The UK's approach to radioactive waste management, and the drivers behind the developing waste management and minimisation strategy

Transcription

1 The UK's approach to radioactive waste management, and the drivers behind the developing waste management and minimisation strategy Peter Hiller NNL (on behalf of the Environment Agency; England and Wales) November 2012

2 Content of Presentation Introduction UK nuclear industry The UK Environment Agency's role in nuclear regulation. The UK National Waste Program and it s impact on waste management. Changes in UK regulatory approach. Waste assessment techniques and developing practices. Advantages and benefits of the new approach.

3 Introduction UK Nuclear Licensed Sites There are 37 nuclear licence sites in the UK including: 17 reactors 3 fuel processing facilities 1 LLW disposal facility

4 UK Regulatory Regime UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (HASAW Act) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Environment Agency Principal aims are to protect and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development. Security of nuclear material, sensitive information and safeguards Waste management/disposal and permitting UK Nuclear Licensed Sites (NDA/EDF)

5 Introduction The Environment Agency (England and Wales) is: 1) An environmental regulator targeting effort at highest risks area - to maintain and improve environmental standards; to minimise unnecessary burdens on businesses. 2) An environmental operator working with people and communities across England and Wales to protect and improve the environment in an integrated way. Providing a vital incident response capability 3) An environmental adviser and champion for the environment compiling and assessing the best available evidence, reporting on the state of the environment. Providing technical information and advice to national and local government to support policy and decision-making. Note; Equivalent body in Scotland is SEPA.

6 The Environment Agency in England and Wales Nuclear Context 35 licensed nuclear sites in England and Wales as of Oct 2012 including; Nuclear power stations (6 decommissioning); Research reactor sites; Nuclear fuel manufacturing sites; Fuel reprocessing site; Isotope production facilities; Waste disposal/treatment sites; Defense sites. Regulated by the ONR for all aspects of nuclear safety. Regulated by EA for environmental effect limits set in permits and conditions, including discharges to air and water and disposal and treatment of solid waste.

7 The National Nuclear Laboratory Introducing the NNL A UK Government Owned Contractor Operated (GOCO) Organisation Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Shareholder Executive NNL Ltd Board -Chair, 2 Non- Execs, 3 Execs Management Contract Management Secondees Reach-back 3yr+1yr+1yr contract Deliver Strategic and Business Plans Executive Leadership Team The NNL lead the technical consortium that delivers the Waste Framework Contract for the Environment Agency in England and Wales.

8 Organisational relationship Organisations involved in the Waste Framework Contract

9 The Low Level Waste Repository LLW Repository Ltd A waste management company that provides services to Customers to treat and dispose of low level radioactive waste. Manage the LLWR on Behalf of NDA. Oversee the UK national Low Level Waste programme , 19% , 14% , 7% Sellafield Fuel Manufacture Magnox UKAEA British Energy MoD Other , 4% 60000, 2% , 53% 17000, 1% Forecast arisings of LLW by waste producer (m 3, % total)

10 UK Nuclear Waste in Context LLWR Ltd have responsibility for UK LLW management strategy The LLW National Waste Programme (NWP) has been developed (by LLWR) to support the ongoing delivery of the UK Strategy for the Management of Solid Low Level Radioactive Waste from the Nuclear Industry. The programme is designed to meet the following objectives: Implementing the waste hierarchy Making best use of existing waste management assets; Meeting the need for new fit-forpurpose waste management routes.

11 The Low Level Waste Repository Role of LLWR changed from disposer of LLW to broker for alternative fates for LLW and disposer of last resort for LLW. Lead for implementation of LLW strategy and accountancy. LLWR also provides a characterisation service and assurance service for wastes no longer disposed of at LLWR itself EA is co-ordinating with the LLWR to ensure appropriate assurance activities are undertaken and audited. Need to maximise available space for LLW disposal up to end of forecast arisings (circa 2129);

12 Disposal Challenge Packaged Volume Waste Arisings 2008 Capacity Exceeded 2011 ESC Failure Risk 2020 LLWR Full Inventory Forecast Lifetime Plan Capacity Year

13 Meeting the Capacity Challenge Packaged Volume Waste Arisings Inventory Forecast Lifetime Plan Capacity Waste Segregation Year

14 Waste Segregation and the Waste Hierarchy Application of the Waste Management Hierarchy such that only those wastes requiring near-surface disposal are accepted at LLWR, by for example: Employing recycling/segregation/recovery technologies Minimise amount going to the LLWR for disposal by ensuring robust waste characterisation is undertaken. Developing alternative disposal routes for lower active wastes. Employing heat treatment (incineration) to reduce waste volumes Improving packaging efficiencies through size reduction. PREVENT MINIMISE REUSE RECYCLE RECOVER ENERGY DISPOSE

15 Traditional Regulatory Approach Strategy developed and implemented for over 20 years. Waste management licence/transport consignment notes. Seize and monitor consignments of waste in own operated labs. Enforcement and prosecution for breaches. Predominantly end of pipe enforcement.

16 Developing Regulatory Approach (1) Developing approach over the last 12 months. Less end of process intervention. Auditing and Assurance not Characterisation Influence PBOs and SLCs at strategic level. Implement Waste Hierarchy. Influence waste producers to encourage good or best practise to maximise protection of the environment.

17 Developing Regulatory Approach (2) Look higher up the waste generation process to drive improvements, implementation of BAT. Flexible regulatory approach to encourage the development of new methods for dealing with specific wastes, e.g. incineration of VLLW Bringing in skills from industry to support regulation (Waste Framework Contract). BUT Maintain Regulatory independence

18 Waste Framework Contract Waste Framework Contract a flexible waste quality checking service based around a call-off type contract to meet potentially varied demand and allow a wide range of checks on waste arisings Emphasise link between regulators and technical specialists within the industry to deliver the best solutions whilst maintaining regulatory independence. Evidence from independent specialist audit and assurance activities carried out under the contract can be of high value to regulators, stakeholders, etc. Consortium of organisations lead by the NNL and comprising NNL, Nuvia, Babcock and Frazer Nash.

19 Waste Framework Activities Waste framework agreement has numerous advantages; Flexible reactive capability. Effective methodology to manage Conflicts of Interest. Regulatory access to a broad range of Assay and analytical capability. Ability to keep up to date with developments Cost benefit to Regulator of not maintaining an independent analysis capability

20 Waste Framework Activities Work being undertaken or proposed under framework; Auditing. Insitu monitoring. Laboratory analysis. Reference Drums. Waste fingerprinting. Check monitoring provides objective evidence the due process is being followed and the outcomes are appropriate. Reassure ourselves and sceptical public, MPs etc.

21 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (1) Babcock. Utilise a wide range of portable & transportable assay equipment & measurement techniques In-situ non-destructive assay measurements Operational or decommissioning facilities From whole plants to small waste packages Alpha and Beta/Gamma waste streams using state of the art gamma and neutron assay techniques

22 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (2) Equipment available; Transportable waste activity characterisation systems; The equipment in this category ranges from systems developed to meet more specific measurement requirements, for example, to measure waste drums or bags, through to highly portable, configurable equipment that can be used for more ad-hoc measurement needs, such as the assay of waste items in-situ. Monitoring Equipment Off the shelf, commercially available components, data acquisition and analysis software, electronics and detectors Ancillary Equipment This includes a wide range of radioactive sources, test waste containers and simulated matrix materials for testing and calibration of instrumentation

23 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (3) Equipment -Transportable waste activity characterisation systems Babcock DrumScan HRGS SoloA single-shot HRGS system for assay of waste containers. Babcock DrumScan LRGSRapid, reliable and cost-effective LLW assay of drums up to 200 litres, packages up to 90 litres and HEPA filters by a single monitor. Babcock DrumScan AlphaLRGS based assay system providing proven and effective LLW / PCM segregation at the Pu alpha activity limit of 0.1 GBq/te. Canberra ISOCS System (2-off)Portable, collimated detector deployment hardware to measure gamma emissions from a range of different waste items. ORTEC ISO-CART HRGS system including ISOTOPIC modelling and analysis capability that can be used with a range of Ge detectors. Babcock RadScan 800 (2-Off)2D gamma imaging / mapping based on LRGS (NaI). Used for identifying the location and distribution of gamma emitting contamination in waste items.

24 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (4) RadScan Gamma Imaging Camera Remotely locate, characterise and target gamma contamination. Colour camera image overlaid with contour plot of contamination to highlight hotspots and calculate activities / dose rates. DISPIM Plutonium Imaging System Accurate assay of gloveboxes, process items, crates, drums, etc. Transportable system to determine plutonium hold-up. Assists planning activities by providing 3D image of plutonium distribution within the item.

25 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (5) PSIM (Particle Swarm Imaging) Patented, advanced analysis technique. Determines the activity distribution within the item being measured. This results in significant improvements in the accuracy of the activity measurement, particularly with dense objects/materials. DrumScan LRGS Alpha Unique high-throughput, high-sensitivity gamma-ray detection system used to segregate bags of alpha decommissioning wastes into LLW and PCM (ILW) wastestreams.

26 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (6) Waste Characterisation GEM System NICOLE winner Network for Industrially COntaminated Land in Europe

27 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (7)

28 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (8) NNL Babcock Active Laboratory analysis; VLLW to ILW

29 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (9) Radiochemical determination of solids and liquid wastes, quality assured to ISO17025 Alpha emitters Pu-238, Pu-239/240, Pu-242, Am-241, Am-243, Cm- 242, Cm-243/244, U-232, U-233/234, U-235/236, U Beta/X-ray emitters H-3, C-14, S-35, Cl-36, Ca-41, Ca-45, Fe-55, Ni-59, Ni-63, Sr-90 (& Y-90), Tc-99, I-129, Sm-151, Pm-147, Pu-241. Gamma emitters Sc-46, Cr-51, Mn-54, Co-58, Fe-59, Co-60, Zn-65, Se-75, Nb-94, Nb-95, Zr-95, Ru-103, Ru-106, Ag-108m, Ag-110m, Sb-124, Sb-125, Ba-133, Cs-134, Cs-137, Ce-144, Eu-152, Eu-154, Eu-155, Ta-182, Hg-203.

30 Techniques available to EA through Waste Framework Contract (10) Specialist Environmental Auditing Organisation Environmental auditing, Risk assessment, Management systems, Permitting, Due-diligence Regulatory support

31 Waste Example Case study Several hundred tonnes of concrete waste soil and pipe fragments recovered during excavation of low active drain. Nuclear site working with waste contractor to open up new VLLW disposal route, not sending waste to LLWR Waste bagged in one tonne bags and scanned insitu on large scale bag scanner for beta/gamma analysis. Results provided to regulator (EA). Under Waste Framework Contract with NNL, additional confirmatory lab analysis of samples undertake (Staged approach) to independently confirm results. Waste disposed of in full compliance with licence conditions. EA developing insitu and laboratory program to regulate Phase 2 of work through Waste Framework Contract with NNL WRL12/447 Zone 3 Bag 20 as received WRL12/447 Zone 3 Bag 20 post sample preparation

32 Work Proposals New approach Opening up new waste routes Work with waste consigners to confirm waste inventory in new consignment, for Example; Skip of waste containing 100 bags of waste Insitu gamma spec of entire skip Remove bags and select 1 in 5 (20 in total) for detailed in situ gamma spec Select 3-5 bags in total for detailed laboratory fingerprint analysis Develops regulatory confidence, minimising requirement for future regulatory intervention. Disposal of high volume waste via alternative route to LLWR

33 Advantages of new strategy Combines regulatory approach and check monitoring service. Delivers the latest wide range of innovations in terms of analytical development/waste assessment to the regulators whilst minimising cost. Encourages innovation in waste management and disposal. Aligned with UK National Waste Programme. Preserves valuable capacity within the existing LLWR. Contributes to a saving to the UK estimated at 2.4Billion which can be redirected to other decommissioning activities. Significant environmental benefits of removing the need for a Second LLWR.

34 Thank you