibility of "problem"
constituents entering the waste stream. Licensees should inform
solidification vendors of circumstances that may result in waste constituent
changes, so that the vendor may determine the correct formula to use in
solidification. This will help in avoiding problems such as those reported
in Information Notice No. 88-08.
Licensees should be aware that several of the waste constituents listed in
Attachment 2 may result in a situation that produces mixed hazardous and
radioactive waste. The currently operating low-level radioactive waste
disposal facilities are not permitted to receive mixed wastes. Licensees
should contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for more
information on what constitutes a mixed hazardous and radioactive waste and
refer to the joint NRC Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance
document entitled, "Guidance on the Definition and Identification of
Commercial Mixed Low-Level Radioactive and Hazardous Waste and Answers to
Anticipated Questions."
Notification of Waste Stabilization Mishaps -
NRC has become increasingly concerned about mishaps that have occurred
during the solidification of low-level radwaste at power plants and other
facilities. These mishaps, some of which were described in Information
Notice No. 89-27, have included waste forms that have failed to solidify
completely and that swelled and/or disintegrated over relatively short times
after solidification. These mishaps result in questions as to whether the
waste form will satisfy the Part 61 stability requirements. To maintain
current information about problems encountered in solidifying wastes and
placing wastes in high integrity containers for structural stability, NRC is
evaluating mechanisms for obtaining reports of mishaps like the ones
described above. Licensees will become in-volved in the reporting process to
the extent that the waste that is involved in mishaps reported to NRC is the
ultimate responsibility of the waste generator. Waste mishaps reporting
will be addressed in a future information notice.
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No specific action or written response is required by this information
notice. If you have any questions regarding this information notice, please
contact the technical contact listed below or the Regional Administrator of
the appropriate regional office.
Richard L. Bangart, Director
Division of Low-Level Waste Management
and Decommissioning
Office of Nuclear Material Safety
and Safeguards
Technical Contact: Michael Tokar, NMSS
(301) 492-0590
Attachments:
1. Topical Report Review Status Summary: Solidified Waste Forms and
High Integrity Containers (HICs)
2. List of Waste Constituents That May Cause Problems with Cement
Solidification
3. List of Recently Issued NMSS Information Notices
4. List of Recently Issued NRC Information Notices
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