Reprocessing And Recycli

Waste Mana

gement

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissio

Reprocessing Workshop

September 7th and 8th, 2010

Rockville, MD
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 d e de ed n

d w

ell defined

– 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 

September 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

September 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

September 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

September 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)

September 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Photos Of HLW Storage

September 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

September 2010 Reprocessing Workshop 
Other Materials

• Reprocessed uranium – recycle, store

disposal

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

rad oact e ioactiv

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.

September 2010 Reprocessing Workshop
Potential Points

For Discussion

• Onsite storage of SNF• Onsite storage of HLW• Onsite storage of non-HLW• Onsite storage to allow decay• Parameters for onsite storage 

– form, 

limits, activity limits, active vs passive monitoring)

• Reuse – current, future – parameters• Risk-inform waste categorization base

hazards

• Include additional waste categories (e.

September 2010 Reprocessing Workshop