Health physics monitoring practices at commercial low-level waste-disposal sites in light of 10 CFR 61 requirements. [Trenches]

The importance of maintaining occupational radiation exposures As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) is recognized and emphasized in 10 CFR 61 (Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste) and the supporting implementing regulations. To ensure that current and future exposures are ALARA, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission contracted with the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL is operated for DOE by Battelle Memorial Institute) to: (1) evaluate current health physics practices at the low-level waste (LLW) sites of Barnwell, South Carolina, Beatty, Nevada, and Hanford, Washington; (2) write a manual of good practices for LLW sites; and (3) review the findings of the site appraisals as they apply to 10 CFR 61. The site appraisals consisted of discussions with corporate and site management, discussions with technicians and operators, observation of work practices, review of current and past records and physical site tours. The evaluation of these site appraisal results and the conclusions drawn from them will be reported. The correlations of current and future ALARA practices as they relate to 10 CFR 61 will also be discussed.