characterisation of non-nuclear waste and … · characterisation of non-nuclear waste and ... well...

CHARACTERISATION OF NON-NUCLEAR WASTE AND ITS SOURCES

NEA Workshop on the Management of Non-Nuclear Radioactive Waste 2-4 May 2017

Presented by:

Dr. Douglas Chambers

May 2017

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TYPES OF NON-FUEL CYCLE RAD WASTES

NORM

Industrial

Medical and Research

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Mining and Mineral Processing

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All soils and minerals have natural radioactivity

In some cases natural levels can be elevated, in

others, levels can be increased by processing

Elevated radioactivity levels can affect operations

and mine closure

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What is NORM?

“ Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material, not

subjected to regulations under the Atomic Energy Act,

disturbed or altered from natural settings, or present in a

technologically enhanced state due to human activities,

which may result in a relative increase in radiation

exposure and risk to public above background radiation

level. ” [HPS]

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Risks from NORM Minerals

In the majority of

situations, the NORM

concentrations do not

pose potential

problems to the

environment or human

health

Processing of ores can

lead to further

enhancement of the

radioactivity in the

products, by-products,

residues or wastes

But

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TENORM “The physical, chemical, radiological properties and concentrations of NORM have been altered such that there exists a potential for:

Redistribution and contamination of environment media (soil, water,

and air);

Increased environmental mobility in soils and groundwater;

Incorporation of elevated levels of radioactivity in products and

construction material;

Improper disposal or use of disposal methods that could result in

unnecessary and relative high exposure to individuals and

populations via any environmental pathway medium.” [HPS]

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NORM Sources Identified by UNSCEAR 2008 Annex B

Metal mining and smelting

Phosphate industry

Coal mining and power production from coal

Oil and gas drilling

Rare earth and titanium oxide industries

Applications of radium and thorium (historic contaminated sites)

Other –water treatment and other NORM wastes

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Concentration Ranges of Uranium and Thorium Series Radionuclides

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000

Soil, Th-232

Soil, Ra-226

Soil, U-238

Other metal ores, U-238 or Th-232

Bauxite

Phosphates, U-238

Rutile, U-238

Ilmenite, Th-232

Zircon, U-238

Pyrochlore, Th-232

Monazite, Th-232

Uranium ores, U-238

Activity concentration (Bq/g)

Data from

UNSCEAR 2000

Non-optimum use

of regulatory

resources

Optimum use

of regulatory

resources

After Wymer, 2008

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Phosphogypsum Stacks

More than 109 tons of PG in North America

Can be managed as waste or as useful by-product

Current world-wide initiative “Stack Free” to

develop safe uses of PG

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Phosphate NORM

Main contributors to dose related to phosphate:

• external gamma radiation from Ra-226 in soil

• inhalation of radon (and RDP)

Radioactivity was already existing and its distribution has changed.

• At some locations more accessible for exposure

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Tanatalum Raw Materials

All electronic devices with capacitors contain tanatalum

Tantalum raw materials contain radioactivity – uranium

and thorium

Denial of shipment of raw materials to processing sites

can be a problem

An IAEA CRP examined transport of NORM materials

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Activity Concentrations (Bq/g) in Tantalum Raw Materials

Radionuclide Material

Type

Number

of

Shipments Mean

(Bq/g)

Max.

(Bq/g)

Proportion

> 10 Bq/g

(%)

Th-232 Slag 22 6.5 27.8 5

Th-232 Tantalite 45 1.3 11.1 2

U-238 Slag 22 18.8 92.2 23

U-238 Tantalite 45 16.4 68.1 71

Total Slag 22 25.3 96.8 45

Total Tantalite 45 17.7 68.3 78

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Radionuclides from Coal Power Plants Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are part of

the mineral content and become concentrated in the ash

When concentrated, the “NORM” becomes “TENORM” - Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material

• gas phase as airborne effluents (primarily radon, some particulates)

• solid combustion products (U, Th, Ra and progeny)

Average ash yield of coal burned ~10% by weight – quantity depends on mineral content of coal and boiler type (varies from 3-30%)

Accordingly, the concentration of radionuclides in coal ash TENORM can be 10x greater than in the coal

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TENORM in Coal Ash

10-30 ppm Uranium (7-20 pCi/g) similar to granite and phosphate rocks and black shales

TENORM Activity in Coal Ash

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NORM in Oil and Gas Industry (1)

NORM present at varying concentrations in formations from

which oil and gas are produced

Most NORM contains radionuclides from uranium and thorium

decay chains

Primary radioactive isotopes of concern include:

- Radium-226 (Ra-226)

- Radium-228 (Ra-228)

- Radon-222 (Rn-222)

- Lead-210 (Pb-210)

- Polonium-210 (Po-210)

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Radioactive elements brought to surface with production fluids and typically stay with water phase

Radon follows gas production stream

• Longer-lived radon progeny found in pumps, tanks and product lines associated with ethane/propane processing

During “pigging”, pig scrapes along interior wall of pipeline and material pushed in front of pig and collected by pig trap

• Resulting material in trap may contain elevated levels of NORM from U-238 decay series, specifically Pb-210, Po-210 & Bi-210

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USEPA (1973) Radon Concentration in NG Distribution Line

Radon-222 Concentration (pCi/L)

Area Average Range Chicago 14.4 2.3-31.3

New York City 1.5 0.5-3.8

Denver 50.5 1.2-119

West Coast 15 1-100

Colorado 25 6.5-43

Nevada 8 5.8-10.4

New Mexico 45 10-53

Houston 8 1.4-14.3

Overall 23

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Plating and Implications (1)

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Plating and Implications (2)

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Lead 210 will plate onto surfaces in natural gas,

ethane, and propane lines

Polonium 210, Bismuth 210 accumulate over time as

Lead 210 decays

All three radionuclides will be difficult to detect from

the outside of equipment and pipes

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NORM in Oil and Gas Industry

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Shale Plays in Lower 48 States

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Marcellus Shale - Observations

Treated frac H20 sludge: 6 - 250 mR/h

Treated frac H20 sludge: BG - 3,000 pCi/g

Gas Well Environs, 45 Pennsylvania sites

– Background: 9.0 mR/h

– Well Pads: 8.7 mR/h

– Well Pits: 9.3 mR/h [some 15-20 mR/h]

Radon in Natural Gas: 37 pCi/L [1-79 pCi/L]

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NORM Waste and By-products

Source: Radiation Level [pCi/g]

low average high

Soils of the United States 0.2 NA 4.2

Geothermal Energy Production Wastes (fact sheet)

10 132 254

Oil and Gas Production Wastes (fact sheet)

Produced Water [pCi/l] 0.1 NA 9,000

Pipe/Tank Scale <0.25 <200 >100,000

Drinking Water Treatment Wastes (fact sheet)

Treatment Sludge [pCi/l] 1.3 11 11,686

Treatment Plant Filters NA 40,000 NA

Waste Water Treatment Wastes (fact sheet)

Treatment Sludge [pCi/l] 0.0 2 47

Treatment Plant Ash [pCi/l 0.0 2 22

Aluminum Production Wastes (fact sheet)

Ore (Bauxite) 4.4 NA 7.4

Product 0.23

Production Wastes NA 3.9-5.6 NA

Coal Ash (fact sheet)

Bottom Ash 1.6 3.5-4.6 7.7

Fly Ash 2 5.8 9.7

Copper Mining and Production Wastes (fact sheet)

0.7 12 82.6

Note: Unless otherwise noted, the radiation level

of each waste is shown in the units pci/gram.

For comparison purposes, the average level

of radium in soil ranges from less than 1

to slightly more than 4 pCi/gram.

"NA" indicates data is not available

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Note: Unless otherwise noted, the radiation level

of each waste is shown in the units pCi/gram.

For of radium in soil ranges from less than 1

to slightly more than 4 pCi/gram.

"NA" indicates data is not available

Source: Radiation Level [pCi/g]

low average high

Fertilizer and Fertilizer Production Wastes (fact sheet)

Ore (Florida) 7 17.3-39.5 6.2-53.5

Phosphogypsum 7.3 11.7-24.5 36.7

Phosphate Fertilizer 0.5 5.7 21

Gold and Silver Mining Wastes (fact sheet)

Rare Earths (Monazite, Xenotime, Bastnasite) Extraction Wastes (fact sheet)

5.7 NA 3224

Titanium Production Wastes (fact sheet)

8.0 24.5

Rutile 19.7 NA

Ilmenite NA 5.7

Wastes 3.9 12 45

Uranium Mining Wastes (fact sheet)

Uranium Mining Overburden low

Uranium In-Situ Leachate Evaporation Pond 3 30 3000

Solids 300 3000

Zircon Mining Wastes (fact sheet)

Wastes 87 68 1300

NORM Waste and By-products …cont’d

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NORM Regulation in Canada NORM is exempt from the application of

the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA).

Except:

when NORM is associated with the development,

production or use of nuclear energy.

when NORM is imported into Canada or exported from

Canada.

the transport of NORM when the specific activity is

greater than 70 Bq/g (70 kBq/kg).

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NORM Regulation in Canada …cont’d NORM is regulated by the provincial and territorial

governments, each having its own specific

regulations on the handling and disposal of the

material (other than for transport which is federally

regulated).

Canadian Guidelines for the Management of

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials have

been developed by the Federal Provincial

Territorial Radiation Protection Committee

(FPtrPC)to harmonize standards throughout the

country and ensure appropriate control over

NORM.

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IAEA Safety Standards/Reports

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Industrial Sources There are numerous types of sources

Scrap metal contaminated with NORM or other rad wastes

Industrial irradiation(C0-60, Cs-137) - Sterilization of medical

and pharmaceutical products, food preservation , polymer

synthesis

Industrial radiography -non destructive testing (Cs-137, Co-60)

Radioisotope production (I-131, cyclotron production of PE

radionuclides for PET imaging)

Well logging (rad sources –gamma (Cs-137) and neutron

(Am241Be source), or x-rays), sometimes sources are lost in

wells

Luminizing (e.g., gunsights, exit signs…)

Space travel (RTGs, Po-210, Pu-238,…)

Smoke detectors

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INDUSTRIAL (GAUGES)

Fixed and portable

Gauges may be transferred back to the

supplier, to another licensee or to a waste

disposal organization licensed by the

CNSC.

The inventory should be adjusted

accordingly to reflect any transfers.

Currently most sealed sources from

gauges are transferred to CNL (formerly

AECL) in Canada.

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Medical Waste – Nuclear Medicine

Commonly Used Isotopes in Nuclear Medicine are:

I-123

I-131

Tc-99m

F-18

Y-90 microspheres(and many more)

In Canada, all radioactive waste disposals must be

managed and handled as per the CNSC’s Nuclear

Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations.

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LABORATORY WASTE Radioactive waste is segregated accordingly to half-

lives at most Universities and Research Facilities.

Based on the isotope’s half-life waste is segregated

and the nuclear substance is usually stored in a

licensed localized storage facility.

Short-lived isotopes such Tc-99m, P-32, P-33,

S-35 are delay decayed for 10 half-lives prior to

disposal.

If short-lived isotopes are to be disposed of in the

normal waste stream their residual activity has to be

measured and recorded by the institution prior to

disposal usually done in consultation with the

Radiation Safety Officer (RSO).

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LABORATORY WASTE • Long-lived radionuclides are segregated by their

half-life and are disposed of accordingly.

• Commonly used Long-lived radionuclides such

as C-14 and H-3 are transferred to specialized

licensed waste contractors.

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Accelerators Much of the radioactive waste material is bulky solid materials

(especially metals)

Unlike nuclear power wastes, rad wastes from accelerators

– Generally produce little alpha activity (except for special target

materials)

– Less neutron rich radioactive species

– A large array of radionuclides

The main waste streams are

Operational - maintenance replacements, decontamination

materials

Decommissioning - residual operational wastes, structural

concrete, shielding materials

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Concluding Remarks

There are very many kinds of radioactive wastes arising from non-fuel cycle activities

These wastes have a wide variety of radiological, chemical and physical forms

Waste management requirements can lead to costly solutions

In Canada there are few options for commercial disposal of radioactive wastes that cannot be managed by storage and decay

characterisation of non-nuclear waste and … · characterisation of non-nuclear waste and ... well...

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