Management of Residues Containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material from Uranium Production and Other Activities

Specific Safety Guide

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• Publisher: International Atomic Energy Agency
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9789201049216
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Mechanical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

This Safety Guide provides recommendations on the establishment of an appropriate regulatory framework for the management of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) residues in an integrated manner and using a graded approach. It also elaborates on roles and responsibilities, options for management of NORM residues, long term safety of NORM residues, and exemption and clearance. The publication is targeted at regulatory bodies, operating organizations, technical support organizations and other parties who are interested and involved in management of NORM residues.

1. INTRODUCTION

Background

1.1. Radionuclides of natural origin are ubiquitous in the environment and in some geological formations have become sufficiently concentrated to be exploited for the purpose of uranium production. Uranium production, including mining, processing and management of radioactive residues, as either primary or secondary minerals, has long been recognized as needing regulatory control. However, significant concentrations of radionuclides of natural origin also occur in facilities and activities involving the processing of other minerals. These natural radionuclides can be present in the raw materials and in the residues from the processing of those other minerals.

1.2. Radioactive material is defined as material designated in national law or by a regulatory body as being subject to regulatory control because of its radioactivity [1]. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is defined as radioactive material containing no significant amounts of radionuclides other than naturally occurring radionuclides; the exact definition of ‘significant amounts’ would be a regulatory decision [1]. Material in which the activity concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides have been changed by a process is also considered NORM [1]. A NORM residue is defined as material that remains from a process and comprises or is contaminated by NORM. NORM waste is defined as NORM for which no further use is foreseen [1]. For the purpose of this Safety Guide, NORM residues and NORM waste can be in solid or liquid form and might emit radioactive gases. The term ‘NORM activity’ is used in this Safety Guide to describe those facilities and activities that involve management of NORM residues.

1.3. NORM residues can have a radiological impact on workers, the public and the environment. The fundamental safety objective established in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SF-1, Fundamental Safety Principles [2], is “to protect people and the environment from harmful effects of ionizing radiation.” Consequently, a governmental, legal and regulatory framework, as described in IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1), Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety [3], for control of NORM residues might be necessary.

1.4. Uranium production activities have typically been subject to regulatory control, generally as part of the nuclear fuel cycle. Unlike uranium production, the residues arising from other NORM activities (which may have been recycled, used in other applications or disposed of as waste) have not always been subject to appropriate regulatory control in the past, even though they might have contained radionuclides at levels that would now raise radiation safety concerns.

1.5. NORM residues, particularly those generated in mining and mineral processing, differ from radioactive residues generated at, for example, nuclear power plants or medical facilities. Such NORM residues can be generated in very large volumes but tend to contain radionuclides at relatively low activity concentrations. This has important implications for the management of NORM residues, including siting and engineering options. In some cases, NORM residues contain radionuclides at higher activity concentrations, but normally in smaller volumes1.

1.6. Various IAEA Safety Standards Series publications have some relevance to NORM and to NORM residues, including the following:

(a) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1), Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safety [3];

(b) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards [4];

(c) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 4 (Rev. 1), Safety Assessment for Facilities and Activities [5];

(d) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 5, Predisposal Management of Radioactive Waste [6];

(e) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 6, Decommissioning of Facilities [7];

(f) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-5, Disposal of Radioactive Waste [8];

(g) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-6 (Rev. 1), Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material, 2018 Edition [9];

(h) IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR ...

Table of contents

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• REFERENCES
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Annex I EXAMPLES OF NORM RESIDUES TO BE ASSESSED FOR POSSIBLE REGULATORY CONTROL
• Annex II SAMPLING NORM RESIDUES AND DETERMINING RADIONUCLIDE ACTIVITY CONCENTRATIONS
• Annex III EXAMPLE OF APPLICATION OF THE GRADED APPROACH IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NORM RESIDUES
• Annex IV REUSE AND RECYCLING OF NORM RESIDUES
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW