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

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Health Impacts<br />

6.19<br />

Radiological Effects to Man and Environment. As indicated earlier, two different waste<br />

forms could be considered for disposal in very deep holes: spent fuel in canisters and encap-<br />

sulated processed high-level waste. A detailed description <strong>of</strong> these forms is contained in<br />

Bechtel (1979a). Additional assumptions are that both waste forms would have undergone a<br />

10-year decay period prior to emplacement and that secondary TRU wastes would be disposed via<br />

a mined geologic repository.<br />

The estimated total occupational whole-body dose from VDH disposal during routine oper-<br />

ations would be 4,150 man-rem/yr for the spent fuel waste form and 6,260 man-rem/yr for the<br />

HLW form (Table 6.1.1). Of this, 910 man-rem/yr for the spent fuel waste and 920 man-rem/yr<br />

for the HLW form can be attributed to the emplacement <strong>of</strong> waste in the deep hole. The de-<br />

tailed breakdown <strong>of</strong> doses directly attributable to the VDH concept is presented in Table<br />

6.1.2. Doses attributable to the naturally occuring radioactive materials released during<br />

excavation <strong>of</strong> very deep holes are not included in the estimates.<br />

The estimate <strong>of</strong> the total nonoccupational whole-body dose from VDH disposal is 380 man-<br />

rem/yr for the spent fuel waste form and 180 man-rem/yr for the HLW form (see Table 6.1.1.).<br />

Only a very small portion would be contributed by the deep hole -- 7 x 10-6 man-rem/yr and<br />

3 x 10- 4 man-rem/yr, respectively, for the spent fuel and HLW forms.<br />

Only nonoccupational doses have been estimated for abnormal conditions and these are<br />

presented in Table 6.1.3. Insufficient data are available to allow an estimate <strong>of</strong> the ex-<br />

posure to occupational personnel during abnormal conditions. It can be only assumed that the<br />

exposure would be within regulatory requirements. In this instance, the estimated total<br />

Spent Fuel<br />

TABLE 6.1.1. Radiological Impact - Routine Operation (Bechtel 1979a)<br />

Whole Body Dose, man-rem/yr<br />

Occupational Nonoccupational<br />

AFR 1580 320<br />

Packaging and Encapsulation 1100 20<br />

(P/E) Facility<br />

Transportation 80 40<br />

Repository (secondary waste) 470 5 x 10-6<br />

Deep Hole 920 7 x 10-6<br />

Total 4150 380<br />

HLW<br />

P/E Facility 4090 90<br />

Transportation 210 90<br />

Repository (secondary waste) 1030 2 x 10- 5<br />

Deep Hole 930 3 x 10-4<br />

Total 6260 180

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