23.04.2013 Views

Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Response<br />

144<br />

WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS<br />

This appears to be a good suggestion and plots are provided in the final Sumnnary show-<br />

ing total radioactivity and total heat generation rate as a function <strong>of</strong> time for an example<br />

metric ton <strong>of</strong> spent fuel and a metric ton equivalent <strong>of</strong> high-level waste.<br />

Issue<br />

Detailed information on the nuclear growth scenario assumed should be provided,<br />

including; numbers and types <strong>of</strong> reactors that come on line each year; and the annual waste<br />

streams from the plants, including spent fuel and low-level waste (volume and activity).<br />

(208-NRC)<br />

Response<br />

Information pertaining to waste volumes and waste logistics is presented in Chapter<br />

7.0 and Appendix A <strong>of</strong> the final Statement.<br />

Issue<br />

A concise summary <strong>of</strong> the chemical and biological properties <strong>of</strong> the important radionu-<br />

clides in high-level waste should be provided, including solubilities and ion exchange char-<br />

acteristics with soil minerals. (6)<br />

Response<br />

While it is possible to concisely summarize radioactive half-lives and the types and<br />

energy <strong>of</strong> the radiation involved, a similar summary <strong>of</strong> solubility or ion exhange behavior<br />

is not practicable. These properties vary with temperature, water composition, and other<br />

factors, and are not amenable to being summarized concisely. Where these properties are<br />

important for specific analysis made in the Statement, the values used are stated concisely<br />

along with pertinent references.<br />

Draft p. 1.9<br />

Issue<br />

<strong>Waste</strong> Treatment and Packaging<br />

One commenter questioned the statement "in either event, the HLW contains fission pro-<br />

ducts, uranium, plutonium, and the balance <strong>of</strong> the TRUs." In both the recycle options most<br />

<strong>of</strong> the uranium is removed, and in the U-Pu recycle most <strong>of</strong> the plutonium is removed as<br />

well. Furthermore, if one assumes U & Pu recycling, sooner or later one reaches the point<br />

where fuel elements no longer have sufficient fuel value to be worth recycling. This case<br />

should be considered.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!