Disposal of Surplus Plutonium in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Transcription

1 Disposal of Surplus Plutonium in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Presentation to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on DOE Plans to Dilute and Dispose of Large Quantities of Weapons Grade Plutonium at WIPP Albuquerque, New Mexico March 12, 2018 George Anastas P.E., CHP, BCEE, FHPS, FARPS Albuquerque, New Mexico USA

2 Disclaimer The views expressed herein reflect only the views or opinions of the author. These views or opinions may or may not represent or reflect the views or opinions of any past, current or future employer(s), children, Grand Children or colleagues. ZxÉÜzx TÇtáàtá? Albuquerque, New Mexico March 2018

3 Notes Dilute and Dispose is really inert (?) and bury EEG-Environmental Evaluation Group, from 1978 to 2004 Independent Information: Non-DOE or DOE Contractor influence DOE-U. S. Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies (ERDA and AEC)

4 Notes (cont.) How many Tonnes of Pu are we talking about? CCO-Criticality Control Overpack CCC-Criticality Control Container 34,000,000 or 62,000,000 grams of weapons Pu in CCOs is patently NOT the same as traces of Pu dispersed on rubber tubing, booties, clothing, rags, glassware, plastic, etc. stuffed into 55 gallon drums

5 Committee s Statement of Task The Committee has its work cut out for it. Evaluate the general viability of DOE s conceptual plans including. Many interconnected topics, wary of crossimpacts. Sources of Independent information are exceedingly important for an objective, arms length, credible assessment.

6 Tank Wastes HLW tanks at Hanford, Savannah River, Idaho, Oak Ridge MUST: Miscellaneous Underground Storage Tanks Perhaps over 250 tanks Example: Much of the challenge; wastes in tanks from different sources comingled and waste allowed to sit for many years

7 Tanks (cont.) 2004 EEG sponsored Workshop on plans by DOE to bring Hanford Tank Waste to WIPP In the Public Interest and to provide a summary of the independent effort which culminated at the Workshop, in 2013 Anastas and Channell prepared the Report on the Workshop None of the Workshop presentations attempted to demonstrate that any of the tanks had never received HLW.

8 Burial of 34, or More, Tonnes of Weapons Pu at WIPP 34,000,000 grams of Pu might require 170,000 drums 15 years of WIPP operation placed 170,000 drums underground (with about 5,300,000 grams of Pu) 34,000,000 or 62,000,000 grams of Pu in CCOs will create a high grade weapons Pu ore body in Southeast New Mexico Not dispersed on gloves, booties, lab waste, etc. Criticality concerns when salt crushes drums, flooding because of pressurized brine reservoir penetration

9 Non-Randomized Placement of 34,000,000 grams of Pu EEG-85 Analysis of Emplaced Waste Data and Implications of Non-Random Emplacement for Performance Assessment For the WIPP, May 2003, Lawrence E. Allen, James K. Channell Placement of Pu not randomized

10 Excellent Recommendations Contained in EEG-85 The DOE should develop a waste loading scheme for performance assessment which is based upon their shipping schedule. A spallings event should then be based upon this spatial distribution of waste instead of the mean value of waste. The DOE should develop and use, in the recertification performance assessment calculations, a methodology for nonrandom waste emplacement for cuttings and cavings scenarios. It should also acknowledge the increased probability of highconcentration intercepts, which result from non-random loading instead of using mean values of entire waste streams.

11 Pressurized Brine Reservoirs Well WIPP 12 was initially drilled in In 1981 the well was extended to feet and struck a pressurized brine reservoir. EEG strongly recommended moving the proposed WIPP about 6,000 feet south of the original site, which was done. See July 2015 Statement by Dr. Lokesh Chaturvedi before the EPA, Probability of Encountering a Castile Brine Pocket

12 Land Withdrawal Act Prohibition on transport and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high level waste LWA does not say SNF or HLW is OK if mixed with TRU: NO SNF, NO HLW Argonne National Laboratory waste included commercial, research and foreign spent nuclear fuel and UREX reprocessing waste subsequently buried at WIPP

13 Summary of Conclusions DOE must not proceed with the illconceived scheme to create a weapons grade Pu ore body in Southeastern New Mexico. DOE is obligated to fully and unambiguously comply with all laws, agreements and promises made over the years to New Mexico

14 Summary of Conclusions (cont.) DOE is obligated to immediately begin a full, complete, and transparent NEPA environmental review process for the New WIPP, because the WIPP that was evaluated in the 1980s and 1990s no longer exists. WIPP must not receive any Pu waste that is not dispersed upon trash (contaminated laboratory waste, rubber, plastic, booties, rags, clothing, etc.).

15 Recommendations Independent Assessments (the open literature is replete with scientific and engineering data that have been evaluated by non-doe connected experts, for example the EEG Reports, Comments and Statements, Statements by Dr. Lokesh Chaturvedi, Statements by the Southwest Research and Information Center) Think outside the box regarding the future (drilling activity, drilling methods, value of the weapons Pu, pressurized brine reservoirs, alternatives that do not create a weapons Pu ore body, etc.)

16 Recommendations (cont.) Human Factors: truck fire, LANL Drum Be faithful to the The Rule of Law, we are a nation of laws not to be ignored or circumvented.

17 Recommendations (cont.) It would not be imprudent for the Academies to suggest that a complete new NEPA environmental review be undertaken of the New WIPP since the WIPP that was subject to environmental review in the 1980s and 1990s no longer exists. The Committee should carefully and critically evaluate any DOE proposed low probability event.

18 A Quote from George (Not Anastas) As George Santanya (Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás) a Spanish- American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist once said, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. EEG and other Independent Reports, Statements and Comments

19 A Quote from George (Yes, Anastas) Not be swayed by promises, Independent Assessment requires critical thinking beyond and around what is promoted. Attempt to bound the future.

20 Thank You I appreciate the opportunity to present the information in my written Statement and this series of slides.