Regional Basic Professional Training Course in Korea

❙ 995 ❙
19. Decommissioning
partial or total decontamination. Decontamination may be applied to internal or external
surfaces of components and systems, structural surfaces and the tools employed in
decommissioning. The process of decontamination associated with decommissioning can
be conducted before, during or after dismantling.
The objectives of decontamination include:
(a) a reduction of exposures during decommissioning activities;
(b) a minimization of the volume of the categories of material to be classified or
disposed of as solid radioactive waste; and
(c) the increase of the possibility of recycle and reuse of equipment, materials or
premises.
A number of decontamination techniques have been developed which may be applicable
to decommissioning. International exchanges of information should be encouraged. If
necessary, innovative techniques should be demonstrated in mock-up trials and other
simulations. The applicability of these techniques to the particular decommissioning
project should be thoroughly assessed before selection.
Before any decontamination strategy is undertaken or a decontamination technique is
selected, an evaluation of its effectiveness should be performed. In order to ensure that
exposures are kept as low as reasonably achievable, this evaluation should include:
(a) the target decontamination level;
(b) the estimated doses to workers;
(c) consideration of the possible generation of aerosols;
(d) consideration of the likelihood that available techniques will achieve the target
level on particular components;