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

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Alternative decommissioning methods involving hardened safe storage were also examined
for the three facilities. A continuing care period of about 100 years was considered for
an AFR, while periods of about 1000 years were considered for the FRP and the MOX-FFP. The
1000-year storage period was used to provide a conservative upper bound to the environmental
effects from this activity. A proposed EPA waste storage criterion would limit the safe
storage period to about 100 years.
More detail on the wastes resulting from the decommissioning of these facilities is
contained in DOE/ET-0028 (Section 8.0 and Section 10--Appendix A). Estimated quantities
and radionuclide content of the untreated wastes from the example decommissioning processes
are given in Table 4.6.1. The quantities are markedly lower than those presented earlier
(Table 4.2.3) for the wastes resulting from operation of these facilities. The radionuclide
content is also much lower. Quantities of packaged waste resulting from treatment of the
decommissioning wastes are listed in Table 4.6.2.
The radionuclide releases estimated to occur during the decommissioning steps and dur-
ing the TRU-decommissioning waste treatment operations are presented in Table 4.6.3. Except
for the water from the fuel storage basins at an AFR, no release of radioactive liquids is
planned. The water from the storage basins at the FRP is vaporized for discharge (using an
existing vaporizer), as is the water present in the decontamination solutions.