Improving the Characterization Program for Contact-Handled Transuranic Waste Bound for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (2004) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-6
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Federal and New Mexico laws require that generator sites gather and confirm existing information2 and, where necessary, acquire additional information on the physical, chemical, and racliological properties of transuranic waste to ensure that the waste contains only materials allowed to be shipped to and disposed of at WIPP. The waste characterization program consists of all characterization activities that are performed at generator sites to satisfy characterization requirements concerning radiological and hazardous properties of the waste set forth by WIPP's regulatory agencies: the U.S.
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First, bringing WIPP to operational status is a significant achievement, given the technical and societal challenges of operating the first and only6 creep geologic repository for transuranic waste and the complex regulatory environment under which WIPP operates.7 During the development of the facility, WIPP has followed a regulatory path typical of many first-of-a-kind facilities with non-routine permits. In developing its transuranic waste characterization program, DOE proposed characterization activities to meet regulatory requirements.8 The regulatory agencies overseeing WIPP reviewed and approved the inclusion of these characterization activities in W!
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As previously noted, a complete analysis of the benefits and costs of each waste characterization activity is beyond the scope of this study and the commidee's capability. In the first finding and recommendation, the committee recommends steps that DOE can take to assess the value of characterization activities based on a structured and quantitative analysis and given the experience gained from four years of operations.
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Within its constraints of time and information made available, the committee could only point out some of the risks to be included in this risk analysis (see Section 5.3~; a complete risk assessment is a major endeavor that the committee was not prepared to undertake. Based on the information provided by DOE and findings by a previous National Research Council committee, three characterization activities appear to be candidates for the complete application of the analytical framework proposed by the committee: 1.
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Fincting 3: Current characterization activities are applied generically to all waste types and, with few exceptions, are not tailored to particular waste streams. Recommendation 3: DOE should propose to its regulators a more flexible waste characterization program that can take into account the properties of different waste streams, allowing more efficient and effective waste characterization operations ., There are categories and subcategories of transuranic waste that may require different methods of characterization depending on whether they are existing wastes, wastes that pose special problems (see Sections 2.3 and 2.4)
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Recommenctation 6: DOE should publish clearly written analyses of proposed changes to the characterization program to document that these changes do not adversely affect the protection of worker and public health and/or of the environment. DOE should also provide public access to information about WIPP and its operations, including the WIPP Waste Information System,42 and communicate interactively with state officials, tribes, public interest groups, and scientific oversight organizations.
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