260
20 Remediation
Both national (e.g. US DOT 49 CFR 171, 172, and 173 [12]) and international
(e.g. IAEA [3]) bodies have developed standards for radioactive materials transportation and shipping. Many nations’ regulations are consistent with international standards, making it possible to make some general statements that should be generally
applicable.
Radioactive materials transportation requirements include:
• Acceptable packaging sufficient to protect and contain the radioactive materials
and to keep them from escaping in the event of mishandling or an accident.
• Proper labeling and placarding to notify and warn others of the level of risk posed
by the package or vehicle contents.
• Acceptable radiation dose rates to ensure the package and its contents do not pose
a risk to workers or to the members of the public.
• Securing and safeguarding the package against loss or theft.
There will likely be contractors responsible for this process and it will be their
responsibility to ensure that it is done properly, meeting all relevant regulatory
requirements and taking all appropriate precautions, under the supervision of the
appropriate regulatory agencies.
20.6.5 Final Disposal
The remediation waste will be shipped for disposal at a licensed radioactive waste
disposal facility such as the one shown in Fig. 20.3. This might be an existing facility if
the nation that was attacked has an operating facility of this type already in operation;
if not then it might be necessary to construct one. In the aftermath of the radiation
accident in Goiânia, the Brazilian government constructed a radioactive waste facility
to house about 3500 cubic meters of radioactive waste that was generated during
remediation activities.
Whether it is an existing facility or one constructed for this purpose, it will have to
meet certain criteria to isolate the waste for a period of time; this period will depend
on the effective half-life of the radionuclide(s) present; short-lived radionuclides
will decay reasonably quickly and will not require a long isolation period while
longer-lived nuclides (e.g. Am-241) might require safe isolation for a few to several
millennia. At the other extreme, waste from a nuclear attack is likely to decay to safe
levels fairly quickly.
Characteristics of an effective new waste facility might include factors such as
[15]:
• Depth to groundwater—a deeper water table means that contamination will have
to travel further and will take longer to reach an aquifer; also minimizes the risk
of groundwater infiltration
20 Remediation
Both national (e.g. US DOT 49 CFR 171, 172, and 173 [12]) and international
(e.g. IAEA [3]) bodies have developed standards for radioactive materials transportation and shipping. Many nations’ regulations are consistent with international standards, making it possible to make some general statements that should be generally
applicable.
Radioactive materials transportation requirements include:
• Acceptable packaging sufficient to protect and contain the radioactive materials
and to keep them from escaping in the event of mishandling or an accident.
• Proper labeling and placarding to notify and warn others of the level of risk posed
by the package or vehicle contents.
• Acceptable radiation dose rates to ensure the package and its contents do not pose
a risk to workers or to the members of the public.
• Securing and safeguarding the package against loss or theft.
There will likely be contractors responsible for this process and it will be their
responsibility to ensure that it is done properly, meeting all relevant regulatory
requirements and taking all appropriate precautions, under the supervision of the
appropriate regulatory agencies.
20.6.5 Final Disposal
The remediation waste will be shipped for disposal at a licensed radioactive waste
disposal facility such as the one shown in Fig. 20.3. This might be an existing facility if
the nation that was attacked has an operating facility of this type already in operation;
if not then it might be necessary to construct one. In the aftermath of the radiation
accident in Goiânia, the Brazilian government constructed a radioactive waste facility
to house about 3500 cubic meters of radioactive waste that was generated during
remediation activities.
Whether it is an existing facility or one constructed for this purpose, it will have to
meet certain criteria to isolate the waste for a period of time; this period will depend
on the effective half-life of the radionuclide(s) present; short-lived radionuclides
will decay reasonably quickly and will not require a long isolation period while
longer-lived nuclides (e.g. Am-241) might require safe isolation for a few to several
millennia. At the other extreme, waste from a nuclear attack is likely to decay to safe
levels fairly quickly.
Characteristics of an effective new waste facility might include factors such as
[15]:
• Depth to groundwater—a deeper water table means that contamination will have
to travel further and will take longer to reach an aquifer; also minimizes the risk
of groundwater infiltration