ICEM11 Final Program 9.7.11pm_ICEM07 Final Program ... - Events

Abstracts Session 7
300 years. This longer timeframe presents possible regulatory and technical issues with regard to both storage safety and security.
Issues associated with maintaining security for very long-term storage are being identified and addressed. An assessment has been
performed of security regulations, including those from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the DOE, for impacts over
the longer timeframe. The characterization of UNF as self-protecting...
SESSION 7 — NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ER PROGRAMS (4.2)
1) OBJECTIVES FOR REMEDIATION OF AREAS POLLUTED BY
RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN FRANCE (w/oP-59300)
Charlotte Cazala, Didier Gay, Olivier Chabanis, Jerome Guillevic, IRSN; Odile Palut Laurent,
Geraldine Dandrieux, ASN; Alain Thomassin, IRSN/DRPH/SER/UETP; Chapalain Estelle,
Laurence Roy, Ministère de lEcologie, du Développement Durable, des Transports et du Logement (France)
In the 90s, the French administration has developed several tools in order to inventory potentially polluted sites and to identify
those requiring an immediate action. Concerns and needs have gradually moved on and a methodology for the management of
selected areas was established. A general framework was then published by the Ministry of Ecology in 2007.
The Ministry of Ecology jointly with the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) asked the Institute for Radiological Protection and
Nuclear Safety (IRSN) to establish guidelines for the management of radioactive polluted areas . Requirements were: i) to fit with
the published general framework while highlighting specificities of radioactive pollutants management; ii) to take benefit of
radioactive polluted areas remediation; iii) to precise remediation objectives and iv) to develop stakeholders involvement issues.
Within this general framework, two situations were identified: i) the polluted area is already used for domestic, public or industrial
purposes; ii) the polluted area is an industrial site under dismantling or a polluted wasteland where a redevelopment project is
under consideration.
Management of a polluted site with ongoing use is based on the pollution level determination. This level can be compared to
threshold values defined in applicable regulations when such threshold values do…
2) REMEDIATION OF AREVA MIRAMAS SITE (w/oP-59312)
Gilles Potier, AREVA (France)
Remediation of AREVA Miramas site
Objectives : The objectives of this project is to remediate the former facility by performing all operations useful and necessary
enabling a final withdrawal of CEA and AREVA NC companies. The desired end state is a remediated site for a new industrial use
Environmental Context : The various studies have demonstrated and confirmed the presence of soil contaminations. The types
and ranges of pollution could clearly be attributed to different historical activities : metals; mercury and organic compounds. However,
due to the different constraints (Mercury regulation, urban proximity, slick ...) and to a particular sensitivity (AREVA operator,
site located in a urban area), the project cannot be limited to the strict regulatory requirements
Description of operations : The operations concerns the remediation of approximately 100 000 m3 of soil and the decommissioning
of facilities. Soil remediation focuses on two major pollutants: mercury and organo-nitro compounds, located in areas well
identified. The techniques applied will be...
3) THE VALUE OF A MATURE, STABLE, AND TRANSPARENT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
IN FACILITATING ER PROGRAMS LESSONS LEARNED IN DECOMMISSIONING OF
URANIUM RECOVERY AND OTHER FACILITIES IN THE USA (w/oP-59411)
Keith I. McConnell, Larry Camper, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USA)
The history of decommissioning activities in the United States has demonstrated the value of a mature, stable and transparent
regulatory framework in facilitating the timely completion of environmental remediation. Two examples are given as case studies.
The first example relates to the history of uranium concentrate (yellowcake) production in the U.S. to support the initial development
of civilian nuclear power in the U.S. in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. This yellowcake production, which took place mostly in
the western U.S., was undertaken before laws and regulations to prevent contamination and protect public health and safety were
fully developed. Significant contamination occurred in terms of both surface and ground water contamination. Although most conventional
mills producing uranium during these early years entered decommissioning in the 70s and 80s, the vast majority are still
remediating their sites because of persistent contamination in ground water. Had an effective regulatory framework been in place,
much of this contamination would have been prevented and remediation accomplished more effectively. In contrast to this experience,
a second example is provided related to development of the regulatory framework for decommissioning of non-uranium
recovery facilities in the U.S. in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Prior to this...
4) THE FIRST NEW CONVENTIONAL URANIUM MILL IN THE U.S. IN 30 YEARS LICENSING
OF THE PINON RIDGE PROJECT, COLORADO, USA (w/oP-59330)
Steve Brown, SENES Consultants Ltd; Frank Filas, Energy Fuels Resources, Lakewood, (USA)
Energy Fuels Resources Corporation (EFR) has recently received a radioactive material license from the US State of Colorado
and intends to construct and operate a conventional acid leach uranium and vanadium mill at the Piñon Ridge Mill site in western
Montrose County, Colorado. Site facilities will include an administration building, a 17- acre mill; three tailing cells totaling 90
acres, a 40-acre evaporation pond (expandable capacity to 80 acres), a 6-acre ore storage pad, and an access road. The mill will
process ore produced from mines within a reasonable truck-hauling distance, mostly from the historical Uravan mineral belt of the
Colorado Plateau (Four Corners region of the States of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico) and will have a capacity of 500
tons per day, but is designed to accommodate subsequent expanded production capacity of up to 1,000 tons per day. The expected
operating life of the mill is 20 to 40 years, depending on the production rate.
The Piñon Ridge mill is subject to regulation by the state of Colorado as a Agreement State with the U.S. Nuclear regulatory
Commision under the U.S. Atomic Energy Act. Accordingly, the mill license (radioactive source material license) that was issued
in January…
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