Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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In order to plan for and accomplish the proper management of the radioactive
waste resulting from the Chernobyl accident, sampling and analyses will be conducted
to characterize and classify the wastes as to form, physical and chemical properties,
quantity, geographic distribution, and assay of specific nuclides.
3.7.2 Waste Management Technology Evaluation
This sub-project will identify and evaluate existing technologies for radioactive
waste management. Emphasis will be placed upon existing and proven technologies.
However, new technologies will undoubtedly emerge during the course of the
project, and a concerted effort will be made to identify and adopt significant technology
improvements as they become available.
3.7.3 Retrieval of Temporarily Stored and Buried Waste
Over the past five years, radioactive materials have often been collected in temporary
storage areas. All of these locations will be identified and the contents will be
determined and documented. Waste to be retrieved will be classified, and retrieval
plans will be developed and implemented. Retrieval will generally be accorded lower
priority than other waste management efforts except in cases where the current
status of temporary storage sites represents an immediate hazard to public health
and safety.
3.7.4 Decontamination
In the evacuated cities of Pripyat and Chernobyl, as well as elsewhere in the near
vicinity of the reactor site, a large number of otherwise intact and usable structures
will require evaluation and either decontamination and repair or demolition. In
either case, considerable contaminated waste will be generated and will require disposal.
Decontamination technologies will be identified and selected for application
based on the t3rpe, form, and extent of contamination. Although decisions in this
sub-project will, in general, be guided by cost-benefit considerations, close coordination
with Ukrainian authorities will be required in order to ensure the preservation
of items of historic and cultural significance. This sub-project will also provide for
the decontamination or disposal of vessels, vehicles, and large items of construction
equipment.
3.7.5 Site-Generated Waste
Waste treatment, decontamination, and other project activities may generate additional
waste by distributing the existing radioactivity into materials that were
originally clean (e.g., decontamination solutions). The volume, properties, and radioactivity
of this waste will be determined in order to provide for its proper handling
and disposal. Each sub-project will result in estimates of site-generated wastes, and
technologies for their packaging and disposal will be identified and selected.
3. 7. 6 Repositories
This sub-project will define the requirements for radioactive waste repositories,
perform repository site characterizations, recommend locations where such repositories
can be built, provide design criteria for the repositories, plan for design and
construction, and recommend waste acceptance criteria and procedures for monitoring,
surveillance, and documentation.
3. 7. 7 Transportation, Packaging, and Handling
Waste management activities during the cleanup will require the handling of radioactive
waste, packaging of some wastes, and transportation of the waste to the
disposal site or repository. Some waste will be of sufficiently low levels of radioactivity
to permit contact handling while some will require remote operations. This subproject
will involve analysis of handling requirements for the different t5T)es of
waste as well as the requirements for packaging and transportation. Equipment to
perform these operations will then be specified and procured. Operating standards
and procedures will be developed for these activities.
3.7.8 Waste Treatment and Disposal
In order to render them suitable for permanent disposal, some wastes will be concentrated,
solidified, or otherwise treated. Depending on the waste form (liquid,
solid, etc.) and its radioactivity, different treatment and disposal options will be selected.
This sub-project will address the processes, equipment, and operations required
to perform the options. Treatment requirements will be identified as disposal
standards and waste characterizations are developed. Waste treatment equipment
will be procured and operations defined.
3.7.9 Waste Documentation
A necessary activity during decontamination, cleanup, and disposal is documentation
of the results. Detailed records will be maintained describing the final disposi-
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