Reprocessing And Recycli

Waste Mana

gement

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissio

Reprocessing Workshop

October 19-20, 2010

Albuquerque, NM
Reprocessing And Recyclin

Mass And Waste Balance

• Mass quantities and waste categorizations 

on processes and efficiencies

• In general:

– PUREX process is the Baseline - most develo

a

n

d w

ell defined

a d e de ed

– PUREX variations can have large differences 

quantities, waste generation, and categorizat

– Other processes less defined for waste quan

categorization

• Contact handling (e.g., Recycling – fuel fab

requires high efficiencies and decontaminafactors, and potentially simplifies the waste 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Modern PUREX - Top Level Balance

(All Values Are Approximate)

SNF: 1,000 MTIHM(e.g., per year)

MOX Fuel200 MTHM, 5% Fissile

Emissions and Effluents:Kr-85: 27,940 g, 11E6 Ci C-14: 455.3 H-3: 95.4 g, 9.21E5 Ci I-129: 313,

Uranium (NU or DU)For MOX Fuel:190 MTHM

Reprocessed Uranium 940 MTHM, 340 m3HLW: 50 teHLW (vit): 200 te, 100 “HLW/GTCC: 300 te” (Circa 100 m3LLW: facility, PPE etc.1,200 m3

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop

(Values derived from

literature references,

e.g., NRC, 179th meeting

Of ACNW&M,May 16th, 2007)
Radioactive Wastes

• In general:

– HLW – highly radioactive and hazardou

many 100s or 1,000s of years, can be heating, geologic isolation generally ne

– Non-HLW 

– radioactive and hazardous 

or a few 100s years, not self-heating, engineered isolation generally needed

• Waste categorization primarily by 

generation and source (origin), not h

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
HLW - High Level Waste

• Definition in 63.2 and 72.2: 

– Highly radioactive material from reprocess

(liquid or solid), including liquid waste prodirectly and any solid derived from such liwaste containing sufficient concentrations fission 

products

– Irradiated nuclear fuel (SNF)– Other highly radioactive material NRC det

by rule that requires permanent [geologic] isolation

• Generated by all reprocessing process

quantities and forms vary

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
HLW And PUREX

• First cycle liquid waste

– Vitrified (a glass), inside containers– Stored onsite

• Fuel rod cladding – “hulls”

Technically not HLW

– Technically not HLW– But hard to separate and verify separation 

HLW, and, thus, usually handled as HLW

• Other HLW-like streams small, usually 

to vitrification (e.g., scrubber solutions, and TRU materials)

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Photos Of HLW Storage

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Other Materials

• Reprocessed uranium – recycle, store

disposal

– Large amount– Slightly enriched– Contact handled (PUREX) but slightly mo

radioactiv

e

ad oact e

• Plutonium – reuse as a fuel material (e

MOX)

– Isotopic mixture depends on burnup and d

• Volatiles

– Usually released via scrubbers

• Potential reuse of materials for catalys

radiation sources etc.

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Non-HLW

• Normally considered to be low level wa

(LLW). Typically includes:

– Non-repaired equipment– Facility waste (e.g., filters, ion exchange m

catalysts, solvents)

I l d di i di d b t

• Includes radioiodine adsorbents

• PPE – Personnel Protective Equipmen• Reprocessing plants overseas sometim

generate another waste type called intermediate level waste (ILW) betweeand HLW

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Regulatory Analysis

• Waste-related gaps ... 

– Gap 3: Waste incidental to reprocessing ... High prior– Gap 15. Waste confidence for reprocessing facilities– Gap 16: Waste classification ... Moderate priority

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Gap 3: Waste Incidental 

to Reprocessing• Commercial reprocessing facilities likely to gene

waste that is WIR-like

• WIR is not defined by statute or regulation• Commercial WIR is not ...*

– High-level radioactive waste (HLW)– Spent nuclear fuel (SNF)– Transuranic radioactive waste (TRU)– Low-level radioactive waste (LLW)– Greater-than-Class C LLW (GTCC)* See Appendix B of NUREG-1853

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Gap 3: 

Why is this of Concern?• Regulatory definition implies manner of disposition• Management options currently available ...

– HLW, SNF, TRU, GTCC: Deep geologic disposal– LLW: Shallow land burial– DOE WIR: In situ disposal

• For a commercial reprocessing facility, what should NRC 

for WIR-type wastes?

– Not all waste generated by reprocessing facilities expected t– Large volumes of LLW-like wastes expected to be generated 

small amounts of radioactive materials

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Gap 3:

Potential Options ...• Define what is meant by the term “highly radioactive” in 

2.(12) of the NWPA, as amended

• Develop regulatory guidance similar to that used by DO

differentiate WIR-like wastes

• Define commercial WIR in the context of current Part 61 

Define commercial WIR in the context of current Part 61 

default)

• Develop a definition of WIR as applied to commercial S

reprocessing facilities

• Address via SRM-SECY-08-0147 or SRM M100617B (a

to Part 61)

• Restore LLW Requirements for Reprocessing Plants in 

(Now Appendix F) to Part 50 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
GAP 16:

Waste Classification-10 CFR Pa• Some radionuclides potentially associated with 

reprocessing not addressed by §61.55 tables

– Example: Krypton-85: H-3 (No limits for Class B and C – Kr-85 could be classified as Class-A LLW– If radioactive waste does not contain any radionuclide

either in Tables 1 and 2 of 10 CFR Part 61, it is Class A 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Potential Points

For Discussion

• What alternatives or options should NRC consid

independent storage of reprocessing high-level (HLW)?

• What alternatives or options should NRC consid

management of non

-HLW reprocessing waste

management of non HLW reprocessing waste

• What specific time limit considerations should th

consider for the storage of reprocessing waste? 

• Should the waste incidental to reprocessing con

implemented for a commercial fuel reprocessing production facility?

• What waste performance requirements are need

safely dispose waste generated at reprocessing 

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
BACK-UP SLIDES

UP SLIDES

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Background

• NRC has licensing jurisdiction over commercial 

production facilities

– Reprocessing facilities are production facilities– NRC neither proposes nor opposes reprocessing and 

• In the 1960s-70s, the AEC (now NRC) licensed 

reprocessing facility and issued construction authorizations under 10 CFR Part 50

– West Valley Demonstration Project– Operated from 1966-72 by Nuclear Fuel Services (NF– Closed for design modifications in 1972– NFS ceased operations in 1976

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
SECY-09-0082

• Identify information needs necessary to support 

framework for reprocessing and associated activ

– Focused on 10 CFR Part 70– Considered ACNW&M’s NUREG-1909

Oth t i l

– Other ma

terials

• Included identification of regulatory gaps for whi

existing NRC regulations are likely insufficient to needs

October 2010 Reprocessing Workshop