Oak Ridge Reservation
Environmental Health Archives
Current as of 10FE299
Compiled Vy
Captain John R. Stockwell, M.D., M.P.H.
U.S. Public Health Service
Historical Radionuclide Releases from Current DOE
Oak Ridge Operations Office Facilities
c. 01 MAY 88
Oak Ridge Reservation
Environmental Health Archives
(ORREHA)
Document Number
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Oak Ridge-Pollution
Historic radionuclide releases from current
DOE Oak Ridge operations offices facilities.
May 1988..
OR-890
HISTORICAL
RADIONUCLIDE RELEASES FROM CURRENT
DOE OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS OFFICE FACILITIES
MAY 1988
US EPA REGION 4 LIBRARY
AFC-TOWER 9th FLOOR
61 FORSYTH STREET SW
ATLANTA, GA. 30303
OAK RIDGE ROOM
OAK RIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37320
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS OFFICE
P. O. BOX E
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HISTORICAL RADIONUCLIDE RELEASES FROM CURRENT
DOE OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS OFFICE FACILITIES
MAY 1988
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS OFFICE
P.O. BOX E
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HISTORICAL RADIONUCLIDE RELEASES FROM CURRENT DOE OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS
OFFICE FACILITIES
SUMMARY
This report contains a summary of the history of radionuclide releases from
Department of Energy Oak Ridge Operations facilities and the calculated radia-
tion doses to the public due to those releases. Included in the report are
estimates of the quantity of radioactive material contained in the airborne
and waterborne effluents and in solid wastes at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, Y-12 Plant, and the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Oak
Ridge, Tennessee, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Paducah, Kentucky,
the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Portsmouth, Ohio, the Feed Materials
Production Center in Fernald, Ohio, and the RMI Company in Ashtabula, Ohio.
For uranium releases, this report updates information contained in the Report
on Historic Uranium Releases for Current DOE Oak Ridge Operations Facilities,
issued June 24, 1985.
Section 3 of the report contains tables which show the total quantity of radio-
active.material from each facility. Appendix A provides a more detailed year-
by-year summary for each radionuclide from each facility.
Several factors cause uncertainty over the accuracy of the quantities
reported. The historical records do not contain complete information on
actual measurements of material released. However, the available information
allows an estimate of these emissions to be made, based on what is known about
the operating history of the installation. For much of the historical data
presented in this report, emissions had to be estimated, although in latter
years of operation, these measurement data are available for many of the
radionuclides. Specific quantities of radioactive material shown in the
report should be considered as the most reasonable estimate based on the
information available. These numbers are not meant to be interpreted as
precise measurements.
The calculated dose to the population within a 50 mile radius of each facility,
based on the total quantities of radioactivity shown in the report, is shown
in the table below. Along with this estimate of dose due to the effluents
from the facilities is the radiation dose that the same population received
from background radiation over the same period. (For more information, refer
to Section 4 of the report.)
Included in the table is an estimate of the possible health effects from the
radiation dose as compared to the number of health effects estimated from
background radiation doses. For the purposes of this report, the health
effect being considered is the number of cancer fatalities and genetic effects
in the population. These calculations do not include estimates of population
dose and health effects for the Feed Material Production Center. Data are
still being collected and evaluated to allow comparable calculation for that
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Based on the evidence in this report, the following conclusions can be made:
o the calculated population radiation doses due to the estimated
amounts of material released from these facilities are only a
small fraction of the radiation doses due to background radiation
o the estimated number of health effects which could be attributed to these
releases are small compared to the natural incidence of the health effects
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SUMMARY OF CALCULATED DOSES AND HEALTH EFFECTS
CALCULATED
DUE TO EFFLUENTS
FACILITY
Oak Ridge
National Laboratory
Y-12 Plant
Oak Ridge Gaseous
Diffusion Plant
Paducah Gaseous
Diffusion Plant
Portsmouth Gaseous
Diffusion Plant
Feed Materials
Production Center
Dose a
(person-rem)
3,928
11,543
1,237
1,003
298
Health
Effects b
0.6
2
0.2
0.2
<0.1
CALCULATED DUE TO
BACKGROUND RADIATION
Dose c Health
(person-rem) Effects ^
9,530,400
11,132,700
10,295,100
4,767,000
5,760,000
12,571,200
1,572
1,837
1,699
787
950
2,074
RMI Company
347
<0.1
12,000,000
1,980
Effective dose equivalent to the population within a 50 mile radius of
each facility over the operating history of the facility calculated from
the amount of radioactive material released
Estimated number of fatal cancers and genetic effects which may have
occurred in the population within a 50 mile radius of each facility over
the operating history of the facility as a result of the radiation dose
shown
c Dose to the population within a 50 mile radius of each facility due to
background radiation levels
^ Estimated number of fatal cancers and genetic effects which may have
occurred in the population within a 50 mile radius of each facility over
the operating history of the facility as a result of background radiation
levels shown
e Comparable calculations for FMPC are still being evaluated and have not
yet been finalized
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HISTORICAL RADIONUCLIDE RELEASES FROM CURRENT DOE,
OAK RIDGE OPERATIONS OFFICE FACILITIES
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report discusses the history of radionuclide releases from D0E/0R0
facilities, including the resultant calculated radiation dose to the
public from those releases. It was prepared for the purpose of providing
information of use and interest to the public. More detailed reports,
from which most of the data presented in this report were drawn, have
been prepared for each facility.
For uranium, this report updates information contained in the "Report on
Historic Uranium Releases from Current DOE Oak Ridge Operations
Facilities" issued June 24, 1985.
Since the 1940s, large amounts of radioactive material, including uranium
processed in production facilities, have been central to the program
functions supporting the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations
(D0E/0R0) overall mission. The principal program functions are:
1. Enrichment of uranium for nuclear power plant fuel.
2. Production of nuclear weapons components for National Defense
programs.
3. Processing of uranium feed materials and production of uranium
fuel cores for plutonium production reactors.
4. Broad scope research and development.
Seven different plant facilities support these programs. Enrichment of
uranium fuel has involved three gaseous diffusion plants located near
Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Portsmouth, Ohio. The
enrichment facility in Oak Ridge was taken out of operation in 1985. The
Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge is a metallurgical and machining facility
producing nuclear weapons components. The Feed Materials Production
Center at Fernald, Ohio, and the RMI Extrusion Plant in Ashtabula, Ohio,
each perform different steps in the processing of uranium feed materials.
The broad scope research and development facility, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory in Oak Ridge, has handled a wider variety of radioactive
materials than have the other facilities.
Each of these program operations have generated radioactive wastes and
have released radioactive material to the environment. The amount of
material released and waste generated varies among the facilities,
depending on the operations at the facility.
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2.0 SOURCES AND MODES OF RADIONUCLIDE RELEASES
2.1 Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
ORNL. an energy research and development facility, has been in
operation since 1943. Currently operated for DOE by Martin Marietta
Energy Systems. Inc., ORNL research focuses on technology develop-
ment in energy related areas of:
o nuclear fission and fusion
o biology and the environment
o conservation and renewable energy
o physical sciences
Radioactive material is used in most areas of research and develop-
ment at ORNL. As a consequence of this material use. releases of
radioactivity, varying from tritium (hydrogen-3) to transuranics
(neptunium, plutonium. etc.), have occurred from many different
activities.
2.1.1 History of Airborne Releases froi.i ORNL
Before 1950, releases of radioactivity to the atmosphere from
ORNL were from stacks serving individual facilities. The two
most significant of these were the RaLa (radioactive
lanthanum) facility and the Graphite Reactor. The RaLa
facility, which processed nuclear reactor fuel slugs in the
production of radioactive lanthanum, had no treatment system
for gaseous discharges until 1949. and was operated until
1956. Consequently, unknown quantities of noble gases, par-
ticulates. and radioiodine. particularly iodine-131. were
released from the facility. The Graphite Reactor also
operated without a filtration system for airborne releases
from 1944 until 1948.
In 1950. a centralized off-gas and ventilation system was
installed with particulate filters and an electrostatic pre-
cipitator to remove airborne particles from the releases. In
1961. scrubber systems were added to remove radioiodines.
Routine airborne discharge data records date back to 1961 for
iodine-131 discharges. An upgrade of the sampling system in
1970 resulted in the reporting of noble gas discharges.
Tritium and alpha-emitting particulates which were not
specifically identified have "been reported since 1972.
2.1.2 History of Liquid Releases from ORNL
From 1943 to 1949. liquid wastes were treated by being held
in tanks and settling basins for radioactive decay and for
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settling of particulate material before discharge to White
Oak Lake. The lake provided further settling and additional
time for radioactive decay prior to release into the Clinch
Ri ver.
From 1949 to 1954, an evaporator was used to concentrate the
most radioactively contaminated liquid waste before storage
in concrete tanks. Beginning in 1951, much of the liquid
waste was placed into pits and trenches for disposal. These
pits and trenches were designed to retain the radionuclides
until the radioactivity could decay to low levels. The
evaporator was taken out of service in 1954 and all of the
liquid radioactive waste went to pits and trenches until
1963. During the late 1950s and early 1960s ruthenium-106
was the primary radionuclide released from trenches into
White Oak Creek because of its poor absorption in soil.
Beginning in 1964, hydrofracture technology was used for
waste disposal. With this technique, wastes were injected
into shale at a depth of about 1,000 feet, along with a
cement grout co isolate the waste from contact with the
biological environment.
A process waste water treatment plant was installed in 1957,
to demonstrate recovery of fission products from liquid
wastes. The process waste water was only slightly radio-
active compared to the low level waste just described. A
replacement facility began operation in 1976.
Currently, the most significant radionuclides released from
ORNL to the water pathway are leakage from waste disposal
areas of strontium-90 and cesium-137. These are significant
because of their radiotoxicity, their mobility in the
environment, and the quantities released. Other radionuclides
of significance are tritium and transuranics. The current
(through 1986) releases of all radionuclides are divided
roughly by source as follows:
o Seventy to eighty percent of the radioactive material
released leaches from waste disposal areas to White Oak
Creek or Melton Branch with subsequent drainage into White
Oak Lake and eventually into the Clinch River. However,
in 1985, problems with the liquid waste system in the main
ORNL complex resulted in a significant portion of the
Sr-90 coming from sources other than waste disposal areas.
o Approximately ten percent from operating facilities such
as research reactors, laboratories, and processing plants.
Some of these liquid wastes are discharged to temporary
hold-up basins for testing and treatment before release to
White Oak Creek. Improvements in treatment of process
water have reduced the amount discharged from these
sources.
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o Approximately ten percent from contaminated surfaces and
soils in the vicinity of operating facilities. These
areas are contaminated from previous spills and leaking
underground pipes and tanks. Release occurs through storm
water runoff or cross contamination between liquid waste
and drain system pipes.
2.1.3 History of Solid Waste Disposal at ORNL
Until commercial radioactive solid waste facilities became
available, it was necessary for ORNL to accept waste from
non-government sources. Later, non-ORNL wastes were limited
to selected materials which other DOE facilities, such as
sites not having disposal capabilities, were unable to
handle. In recent years, acceptance of wastes from others
has been sharply cut back in recognition of concerns over the
technical adequacy of ORNL's disposal facilities.
Radioactive contaminated solid wastes have been placed in
shallow land burial facilities. Although records of waste
volume were maintained, more detailed estimates of the radio-
activity content of these wastes were not recorded until
1977. Much of the data prior to that time are only rough
estimates. Data available through these newer records is not
precise, however, due to difficulty in determining the con-
tent of all solid waste being generated.
Uranium disposal data are based on accountability records and
are therefore considered somewhat more accurate than for
other radionuclides. Since the records do not distinguish
between uranium contained in .material which was buried and
that placed in retrievable storage, the data include both.
2.2 Y-12 Plant
Built in 1943, the Y-12 plant currently functions to:
o Produce nuclear weapons components.
o Provide fabrication assistance to DOE weapon design
1aboratories,
o Process source and special nuclear material,
o Support ORNL facilities on the Y-12 site, and
o Support other government agencies in machining or assembly of
various items
The radionuclide releases from Y-12 result from uranium metal
machining and chemical processing operations and plant waste
management practices. As a part of the operations, enriched
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uranium is processed into uranium metal. Most of the releases are
uranium, although some technetium-99 and trace transuranics
associated with enriched uranium solutions are also contained in
liquid effluents and solid wastes.
2.2.1 History of Airborne Emissions from Y-12
The major source of airborne radiological emissions from the
Y-12 Plant has historically been, and continues to be, emis-
sions of small uranium particles from metal machining and
chemical processing operations. The primary means of con-
trolling these emissions Is the use of High Efficiency
Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, baghouses. and exhaust gas
scrubbers. The 13.9. curies of uranium activity emissions
from the Y-12 Plant from 1944 to 1987 result principally from
major enriched uranium sources. Uranium emission information
after 1954 was obtained from Y-12 Plant accountability
records, the DOE Effluent Information System Radioactivity
Summary Report, and the Solid Waste Information Management
System. Prior to 1954, analytical and sampling techniques at
the Y-12 Plant were not able to detect airborne sources of
uranium, but enough data was uncovered in health physics
reports and other sources to make some of the emissions esti-
mates in this report possible. Since data is not available
for the time period of 1948 to 1953. no reliable emissions
estimates can be made.
Uranium emissions from the Y-12 Plant were highest from 1959
through 1970, This can generally be attributed to increases
in production during that time. The construction of new bag-
houses and other equipment at the Y-12 Plant beginning in
1959 has improved control of uranium particles and lowered
overall plant emissions. From 1984 to 1987, several major
enriched uranium emissions control systems at the Y-12 Plant
were upgraded to further reduce emissions (as part of the
Production Capabilities Restoration Project). Additional
reductions in emissions are now being realized at the Y-12
Plant as the Air and Water Pollution Control Project com-
pletes the installation of additional emission controls.
Although significant improvements have been made and are
still being made to uranium emission control at the Y-12
Plant, work is continuing to identify and implement addi-
tional areas for improvement.
The need for improved emissions monitoring capability from
the large number of process exhaust ventilation stacks that
serve Y-12 uranium handling operations was identified in
1985. New emissions sampling/monitoring equipment was
installed and began operating in early 1987 on 85 process
exhaust stacks in the Y-12 Plant. The new emissions moni-
toring system will allow the Y-12 Plant to continue to moni-
tor progress being made in reducing emissions and ensure that
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the release of uranium particles is being maintained As Low
As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).
In addition, there are several hundred room exhaust fans
within the Y—12 Plant with some potential to release small
quantities of uranium into the atmosphere. While the
majority of these systems are not fitted with emission con-
trols, an extensive health physics monitoring program within
the plant is used to ensure that uranium concentrations in
process buildings are maintained ALARA.
2.2.2 History of Liquid Effluents from Y-12
Liquid effluent releases of radioactivity from the Y-12 Plant
have generally been uranium from the same sources which
resulted in airborne emissions. In addition, sources of con-
tamination such as outside storage facilities have allowed
for the runoff of precipitation containing uranium. Liquid
wastes containing economically recoverable uranium have
historically been recycled in Y-12 Plant production opera-
tions. Liquid wastes that did not contain recoverable
uranium were discarded. Until recent years, treatment
facilities were not generally available and the waste was
discharged into the storm sewer system and into East Fork
Poplar Creek (EFPC). Beginning in 1951 and until 1984, some
liquid wastes were discharged into the S-3 ponds located in
the western end of the Y-12 Plant site. Leakage from the S-3
pond area contributed to uranium releases into Bear Creek, as
did precipitation runoff from the Bear Creek Burial Grounds
(BCBG). Both EFPC and Bear Creek flow into Poplar Creek and
ultimately into the Clinch River near ORGDP.
In March 1984, when ORGDP received a permit to process Y-12
Plant waste, the discharge of wastes into the S-3 ponds was
discontinued. The material contained in the ponds has
recently been treated to remove contaminants and discharged
under the Y-12 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permit. Remedial action activity of the S-3
ponds is now underway, to"eliminate them as a source of
uranium release in the future.
In addition to liquid releases of uranium from the Y-12 Plant
site, some thorium process solutions from ORNL research pro-
grams and Y-12 Production operations have been discharged to
the storm sewer and ultimately to EFPC. The discharged ORNL
solution included thorium oxide slurries from corrosion test-
ing experiments and from the cleanup operations in ORNL
Reactor Engineering. Liquid releases of both thorium and
uranium from the Y-12 Plant site have been reduced in recent
years as process modifications have been completed and new
wastewater treatment plants were constructed and began opera-
tion.
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In addition to the solid wastes, the Bear Creek Burial Ground
wastes included uranium-contaminated liquid wastes such as
oils, solvents, and mop water. Disposal of liquid waste to
the burial ground was terminated in 1982, with only solid
uranium and uranium contaminated wastes buried since that
time.
2.2.3 History of Contaminated Solid Waste Disposal at Y-12
Radioactive solid wastes generated'include uranium and
uranium contaminated materials. Uranium wastes include
depleted uranium metal and oxide in the form of chips,
turnings, powders, scrap, and process residues with uranium
contamination, resulting from the milling and machining
processes. These process residues consist of such uranium-
contaminated materials as gloves, floor sweepings, filters,
and demolition debris.
Most of the solid wastes have been buried in the Bear Creek
Burial Grounds, with some deposited in burial areas within
the plant perimeter fence and on Chestnut Ridge. Because
most of the uranium waste buried is depleted uranium metal
chips and since this metal ignites spontaneously, the chips
have been placed in dumpsters that contain water to prevent
spontaneous burning. The dumpsters containing both uranium
and water are weighed, for waste disposal records, prior to
burial. Because the weight of uranium shown in disposal
records is actually the total weight of the depleted uranium
and the water together, the solid waste report numbers are
biased high due to the water weight. This positive bias
resulted in an error in the quantities reported in the 1985
uranium release report of approximately 1,500,000 kg of
depleted uranium from 1947 to 1984, resulting from the weight
of water. (Refer to Table 9 of Appendix A.) A uranium chip
oxidation facility is expected to be put into routine service
in 1988 to replace this method. Oxidized uranium chips will
be stored in concrete vaults, eliminating burial in unlined
shallow trenches for a major portion of the Y-12 Plant
uranium waste. In addition, since the oxidized chips can no
longer burn, water will be eliminated from the storage process.
2.3 Gaseous Diffusion Plants
The three gaseous diffusion plants process uranium hexafluoride in
order to increase the uranium-235-content. The Oak Ridge facility
began operation in 1945 and was placed in a "ready standby" status
in the summer of 1985. The plant was placed in "permanent shutdown"
status in December 1987. The plant near Paducah, Kentucky, has been
in operation since 1952, and the Portsmouth, Ohio, facility since
1955.
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The gaseous diffusion process releases are primarily uranium from
the enrichment operations. There have also been some releases of
uranium daughters (radioactive isotopes resulting from the decay of
uranium), transuranics, and some fission products, such' as
technetium, xenon, and krypton, from some of these facilities.
2.3.1 History of Airborne Releases from Gaseous Diffusion Plants
Oak Ridge GDP
The primary radionuclides which have been released in the
past from the ORGDP include krypton-85, technetium-99, and
urani um.
The krypton-85 was released during a five-year period (1976
through 1980) as a result of performing the research and
development activities at ORGDP for ORNL.
The primary sources of airborne releases of technetium-99 and
uranium have been through the gaseous diffusion process
vents, the feed plants, and accidental releases. Prior to
1964, ORGDP was involved in the enrichment of uranium to high
concentrations of uranium-235 for weapons production. After
1964, only low concentration enrichment was performed for use
in commercial power generating facilities.
The feed plant where uranium from spent fuel was fluorinated
to uranium hexafluoride (UFg) from 1950 to 1968, was the pri-
mary source of technetium-99, neptunium-237, and
piutonium-239 at ORGDP. Radioactive air emissions from the
purge cascade vent operations were decreased by the installa-
tion of solid-chemical traps and a liquid potassium hydroxide
scrubber in 1977.
Since August 1985, the uranium enrichment operations at ORGDP
have been discontinued, thus eliminating the emissions of
uranium from the process. Presently, the sources of airborne
uranium emissions are from the laboratories and the K-1420
Decontamination Facility. Two new sources that will begin
operation in the near future are the K-143b TSCA Incinerator
and the K-1420-C Floor Pan/ Cylinder Cleaning Facility.
Portsmouth GDP
Most of the routine airborne radionuclide emissions from the
Portsmouth GDP are released from the Top and Side Purge
Cascades in the X-326 Process Building. The Purge Cascades
operate continuously to separate UFg from light gases (mostly
air) that have entered the cascade. Essentially all the
technetium and most of the uranium activity released by the
facility escapes from these vents. Virtually all the remain-
ing routine uranium emissions are released from the Cold
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Recovery and Wet Air Evacuation Areas in the X-330 and X-333
Process Buildings. These areas are used to remove and
recover UFg from portions of the cascade that require main-
tenance or repair (Cold Recovery) and to evacuate air from
portions that are returning to service.
Much of the year-to-year variability in Portsmouth air emis-
sions and over half of the total historical uranium emissions
are due to unplanned or accidental releases of uranium. The
largest single unplanned release occurred in March 1978, when
a cylinder of liquid UFg fell from its carrier while being
removed from a sampling stand. The cylinder cracked open and
an estimated 4,820 kilograms (2.6 Ci) of uranium escaped to
the atmosphere. Other recent unplanned releases of uranium
included cylinder valve failures in October 1978 (560 kg,
0.13 Ci) and July 1979 (460 kg, 0.10 Ci), a process malfunc-
tion in December 1983 (50 kg, 0.69 Ci), and a slow leak in
December 1985 and January 1986 (49 kg, 0.03 Ci). In addi-
tion, unplanned releases ranging from 44 grams to 817 kg of
uranium accounted for over 80 percent of the atmospheric
uranium emissions prior to 1980.
Technetium, an impurity in recycled uranium, first appeared
in gaseous emissions in 1976. Between that time and 1984,
technetium emissions were estimated from samples collected
from simple side taps, that is, from sample collection valves
on the side of the process stream. Data collected since 1984
has revealed that technetium travels through the cascade in a
complicated, two-phase flow that could, under some
conditions, seriously overestimate results from side tap
samples. This may be the cause of the reported high
technetium emissions in 1982, when vent sampling indicated
technetium emissions of 11.1 Ci. Environmental monitoring
results obtained during that year indicate that emissions
were in the range of 0.5 to 1 Ci. Sample collection since
1984 has been designed to eliminate this problem.
Paducah GDP
During the first years of the Paducah GDP operation, there
were several atmospheric releases of UFg resulting from
accidents related to feeding UFg to the diffusion plant and
related to filling UFg containers from manufacturing facili-
ties or the diffusion plant. By the end of 1962, operating
skill and equipment had advanced to the point that the quan-
tity of uranium lost in accidental releases was negligible.
Historically, the largest portion of routine uranium dis-
charges has resulted from operation of the C-410 feed plant
and the C-340 metals plant. The feed plant converted uranium
trioxide (UO3) to uranium hexafluoride (UFg), and the metals
plant independently converted UFg to uranium tetrafluoride
(UF4). Both of these facilities were shut down in May 1977.
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Currently, quantities of uranium released to the atmosphere
are small operating losses associated with the enrichment
cascade and UF4 processing operations.
The Paducah feed plant was designed and sized to process both
natural uranium and uranium from reactor tails returned from
the plutonium production reactors for enrichment. This
reactor return material contained trace quantities of
technetium-99, neptunium-237, thorium-230, and plutonium-239.
Small quantities of these radionuclides were discharged to
the atmosphere from the enrichment cascade with technetium-99
being the most notable in terms of curies emitted.
2.3,2 History of Liquid Effluents from Gaseous Diffusion Plants
Oak Ridge GDP
The primary radioactive liquid effluent source at the Oak
Ridge GDP has been from the uranium recovery processes
utilized in the K-1420 Decontamination Facility. During the
decontamination processes, residual concentrations of
uranium, technetium-99, neptunium-237, and plutonium-239 were
released through liquid effluents. The liquid wastes dis-
charged from the recovery operations were passed through a
settling pond where insoluble uranium compounds settled out.
Soluble compounds were discharged to Poplar Creek which flows
to the Clinch River.
At the present time, the primary sources of uranium dis-
charged into the liquid effluent are from the radioactive
waste treatment facility. It is used for treating waste
solutions containing low concentrations of uranium. The
chemical effluents from these facilities are monitored and
permitted under the NPDES program.
Portsmouth GDP
The bulk of waterborne radionuclides at the Portsmouth GDP
are attributable to decontamination and cleaning of equip-
ment. Historically, solutions with medium to high concentra-
tions of radionuclides were processed through Uranium
Recovery (liquid-to-liquid extraction of uranium) followed by
precipitation of heavy metals by pH adjustment and, later,
technetium removal by ion exchange. Solutions with low con-
centrations and the treated solutions from Uranium Recovery
were discharged to the X-701B Holding Pond, where lime was
added to precipitate remaining heavy metals. Supernatant
from the X-701B Holding Pond is discharged to Little Beaver
Creek. Currently, all decontamination and cleaning solutions
are being processed through Uranium Recovery regardless of
concentration. The effluent has been rerouted to the X-6619
Sewage Treatment Plant, which in turn discharges directly to
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the Scioto River. Other sources of waterborne radionuclides
are the plant laundry, which also discharges to X-6619. and
slightly contaminated stormwater runoff.
Waterborne radionuclide releases are almost directly related
to the level of decontamination and cleaning activity, which
peaked from 1976 to 1980 during improvement and upgrading of
cascades. Not only did uranium and uranium daughter releases
increase during this period, but the first significant
releases of technetium occurred.
The only unplanned release to significantly affect waterborne
discharges was a release from a UFc liquid cylinder in March
1978. Some of the liquid UFc reached the storm sewers and an
estimated 680 kg of uranium (0.4 Ci) escaped via the West
Drainage Ditch to the Scioto River before the ditch could be
sealed off.
Paducah GDP
Uranium and other radionuclides discharged to surface streams
at the Paducah GDP resulted primarily from chemical process-
ing. chemical cleaning, or uranium recovery activities.
During the period 1956 to 1969. a significant portion of
waste material from the Paducah feed plant was dissolved for
uranium recovery and resulted in the discharges of radio-
nuclides to the drainage ditches. Beginning in 1970, this
and other material from the fluorination system was put in
storage for future processing.
Another source of uranium and other radionuclides entering
plant drainage was the result of washing UFg cylinders.
Periodically, UFg cylinders are washed to remove deposits so
that they can be inspected and pressure tested. Some of the
solutions went through a wet chemical uranium recovery pro-
cess which resulted in discharges to water. Recently, these
solutions have gone through a precipitation process with most
of the radioactivity being collected with the solids.
Filtrates go to the plant drainage system.
Major cascade improvement programs during the periods 1958 to
1962 and 1974 to 1981 resulted in large quantities of equip-
ment being removed from the cascade and decontaminated.
Decontamination activities generated larger quantities of
liquid waste. Decontamination solutions were processed
through either the uranium recovery system or the precipita-
tion system. Measurable quantities of uranium and other
radionuclides have been discharged in final rinse solutions
discarded to the drainage system.
The release.estimates for the Paducah GDP contain estimated
quantities of plutonium. a radionuclide not usually found in
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uranium enrichment. These effluents arise from reprocessing
uranium from nuclear reactor fuel elements, which was
discontinued in 1971. While the other gaseous diffusion
plants also processed this type of material and may have had
comparable levels of plutonium in their effluents, only the
Paducah facility made records which allow the quantity of
plutonium to be calculated.
2.3.3 History of Contaminated Solid Waste Disposal at the Gaseous
Diffusion Plants
Oak Ridge GDP
Solid waste burial operations at the Oak Ridge GDP, except
for thorium-232, were a direct result of uranium enrichment
activities, The quantities and variations in the types of
solid waste generated were generally related to types of
activities and production levels. Floor sweepings, rags, and
waste paper from general cleanup operations in the process
buildings contained trace quantities of uranium and other
radionuclides. Wastewater treatment sludges, airborne efflu-
ent treatment residuals; such as filter and trapping media,
scrubber solids, and contaminated scrap metals were disposed
of onsite.
During the operating history of the Oak Ridge GDP facility,
processes have been reconditioned and/or replaced, generating
large amounts of scrap metal for decontamination and subse-
quent storage. The radioactively contaminated scrap metal is
presently being stored, and is being evaluated to determine
the appropriate disposal method.
Materials that were at one time disposed of by shallow-land
burial are currently being collected and stored as low-level
waste at the Oak Ridge GDP facility. Thorium-232 was
involved with certain Y-12 production programs and was
present at the Oak Ridge GDP as solid wastes.
Portsmouth GDP
Solid radioactive waste at the Portsmouth GDP consists of
contaminated scrap and equipment that could not be adequately
decontaminated and solid residues from decontamination and
cleaning activities. Historically, this waste has been
accumulated in containers and- buried in the X-749 Low Level
Waste Burial Ground. A program of minimizing radioactive
waste generation and burials since late 1985 resulted in no
burials occurring in 1986 and 1987.
In addition to solid scrap and residues, significant amounts
of uranium contaminated lubricating oil must also be disposed
-------
of. Historically,-this was done by natural biodegradation in
the X-231A and X-231B Oil Biodegradation Plots, which oper-
ated through 1977 and 1983, respectively. Since 1983,
uranium contaminated oils have been stored pending the
startup of the TSCA Incinerator at the Oak Ridge GDP.
Finally, the past treatment of water discharges at the X-701B
Holding Pond has generated a radionuclide contaminated lime
sludge, which is currently stored in the holding pond and two
associated containment ponds. Treated decontamination and
cleaning solutions are no longer routed to X-701B and
Portsmouth is in the process of obtaining a permit for a
water treatment system to replace X-701B altogether. Once
this system starts up, the three ponds will be cleaned out
and the sludge treated for disposal.
Uranium disposal data for these facilities is based on
accountability records, and is reasonably reliable. However,
there is no reliable record of technetium disposal. Soil and
groundwater monitoring to date have shown slight to no migra-
tion of radionuclides from these facilities.
Paducah GDP
The major activities contributing to the generation of low-
level radioactive waste at the Paducah GDP are decontamina-
tion activities and the operation of the C-340 metals plant.
The operation of the metals plant greatly affected the quan-
tity of uranium buried. The process of converting UF4 to
uranium metal produced large quantities of slag containing
small quantities of UF4 and granules of uranium metal. In
addition, the C-340 uranium metal cleaning and machining
operations produced a steady stream of uranium sawdust,
oxide, and shavings to burial grounds. The other major con-
tributor to buried radionuclides is the precipitate from the
lime precipitation system. Drummed filter cake resulted from
the treatment of nonrecoverable decontamination and cylinder
wash solutions.
The two primary burial areas at the Paducah plant are the
C-404 low-level waste burial ground and the C-749 uranium
burial ground. Most of the radionuclide contaminated waste
generated through mid-1986 was buried in these two areas.
Low-level radioactive waste is not presently being buried at
the Paducah facility.
2.4 Feed Materials Production Center (FMPC)
The FMPC, which is located at Fernald, Ohio, processes uranium feed
materials into uranium metal forms for use in national defense
-------
programs. It has been in operation since 1951. Since the opera-
tions are concerned with conversion, refinement, purification and
casting of uranium, the releases from this facility have been
primarily uranium.
2.4.1 Airborne Effluents from FMPC
Emission control devices are used at each major release point
in the process to reduce plant emissions. Bag-type dust
collectors are used to capture or remove radioactive dusts
generated by the manufacturing process. However, collector
failures have resulted in releases of uranium to the atmos-
phere. Improvements in the filtration system, including
installation of more efficient filters, were begun in 1986.
Recent improvements to storage silos have also reduced the
volume of radon emissions.
2.4.2 Liquid Effluents from FMPC
Liquid effluent releases consist of clarified treated
wastewater from the uranium production buildings, water from
the storm sewer system, and sewage plant effluent.
Wastewater is treated to reduce uranium concentration before
being released to nearby waterways.
2.4.3 Contaminated Solid Waste Disposal at FMPC
When feasible, the uranium contaminated waste generated at
FMPC is treated to remove uranium for recycling back into the
plant process. If this is not feasible, the waste is pack-
aged and stored in drums for eventual offsite disposal,
although onsite disposal was practiced in the past. The
practice of placing radioactive solid waste into storage
silos and pits has been discontinued.
RMI Extrusion Plant
The RMI facility is a privately owned plant in Ashtabula, Ohio,
which started operation in 1962, Uranium metal is extruded at this
facility into tubes and billets for use as nuclear reactor fuel at
the DOE Savannah River and Richland, Washington, sites.
2.5.1 Airborne Releases from RMI
Airborne uranium release may occur from seven plant operation
release points (the seventh release point came into existence
in 1987), but historically, two operations serve as the
primary release points. These are an abrasive saw and
pyrophoric scrap incinerator. These release points have
recently been equipped with more efficient emission control
-------
2.5.2 Liquid Effluents from RMI
Water used to quench hot uranium extrusions and to clean
plant equipment are the major sources of liquid effluents
from the facility. Wastewater is treated for uranium removal
prior to discharge into waterways.
2.5.3 Contaminated Solid Waste Disposal at RMI
Radioactively contaminated solid waste has not been disposed
of at the RMI plant.
3.0 RADIONUCLIDE RELEASE DATA
3.1 Historic Data
Estimated total quantities of radionuclides which have been released
from each D0E/0R0 facility are shown in Tables 3.1.1 through 3.1.7.
The tables present only the total amounts for each isotope. For a
more detailed yearly release estimate for each facility, refer to
the tables in Appendix A to this report.
In tables 3.1.1 through 3.1.7 and the tables in Appendix A, the
quantities of radionuclides released are given in terms of their
radioactivity, which is expressed in curies. A curie is a
measurement of the amount of radioactivity present. The mass
associated with a curie varies among different radioisotopes and is
related to the half-life of the material. For example, only 0.0004
ounces of cesium-137 will yield one curie, but 6,600 pounds of
uranium-238 are required to yield one curie. In this report uranium
releases are also given in terms of mass, expressed in kilograms,
since the mass of uranium per curie is significantly higher than for
other radionuclides.
The summary tables do contain some differences among the facilities
due to the manner in which data were collected. For example, only
the Portsmouth GDP table lists releases of uranium daughters. While
uranium daughters were released from other gaseous diffusion plants,
the data are not available to allow an estimate of those quantities.
Similarly, small releases of piutonium-239 could have occurred from
gaseous diffusion reprocessing at facilities other than the Paducah
GDP. However, the estimated quantities of piutunium-239 are not
available for those other facilities because the different
recordkeeping methods did not provide the information required to
estimate those quantities.
QRNL
In Table 3.1.1, the summary for 0RNL shows a variety of fission
products. The largest quantities shown on the table are for the
airborne release of xenon-133, and for burial or disposal of the
fission products cesium-137 and strontium-90.
-------
Since xenon-133 is a nonreactive gas which decays rapidly, the quan-
tity released from ORNL does not significantly contribute to
individual or population doses.
Of the total quantities listed in Table 3.1.1, 59 percent of the
Cs-137 and 78 percent of the Sr-90 were placed in the hydrofracture
facilities operated at ORNL from 1964 to 1979 and from 1982 to 1984.
Of the remaining amount, 39 percent of the Cs-137 and 17 percent of
the Sr-90 were disposed in pits and trenches from 1951 to 1976. The
remaining small percentages were contained in solid wastes.
Table 3.1.1
Summary of Radionuclides Released to Air and Water or Buried at ORNL
from 1944 through 1987
ORNL
H-3
Co-60
Kr-85
Sr-89
Sr-90
Nb-95
Zr-95
Ru-103
Ru-106
1-131
Xe-133
Cs-134
Cs-137
Ce-144
Th-232
Pu-238
Pu-239
Cm-243/244
Urani um
Unidentified alpha
Unidentified beta
Total rare earth
Transurani cs
Mixed fission products
AIR
(Curi es)
224,071 b
215,629 b
403.5 b
1,041,100
0.000045 b
WATER
(Curies)
166,300
325.06
11.3
1,197.8
286.9
376.6
6,931.6
175.3
693
341.9
2,694
1,295 c
5.2
BURIAL
(Curies)
98,000
8,961
880,557
13
16,104
636
1,174,709
4.9
1.4
173.9
6,568
159.6 (23,930 kg)
3,860
1,152,686
2,784
3,100 d
14,570
c
d
Burial includes material placed in pits and trenches from 1951 to 1976, and
material put into hydrofracture facilities during 1964 to 1979 and 1982 to
1984.
Quantities shown for airborne releases -of H-3, Kr-85, 1-131, and
unidentified alpha are from 1961 to i987.
Excluding cerium
Excluding piutonium-239
-------
Table 3.1.4
Summary of Radionuclides Released to Air and Water or Buried at
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant from 1952 through 1987
AIR WATER BURIAL
Paducah GDP (Curies) (Curies) (Curies)
Uranium 33.26 (59,450 kg) 15.11 (28,050 kg) 1,327 (3,320 kg)
Tc-99 65.25 3,179 463
Np-237 - 2.07 1.89
Pu-239 - 12.28 2.51
Th-230 <0.1 d <7 d <6 a
a Discharge data for each year is unavailable. Th-230 is not included in
Tables 14-16, Appendix A.
Portsmouth
Table 3.1.5 shows the summary of releases from the Portsmouth
Gaseous Diffusion Plant. This table contains entries for uranium,
technetium-99, and uranium daughters. As mentioned earlier, while
several facilities actually release uranium daughters, only the
Portsmouth facility has compiled emission data on these
comparatively minor radionuclides.
Table 3.1.5
Summary of Radionuclides Released to Air and Water or Buried at
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant from 1955 through 1987
Portsmouth GDP
Urani um
Uranium daughters
Tc-99
AIR
(Curies)
8.01 (10,510 kg)
0.692
18.0
WATER
(Curies)
14.1 (7,824 kg)
30.3
212.8
BURIAL
(Curies)
3.46 (5,140 kg)
-------
RMI
Table 3.1.6 summarizes the material released from the RMI Extrusion
Plant. The facility has had no onsite burial of uranium. Radio-
nuclides other than uranium, which exist as trace contaminants in
recycled material have been released from RMI, as discussed in
annual environmental monitoring reports. However, historical data
is available only for uranium.
Table 3.1.6
Summary of Radionuclides Released to Air and Water or Buried at
RMI Company from 1944 through 1987
RMI AIR WATER BURIAL
(Curies) (Curies) (Curies)
Uranium 0. 57 (886 kg) 2 (3,271 kg) 0
FMPC
•
The summary for FMPC is shown on Table 3.1.7. The column headed
"BURIAL" on this table actually shows the amounts of waste material
placed in the pits and silos. Several fission products are also
shown on the table, as a result of fuel recycle activities. As
expected, the largest quantities shown in the table are for uranium.
3.2 Uncertainties in Tabulated Historical Data
The values presented in each table should be interpreted as reason-
able estimates of the amounts of material released or buried. From
early years of operation, records are not available to document the
exact quantities involved. Sampling or monitoring for specific iso-
topes or of several release points was not begun until relatively
recent years. Because of these assumptions and estimations, the
specific data presented in the table should not be interpreted to be
exact or precise values. In the areas of uncertainty, conservative
assumptions were made to provide estimated quantities. Some of the
uncertainties involved for each facility are discussed below.
3.2.1 Uncertainties in ORNL data
o Many of the specific radionuclides were not monitored in
early years of operation.
-------
Table 3.1.7
Summary of Radionuclides Released to Air and Water or 8uried at
FMPC from 1951 through 1987
FMPC
Uranium
Thorium
Sr-90
Tc-99
Ru-106
Cs-137
Ra-226
Ra-228
Np-237
Pu-238
Pu-239/240
AIR
(Curies)
89.3 (135,387 kg)
0.51
0.107
0.00012
WATER
(Curies)
49.96 (76,201 kg)
0.05
0.12
120.4
0.069
0.68
6.16
3.43
0.0021
0.00018
0.0018
BURIAL
(Curies)
3,540 (5,357,782 kg)
8.68
1,804
a Denotes wastes in storage, including material in pits and silos
o Radionuclide specific information on the composition of
wastes placed into trenches and pits are only estimates
based on knowledge of processes involved in generating
wastes, the quantities typically generated by the process,
and the measurement of gross radioactivity.
o Solid waste quantities were estimated from records of
volume of waste disposal, not from records of quantities
of radionuclides involved.
o Tritium discharge data prior to 1972 could only be esti-
mated from the ratios of waste produced to production
levels in more recent years.
o The uranium burial records include both the amount of
uranium buried as well as the amount placed in retrievable
storage.
o Verification of solid waste quantities was done, in part,
by interviewing individuals who had worked in the program
in 0RNL earlier years, to supplement gaps in documenta-
tion.
-------
3.2.2 Uncertainties in Y-12 data
o The uranium quantities buried on site were derived from
the weight of dumpsters, containing uranium and water in
which the uranium was placed prior to disposal.
o A linear deterioration of filter systems on the airborne
uranium emission points was assumed. This means the
amount of deterioration in the system was assumed to have
occurred gradually over the years since installation.
Because the deterioration more than likely occurred at an
uneven rate (very little during earlier years, when sys-
tems were new, most of the deterioration occurring within
the recent past), estimates of earlier releases would be
reported somewhat higher than the actual release concentra-
tion that occurred.
o Uranium discharge data from 1944 to 1954 were not as com-
plete as in later years, but enough data was available to
make discharge estimates for those years.
o Measurements of transuranics and fission products were
made for contamination control purposes only. Estimates
of amounts going into the S-3 ponds were based on those
measurements rather than the waste stream.
3.2.3 Uncertainties in Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant Data
o Uranium releases for all but recent years were based on
accountability records.
o Data for other radionuclides are intermittent at best.
For example, no specific information on burials exists
prior to 1958. Technetium-99 releases were not included
in reports prior to 1974.
3.2.4 Uncertainties in Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Data
o Specific sampling date, are available only after 1958.
Earlier values are estimates, based on production levels.
o Early sampling data were reported as gross alpha and gross
beta values only. Qualitative analyses were not avail-
able. Specific radionuclide concentrations in effluents
were extrapolated from the available, more recent data.
3.2.5 Uncertainties in Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Data
o Specific radionuclide analysis of air samples has been
performed routinely only since 1975. Earlier reported
data are extrapolated from more recent isotopic composi-
t i ons.
-------
o In analysis of liquid samples, any beta-gamma analysis
that is less than a predeterminated value is assumed to be
all uranium daughter products. Specific radionuclide
analyses are performed to verify isotopic composition only
on samples exceeding that value.
4.0 RADIATION DOSES TO THE PUBLIC FROM RELEASES
4.1 Calculation of Population Doses
Neither mass nor radioactivity can be easily related to the effect
of radiation, also known as radiation dose equivalent (often
referred to as "dose"). A rem is a measure of the amount of radia-
tion dose and its relative efficiency at producing a health effect.
Individual doses are usually discussed in terms of
millirem - 1/1000th of a rem.
Radiation dose is generally reported in one of three ways:
o Organ dose - The radiation dose to a specific organ of the
body. Many radionuclides tend to concentrate in one or more
organs, remaining there until the body excretes them, or their
radioactivity decays away, or a combination of both. (The dose
calculated in this report is actually the committed dose equiva-
lent. It is the dose received over the 50-year period following
exposure. Some radionuclides, e.g., Sr-90, remain in the body
for long time periods. The calculation used in this report
includes this extended period of exposure.)
o Effective dose - a weighted average of all the individual organ
doses. This value indicates the effect on the body as a whole,
from organ doses and whole body dose.
o Whole body dose - the radiation dose received when the entire
body is irradiated uniformly. This quantity arises from an
external exposure to radiation (i.e., radioactive material is
outside the body, irradiating the whole body uniformly) or from
internal deposition of radionuclides that do not concentrate in
a specific organ, such as isotopes of carbon or hydrogen which
are uniformly distributed through the body.
The maximum radiation dose that an individual may have received from
releases of radioactive material can be estimated using a model in
which the quantity of material- released over a specific time inter-
val is used to estimate the radiation dose to an individual, account-
ing for such things as the dispersion of the material from the
release point, the amount of air breathed, the amount of water or
food consumed, mechanism of uptake of the material into the body,
and other factors. This technique entails the use of computer pro-
grams to perform a series of calculations and estimates based on
certain assumptions.
-------
Individual radiation doses are usually calculated in this manner on
an annual or more frequent basis, since the estimate applies only to
one specific location. The calculation of radiation doses for
individuals for longer time periods require information not readily
available, such as long-term meterological data and the individuals'
location during the time.
A way of calculating long-term radiation effects is through use of
the population, or collective dose, which is calculated by
multiplying the average individual dose in an area by the population
of that area. This value is an estimate of the radiation dose
received by the general public. For most purposes, population doses
are calculated for the area within a 50 mile (80 km) radius of each
faci1ity.
Table 4.1.1 presents the calculated population dose, in person-rem,
for the 50 mile radius of each facility. These population doses are
calculated for airborne releases and from liquid releases. As a
comparison, the table also shows the cumulative population dose to
the same population resulting from natural and enhanced sources of
radiation. The average resident of this country receives a radia-
tion dose of approximately 300 millirem per year from these natural
and manmade sources, including naturally-occurring radioactivity in
rocks, soil, food, air and water, and fallout from above-ground
nuclear weapons tests conducted in the 1950s and 1960s. Table 4.1.3
lists a few natural and manmade sources of radiation exposure.
Table 4.1.2 shows the calculated maximum individual radiation doses
resulting from discharges of radionuclides from each facility in
1987.
Another pathway for possible exposure of humans is by eating fish
from waters receiving the liquid effluents. An estimate of the
total population dose from this pathway for the three Oak Ridge,
Tennessee facilities is shown in Table 4.1.4. The significance of
these calculated doses is explained in Section 4.3.
In order to obtain this estimate, it was assumed that:
o The exposed population consisted of the downstream population
from Oak Ridge to Chattanooga (303,000 persons).
o Fish concentrate the radionuclides (primarily cesium and stron-
tium) in their bodies by a factor of 2,000 times the water
concentrati on.
o Ten percent of the population consumes 7.3 kg. (16 lb.) of sport
fish per year with one percent of the sport fish ground into
patties which include bone.
o
Fifty percent of the commercial catch is consumed by humans with
-------
TABLE 4.1.1.
COMPARISON OF TOTAL POPULATION EFFECTIVE DOSE RESULTING FROM OPERATION
OF DOE/ORO FACILITIES VS. NATURAL BACKGROUND RADIATION
Paducah Portsmouth
ORGDP GDP GDP Y-12 FMPC RMI ORNL
Reporting Period from: 1946- 1952- 1955- 1944- 1951- 1962- 1949-
to: 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987
(41 yrs.) (35 yrs.) (32 yrs.) (43 yrs.) (36 yrs.) (25 yrs.) (38 yrs.)
Population within 837,000 454,000 600,000 863,000 1,164,000 1,600,000 836,000
50-mile radius
( 1980)
Effective dose to total population
within 50-mile radius
accumulated over
reporting period
(person-rems.)
Liquid effluents 7 4 60 3,003
Airborne releases 1,230 * »QQ3 294 11,483 a 347 900
Total 1,237 l,003b 298 11,543 347b 3,928
Natural background
within 50-mile radius
accumulated over
reporting period
(person-rems.) 10,295,100 4,767,000 5,760,000 11,132,700 12,571,200 12,000,000 9,530,400
3 Comparable calculations for FMPC are still being evaluated and have not yet been finalized.
13 Airborne release pathway only; waterborne pathway is a minor additional contributor to public radiation
-------
UUtiijjaiauie ua I uu I a i. i uiii iui ifno u
-------
TABLE 4.1.3.
NATURAL AND ENHANCED SOURCES OF RADIATION a
Effective Dose b
Natural (mi 11irems/year)
Effective Dose c
Enhanced (mi 11irems/year)
Cosmic radiation
Natural gas cooking
range
0.4
Sea Level
27
Gas and Aerosol (Smoke)
Denver, Colorado
50
Detectors
0.008
Soil and rocks
Building Materials
7
Atlantic and Gulf
Jet Plane Travel
1
Coastal Plains
16
Airport Inspection
Eastern Slope of
Systems
0.002
Rocky Mountains
63
Inhaled (radon)
200
a Data from National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Report
No. 93, "Ionizing Radiation Exposure of the Population of the United
States" (1987).
b Average individual exposure to a member of the population of the U.S.
c Average individual exposure to the exposed population (i.e., those exposed
to the specific sources)
Table 4.1.4.
Estimated Population Dose from Consumption of Fish in Clinch and Tennessee
Rivers from Oak Ridge to Chattanooga, Tennessee through 1987
Reporting Estimated Effective Dose (Person-rem) from:
Faci1ity Period Sport Fishing Commercial Fishing
ORNL 38 years ' 652.3 147.4
Y-12 43 years 1.5 0.3
ORGDP 41 years 0.2 0.04
Total 654.0 147.7
-------
Since statistical data were available only for commerical fishing
quantities, several assumptions were needed to estimate the amount
of sport fishing done on these rivers. The estimate that ten per-
cent of the population (30,300 persons) consumes 7.3 kg (16 lbs.) of
fish per year through sport fishing undoubtedly overestimates the
exposed population considerably.
Of the commercial fishing catch of 100,000 kg (2,200,000 lbs.) per
year, the predominant use of the fish is in fertilizers and cat
food. Assuming that one-half of the total catch is consumed by
humans is also a conservative estimate.
Because some of the radionuclides present tend to concentrate in
bone, an assumption was made that ten percent of both the sport and
commercial fishing catch was ground into fish patties. These pat-
ties would contain the bones and the flesh of these fish and serve
as the exposure pathway for radionuclides concentrating in bones.
The ten percent estimate is a conservative quantity.
4.2 Uncertainties In Calculation of Population Dose
Many factors contribute to the uncertainty of the calculations,
making the reported radiation doses estimates and not precise and
accurate measurements. Some of the assumptions and uncertainties
involved are:
o Uncertainty in actual quantities of material released, as pre-
viously discussed.
o Imprecision of models describing dispersion and diffusion of
materials into the environment from the point of release.
Mathematical models can, at best, only approximate the degree of
dispersion and are not exact descriptions of natural processes.
o Variability in the ingestion and inhalation patterns of a popu-
lation. In order to calculate population doses, certain
assumptions must be made in regard to the amount of food, water,
and air an average individual would consume during the time
interval. There must also be assumptions as to how much of the
food is grown locally as opposed to outside the 50-mile radius,
and to the drinking water source in estimating how much is drawn
from streams affected by plant effluents. The variability of
these actual values from the assumed average value contributes
to imprecision in dose estimates.
4*3 Significance of Calculated Radiation Doses
One method of understanding the significance of the public radiation
doses listed in Table 4.1.1 is by comparing them to the background
doses over the same period, also shown on Table 4.1.1. The popula-
tion dose estimated for each facility is less than 1 percent of the
estimated background population dose.
-------
Another means of evaluating the significance of the population radia-
tion dose is by using a statistical risk factor. The risk factor
would make an estimate of the potential for a specific health effect
to be found in an exposed population, based on the estimated radia-
tion dose to the population. Risk factors have been developed,
based on health effects studies of high radiation doses, to estimate
the probability of such efforts in a population from lower radiation
exposures. For the purposes of discussion in this report, the
health effects being considered are fatalities due to cancer.
While these factors are frequently used to calculate the risk to a
population, there is a large degree of uncertainty as to the correct
model for extrapolating health effects. The degree of risk from low
radiation doses is too small to be observed directly. Therefore,
calculation of health effects from low doses does not give an
accurate estimate of risk.
Risk factors developed by research conducted by United Nations
organizations are commonly used to relate radiation dose to the
number of health effects that could be expected from that dose.
D0E/0R0 has used a risk factor of 0.000165 fatal cancers and genetic
effects occurring per person-rem of population effective dose
equivalent. Table 4.3.1 below summarizes the estimated number of
health effects that could have occurred as a result of the levels of
radioactivity contained in effluents from each facility. These are
the estimated number of fatal cancers and genetic effects which
might have been expected in the population within a 50 mile radius
of each facility spread over the entire time that the facility has
been in operation.
For comparison, Table 4.3.1 also shows the number of health effects
that could be expected in the same population over the same period
of time based on the background level of radiation. This comparison
shows that the estimated number of health effects which could have
been expected due to radionuclide releases is small when compared to
the estimated number of the same health effects which could have
been expected due to natural background radiation. Because the
normal incidence of these effects is so large, the possible effects
occurring due to radionuclide releases is indistinguishable from the
background.
-------
estimated health effects from
Table 4.3.1.
HISTORICAL RADIONUCLIDE
RELEASES FROM DOE
Faci1i ty
ORO FACILITIES THROUGH 1987
Operating
Time
(years)
Population
Within 50
Miles (1980
Number of
Health Effects
- Radiation a
Number of
Health Effects
- Background
Radiation
qrgdP 41 837,000 0.2 1,699
Paducah GDP 35 454,000 0.2 787
Portsmouth GDP 32 600,000 <0.1 950
Y-12 43 863,000 2 1,837
FMPC 36 1,164,000 - c 2,074
RMI 25 1,600,000 <0.1 1,980
ORNL 38 836,000 0.6 1,572
Number of fatal cancers and genetic effects which could be expected to
occur in the population as a result of the radiation dose levels shown in
Table 4.1.1.
Number of fatal cancers and genetic effects which could be expected to
occur in the population as a result of the background radiation dose levels
shown in Table 4.1.1.
Comparable calculations for FMPC are still being evaluated and have not yet
been finalized.
5.0 COMPLIANCE WITH RADIATION STANDARDS GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS
Several radiation standards and guidelines have been promulgated by
federal agencies for protection of the public and environment. The
release data in this report can be compared with the regulatory limits.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) standards are widely used in
licensing activities involving the use of radioactivity. They are shown
to illustrate their similarity to DOE standards. In addition, state
regulations are generally consistent with NRC and Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) standards.
5•1 Radiation Dose Standards
Public radiation dose standards have been issued by DOE, EPA, and
NRC and are intended to limit exposures through all pathways (e.g.,
breathing air, food and water consumption, external radiation). One
part of the regulations is the concept of limiting radiation
exposure to levels which are "as low as reasonably achievable"
(known by the acronym, ALARA).
-------
: ^deral Radiation Council (FRC)
"'ie FRC was formed in 1959 to provide a federal policy on
- jman radiation exposure, providing, among other things,
-.jidance for federal agencies in the formulation of radiation
vandards. The guidance issued on May 18, 1960, established
vie following Radiation Protection Guides for normal peace-
time operations:
"(1) For the individual in the population, the basic guide
for annual whole body dose is 0.5 rem. This guide
applies when the individual whole body doses are not
known. As an operational technique, where the
individual whole body doses are not known, a suitable
sample of the exposed population should be developed
whose protection guide for annual whole body dose
will be 0.17 rem per capita per year...
"(2) Consideration of population genetics impose a per
capita dose limitation for the gonads of 5 rems in 30
years. The operational mechanism described above for
the annual individual whole body dose of 0.5 rem is
likely in the immediate future to assure that the
gonadal exposure guide (5 rem in 30 years) is not
exceeded."
[he EPA is now assigned the policy-making responsibilities of
t.he FRC. An interagency task force has been formed for the
purpose of reevaluating the 1960 guidance.
5.1.;' M
I JOE has established a maximum effective dose equivalent
standard for members of the public:
Ihe effective dose equivalent for any member of the public
from all routine DOE operations* (natural background and
medical exposures excluded) shall not exceed the values giver,
below:
Rc.;tine iV operations means normal planned operations and does not
ir-.-lude or potential accidental or unplanned releases.
-------
Effective dose equivalent^
mrem/year (mSv/year)
Occasional annual exposures^ 500 (5)
Prolonged period of exposure^ 100 (1)
No individual organ shall receive an annual dose equivalent
in excess of 5 rem/year (50 mSv/year).
This standard is in the process of being revised. The cur-
rent draft of the revision would retain the limit of 100 mrem
(0.1 rem) as the maximum annual effective dose for any member
of the public from the routine, continued operation of DOE
facilities, but delete the provisions for occasional annual
exposures of 500 mrem.
5.1.3 NRC
The NRC radiation exposure standards for members of the pub-
lic are contained in the Code of Federal Regulations 10 CFR
20.105. "There may be included in any application for a
license or for amendment of a license proposed limits upon
levels of radiation in unrestricted areas resulting from the
applicant's possession or use of radioactive material and
other sources of radiation. Such applications should include
information as to anticipated average radiation levels and
anticipated occupancy times for each unrestricted area
involved. The Commission will approve the proposed limits if
the applicant demonstrated that the proposed limits are not
likely to cause any individual to receive a dose of the whole
body in any period of one calendar year in excess of 0.5
rem."
5.1.4 EPA
EPA has issued environmental standards (40 CFR 190) for the
uranium fuel cycle that are applicable to those portions of
uranium enrichment operations that directly support the pro-
duction of electrical power for public use utilizing nuclear
2. Effective dose equvalent will be expressed in rem (or millirem) with the
corresponding value in sievert (or mi 11isievert) in parenthesis. As used
in this standard, effective dose equvalent includes both the effective
dose equivalent from external radiation and the committed effective dose
equivalent to individual tissues from ingestion and inhalation during the
calendar year.
3. For the purpose of these standards, a prolonged exposure will be one that
lasts, or is predicted to last, longer than five years.
-------
energy. These standards came into effect December 1, 1979,
but are not directly applicable to DOE facilities.
Operations are to be conducted in such a manner as to provide
reasonable assurance that the "annual dose equivalent does
not exceed 25 millirems to the whole body, 75 millirems to
the thyroid, and 25 millirems to any other organ of any mem-
ber of the public as the result of exposures to planned dis-
charges of radioactive materials, radon and its daughters
excepted, to the general environment and to radiation from
these operations."
On February 5, 1985, EPA issued a national emission standard
for radionuclides under the Clean Air Act. The regulation
(40 CFR 61) establishes the standard as: "Emissions of
radionuclides to air from DOE facilities shall not exceed
those amounts that cause a dose equivalent of 25 mrem/y to
the whole body or 75 mrem/y to the critical organ of any
member of the public. Doses due to radon-220, radon-222, and
their respective decay products are excluded from these
1imits."
5.2 D0E/0R0 Facility Compliance With Standards
Table 4.1.2 presents 1986 effective and organ doses calculated using
releases from each DOE/ORO facility. The recent population doses
are well below the applicable standards.
6.0 CONCLUSIONS
The information provided in this report leads to the following conclu-
sions :
o While a considerable amount of data on releases of radionuclides has
been collected since the DOE/ORO facilities began operation, it is
not possible to provide a complete, accurate accounting of
radionuclide releases from these facilities. Reasonable estimates
may be made for most instances, based on the available information.
o Using the available information on releases, it is possible to calcu-
late doses to individuals and population within 50 miles of each
faci1ity.
o These dose estimates could be high or low. The lack of complete data
on releases could result in low estimates of dose; whereas the calcu-
lational assumptions generally lead to higher than expected doses.
o Estimated historical doses are much lower than the doses received from
natural and man-enhanced radioactivity.
-------
APPENDIX A
-------
Table 1
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
Estimated Atmospheric Releases of Radionuclides
(Curies)
Year
1-131
H-3
Kr-85
Xe-133
Unidentified
Alpha
1961a
42.00
b
b
b
b
1962
121.20c
b
b
b
b
1963
54.00
b
b
b
b
1964
84.50
b
b
b
b
1965
18.40
b
b
b
b
1966
15.79
b
b
b
b
1967
22.30
b
b
b
b
1968
10.38
b
b
b
b
1969
16.38
b
b
b
b
1970
1.43d
b
15,000
75,000
b
1971
3.46
b
15,000
71,000
b
1972
1.70
1,800
15,400
64,900
4.0 x
10"6
1973
2.18
9,100
14,000
68,600
4.0 x
10"6
1974
1.97
555
20,000
99,200
4.0 x
10"6
1975
2.10
534
17,700
87,500
4.0 x
10"6
1976
1.25
6,019
11,500
54,000
4.0 x
10"6
1977
1.37
2,524
8,606
42,030
4.0 x
10"6
1978
1.70
2,500
12,000
59,000
4.0 x
10"6
1979
0.30
5,109
10,500
51,190
4.8 x
10"6
1980
0.22
14,800
8,800
42,800
4.9 x
10"6
1981
0.50
11,300
6,700
32,400
7.8 x
10"8
1982
0.13
19,000
11,700
57,100
2.7 x
10"6
1983
0.05
22,200
11,900
57,700
4.3 x
10"6
1984
0.10
33,400e
14,900
72,700
9.6 x
lo-f
1985
0.09
20,180
6,623
32,280
6.0 x
10"7
1986
<0.035
31,000
10,600
51,000
0
1987
0.02
44,050
4,700
22,700
0
Totalf
403.52
224,071
215,629
1,041,100
4.5 X
10"5
a Estimates of releases prior to 1961 unavailable due to lack of data.
b No data.
c First estimate based on in-stack sampling information.
d First estimate reflecting the effects of an upgraded charcoal filter system.
e First tritium release estimate developed from monitoring data rather than
from a calculation based on radionuclide inventory.
^ All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two digits
-------
Table 2
ORN!_
Estimated Discharges of RadlonuclIdes from White Oak Creek to the Clinch River
(Curles)
Year Beta 127Cs 106,^ 89Sr 90Sr TRE(-Ce)0 ,44C« 95Zr 95Nb ,31l ^
1944b 600
1945b 500
1946b 900
1947b 200
1948b 494
1949
77
110
150
77
18
180
22
77
NAC
1950
19
23
38
30
NA
15
42
19
1951
20
18
29
11
NA
5
2
18
1952
10
15
72
26
23
19
18
20
1953
6
26
130
110
7
8
4
2
1954
22
11
140
160
24
14
9
4
NA
1955
63
31
93
150
85
5
6
7
7
1956
170
29
100
140
59
12
15
4
46
1957
89
60
83
110
13
23
7
1
5
1958
55
42
NA
150
240
30
6
6
8
9
1959
76
520
0.3
60
94
48
27
30
1
77
1960
31
1,900
1.9
28
48
27
38
45
5
72
1961
15
2,000
2.0
22
24
4
20
70
4
31
1962
6
1,400
1.7
9
11
1
2
8
0.4
14
1963
4
430
1.0
8
9
2
0.3
0.7
0.4
14
1964
6
190
0.8
7
13
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.3
15
1,90(
1965
2
69
0.6
3
6
0.1
0.3
0.3
0.2
12
1,20(
1966
2
29
0.9
3
5
0.1
0.7
0.7
0.2
7
3,10i
1967
3
17
0.7
5
9
0.2
0.5
0.5
0.9
3
13,30'
1968
1
5
0.6
3
4
0.03
0.3
0.3
0.3
1
9,70
1969
1
2
0.3
3
5
0.02
0.2
0.2
0.5
1
12,20
1970
2
1
0.3
4
5
0.06
0.02
0.02
0.3
1
9,50
1971
1
0.5
0.2
3
3
0.05
0.01
0.01
0.2
1
8,90
1972
2
0.5
NA
6
5
0.03
0.01
0.01
0.3
1
10,6C
1973
2
0.7
7
NA
0.02
0.05
0.05
0.5
1
15,0C
1974
1
0.2
6
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.2
0.6
8,6C
1975
0.6
0.3
7
NA
NA
NA
0.3
0.5
11,0C
1976
0.2
0.2
5
0.03
0.9
7,4C
1977
0.2
0.2
3
0.03
0.4
6,2(
1978
0.3
0.2
2
0.04
0.4
6,3(
1979
0.2
0.1
2.4
0.04
0.4
7,7)
1980
0.6
0
1.5
0.04
0.4
4,6l
1981
0.2
0.1
1.5
0.04
0.7
2,9.
1982
1.5
0.2
2.7
0.06
1.0
5,4
1983
1.2
0.2
2.1
0.004
0.3
5,6
1984
0.6
0.2
2.6
0.05
0.2
6,4
1985
0.4
0.007
3.0
0.6
3.7
1986
1.0
0
1.8
0,54
2,6
1987
0.6
0
0.12
2,-
Totals 2,694
693.6
6,931.6
11.3 1
,196.6
1,295
341.93
376.61
286 . 91
175.33
325.06
166,:
°Total rare earths minus cerium.
^Individual radionuclide data not available.
C,,NA" means no analysis performed
^Estimated from measurements made during last quarter of 1949.
®Transuran ics
-------
Estimated Quantities of Radionuclides In Solid Waste
(Curles)
Total Total1-
Year TRU-U8 Cs-137 H-3 Others6 Pu-239 Sr-90 Th-232 Uranium Uranium (Kg)
1953d 0.43 0.045 8
1959
1960
1961 0.37 8.25
1962 0.32 14.49
1963 0.17 226.9
1964 3.95 57.82
19 6 5 0.18 64.15
1966 0.54 65.31
1967 17.2 57.23
1968 0.86 13.63
1969 3.89 54.40
1970 9.66 12,886
1971 7.09 186.8
1972 0.70 102.0
1973 2.82 47.0
1974 12.02 755.6
1975 , „ . 13.45 1,596.3
1976 f 2.5 x 103 1.7 x 104 9.0 x 104 1.1 x 104 1.0 x 102 4.5 x I04 4.2 x 10"^ 21.76 91.86
1977 7.7 1.2 x 102 1.7 x 101 3.3 x 103 1.0 x 10-2 1.8 x 10,1 8.0 x 10"3
1978 1.0 x 10"01 2.3 x 102 1.0 x 103 2.3 x 102 4.0 x 10"3 2.1 x 102 1.0 38.97 1,935.5
1979 1.6 3.5 x 102 5.8 x 102 3.9.x 103 3.0 x 10-.! 1.1 x 10? 3.0 x 10"^
1980 6.9 1.4 x 103 7.3 x 101 5.4 x 104 3.0 x 10"; 2.4 x I03 5.0 x 10"'
1981 5.5 2.1.x 102 2.5 x 101 1.1 x 105 6.0 x 10"; 1.2 x 102 3.0 x 10~4 5.81 912.9
1982 1.0 x 10"° 6.9* x 102 2.7 x I03 3.4 x 103 2.0 x 10~3 5.1 x 10 2.0 x 10~f 0.083 11.63
1983 2.5 x 10"°' 9.4 x 102 2.3 x 103 1.8 x 103 1.0 x 10"] 1.7 x 10 5.0 x 10"! 0.13 170.1
1984 4.1 x 10"° 1.2 x 103 3.1 x 102 9.0 x 103 9.0 x 10"^ 1.6 x |0i, 5.0 x 10 0.88 266.6
1IS1 3-°* 10 4:8 5 I8l i:l ? 18-' J:? 5 18 S-°" AI IS' ?:S all! Till
1987 6.3 x 102 2.7 x 104 4.7 x 101 5.3 x 105 3.0 x 101 1.1 x 103 1.3 5.50 4,000
TOTAL 3.1 x 103 5.5 x 104 9.8 x 104 6.8 x 105 1.3 x 102 5.0 x 104 4.9 159.6 23,929
aTransuranlcs other than u*
bOthers consist of all beta gamma not specifically listed (Includes total rare earths).
cThe ratio between curies and mass (kg) varies from year to year due to variations In Isotoplc composition.
^Estimates of quantities prior to 1958 not possible due to unavailability of data.
eAI I digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first tv/o are significant.
*The 1976 data for radionuclides other than uranium are estimates of the total burials from 1943 through 1976.
-------
Table 3 (Continued)
ORNL
aTransuranIcs other than ^u*
''Others consist of all beta gamma not specifically listed (Includes total rare earths).
cThe ratio between curies and mass (kg) varies from year to year due to variations In Isotoplc composition.
^Estimates of quantities prior to 1958 not possible due to unavailability of data.
eA I I digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are significant.
'The 1976 data for radionuclides other than uranium are estimates of the total burials from 1943 through 1976.
-------
Table 4
ORNL
Estimated Quantities of Radionuclides In Liquid In Pits and Trenches
(Curies)
Year Sr-90 (J ID Beta8 Pu-239 Cs-137 Co-60 TRE*5 Ru-106 Ru-103
1953
c
390
1952
953
0.0
1953
77,165
0.2
1954
7,224
1.0
1955
21,390
1.6
1956
34,9 9 0
2.6
1957
41,920
2.9
1958
52,790
3.1
1959
280,000
3.5
1960
25,026
3.1
1961
2,913
3.4
26,675
24
1,024
1,638
1962
2,963
4.0
35,586
284
2,030
2,680
1963d
10,121
3.9
100,360
1,587
3,207
1964
22,764
37
4.5
147,970
329
433
1965
93,107
20
4.1
119,975
2,110
495
1966
8,345
61
0.8
16,386
229
51
1967
16
42
1968
9
32
1969
6
19
1970
6
17
1971
6
12
1972
15
20
1973
1 1
13
1974
4
8
1975
3
3
1976
2
2
TOTAL0 146,916 472,686 38.3 446,932 4,563 2,784 8,504 13
aUn1 dent 111ed gross beta and gamma emitters.
bTota I rare earths.
blanks Indicate that no data was reported.
dData tor 1963 through 1976 are estimated values disposed In sludge. Data for
previous dates are for liquid discharges.
-------
Table 5
ORNL
Estimated Quantities of Radionuclides In Liquid In Shale Fracture Facilities a» b
(Curies)
HI
Year Sr-90 Cs-134 Cs-137 Ru-106 Co-60 Pu-238 Pu-239 Cmc UN-ID Alphad F.
1964
610
317
36
4
1965
822
4,920
4
15
1966
3
19,950
21
8
1967
10,050
75,500
594
642
1968
4,800
121,300
500
100
2.2
1969
8,900
89,000
100
200
0.2
1970
2,747
44,830
236
72
1.8
1971'
1972
3,024
93,130
3,819
157
0.8
2.0
1973
1974
1975
5, 197
409
72,750
1,313
159
0.1
1.4
1976
1977
1,700
34,000
384
2,700
1.4
0.6
2.0
1978
165
18,480
593
212
0.1
1979
23
227
13,600
129
0.6
1980
1981
1982
148,000
34,000
1,220.0
438.0
1983
453,000
43,300
4,510.0
1,290.0
1984
44,600
7,700
834.0
2, 130.0
TOTALS
683,641
636
672,777
7,600
4,398
1.4
5.6
6,568.0
3,860.0
a The first shale fracture facility was operated from 1964 to 1979. The second shale fracture fac
was operated from 1982 to 1984.
b Blanks Indicate that no data was reported.
c Cm-243 and Cm-244
d Unidentified alpha emitters consisting of tronsuronlcs excluding CM-243 and Cm-244.
6 Unidentified beta and gamma emitters consisting primarily of mixed fission products.
f No Injections during, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, and 1981.
-------
Table 6
Y-12 Plant
Estimated Atmospheric Releases of Radioactivity
' Uranium Uranium d
Year (CiJ (kg)
1944
0.04
55
1945
0.07
102
1946
0.07
102
1947
0.04
55
1948
_ b
-
1949
-
-
1950
-
-
1951
-
-
1952
-
-
1953
0.01
30
1954
0.14
32
1955
0.14
32
1956
0.83
43
1957
0.71
41
1958
0.71
41
1959
1.93
120
1960
0.60
99
1961
0.61
109
1962
0.66
100
1963
0.85
103
1964
0.76
170
1965
0.48
281
1966
0.51
212
1967
0.51
212
1968
0.45
211
1969
0.46
223
1970
0.47
259
1971
0.16
290
1972
0.08
222
1973
0.07
206
1974
0.13
207
1975
0.21
209
1976
0.20
207
1977
0.13
206
1978
0.07
205
1979
0.13
206
1980
0.28
218
1981
0.20
207
1982
0.20
207
1983
0.20
208
1984
0.25
329
1985
0.18
210
1986
0.19
211
1987C
0.14
116
AL
13.87
6,296
j* Ratio of Ci/Kg varies due to different isotopic enrichments.
Data for 1948 to 1952 not available,
-------
Table 7
Y-12 Plant
Estimated Liquid Releases of Radioactivity
Uranium Uranium d Thorium Thorium
Year
(Ci)
(kg)
(Ci)
(kg)
CY 1944
22.30
33,000
1945
4.70
7,000
1946
-
-
1947
0
0
1948
0.10
155
1949
0.30
454
1950
0.10
144
1951
0.06
98
FY 1952
0.002
3
1953
0.651
953
1954
0.71
1,118
0.001
11
1955
0.62
1,058
0.003
26
1956
2.26
4,987
0.005
44
1957
5.65
8,448
0.005
49
1958
5.85
10,019
0.008
70
1959
5.15
10,410
0.367
3363
1960
4.55
10,067
0.031
283
1961
2.00
3,064
0.101
927
1962
0.86
1,333
0
0
1963
0.82
1,248
0.002
20
1964
4.42
6,605
0.001
7
1965
5.91
8,852
_ b
_ b
1966
5.34
7,985
-
-
1967
10.20
15,217
-
-
1968
11.75
17,525
-
-
1969
2.80
4,189
_
-
1970
5.88
8,775
~
-
1971
2.37
3,546
-
-
1972
2.03
3,042
-
-
1973
0.74
1,119
-
1974
1.04
1,561
0.007
65
1975
1.09
1,638
0.021
195
1976
0.91
1,368:
0.020
203
1977
0.50
755
0.019
176
1978
0.27
410
0.013
120
1979
0.24
366
0.010
93
1980
0.10
158
0.009
80
1981
0.45
687
0.009
85
1982
0.56
846
0.006
52
1983
0.14
222
0.005
49
1984
1.20
1,799
0.010
90
1985
0.72
783
0.017
153
1986
0.67
652
0.007
64
1987
0.57
715
0.003
27
Total0
116.58
182,374
0.680
6,253
a Ratio of Ci/Kg varies due to different isotopic enrichment.
b Thorium data unavailable for 1965 to 1973.
-------
Table 8
Y-12 Plant
Estimated Quantities of Radionuclides Contained In Solid Waste Burled Onslte
Year
Uranium
(CI )
Uran 1 um a
(kg)
Thor i um
(CI)
Neptunium b
(CI )
Technetium ^
(Ci)
CY 1944
(2.09) c
(33) c
1945
(16.14)
(255)
1946
(13.23)
(209)
1947
0.93
(371)
0.0001
1948
4.46
203
0
1949
1.22
(156)
0
1950
0.74
256
0.0001
1951
0.76
662
0
FY 1952
3.05
1,466
0.0002
1953
(1.30)
(624)
0
0.05
0.07
1954
1.53
2,293
0.0005
0.05
0.21
1955
9.04
21,806
0.0004
0.05
0.29
1956
9.92
22,957
0.001
0.05
0.29
1957
420.78
38,253
0.0007
0.05
1.50
1958
(42.32)
(3,763)
0.001
0.05
1.50
1959
116.63
21,931
0.062
0.05
1.50
1960
213.36
206,768
0.017
0.05
1.50
1961
558.89
1,491,895
0.103
0.05
1.50
1962
85.71
199,744
0.342
0.05
1.50
1963
111.81
325,843
0.560
0.05
1.50
1964
243.43
676,988
1.562
0.05
1.50
1965
135.73
375,841
2.076
0.05
1.50
1966
481.43
1,297,260
0.607
0.05
1.50
1967
358.80^
979,909
0.64 5
0.05
1.50
1968
99.90
237,837
0.152
0.05
1.50
1969
141.31
390,073
0.173
0.05
1.50
1970
237.19
645,940
1.050
0.05
1.50
1971
199.87
556,242
0.953
0.05
1.50
1972
370.75
988,349
1.052
0.05
1.50
1973
276.65
761,729
0.822
0.05
1.50
1974
221.87
614,406
0.012
0.05
1.50
1975
196.74
540,689
0.434
0.05
1.50
1976
168.27
457,290
0.388®
0.05
1.50
1977
( 15.10)
(34 , 562)
0.194
0.05
3.29
1978
368.65
843,276
0.014
0.05
3.29
1979
51.04
12,324
0.056
0.05
3.29
1980
198.94
529,517
0.056
0.05
3.29
1981
267.33
703,601
0.023
0.05
3.29
1982
439.44
1,169,765
,0.023
0.05
3.29
1983
295.11
809,790
'7.001
0.05
1.50
1984
342.51
943,387
0.011
0.05
1.50
1985
266.29
730,298
0
0.05
1.50
1986
214.25
458,840
0
0.05
1.50
1987
92.20
263,070
0.196
0.05
1.50
Total b
T,"097
I/,290,523
18.588
1775"
58.10
8 Ratio of Ci/Kg varies due to different Isotopic enrichment.
Discharges of neptunium and technetium were discarded to the S-3 Ponds through
1983 as solution, but were recorded as burial.
c All digits carried through to avoid roundlnq errors. Only first two dlqlts are
s I gn I f I cant.
values for 1967 and 1968 Include uranlum-233 in salvaqe material resulting from
research and development work in fabrication of U-233 parts.
The quantity shown for 1976 does not Include 276 kg thorium placed in the Y-12
burial ground at the request of the State of Tennessee as a result of cleanup of
-------
Table 9
Y-12 Plant
Summary of uranium discards to burial ground3
Record of uranium buried
Overestimate of uranium mass
due to water weight^
19,311,853 kgd
- 1,499,155 kg
Total uranium
Uranium transported to
X-10 site
- 522,175 kgC
17,290,523 or
rounded to
17,812,698 kg
Total uranium buried
17,000,000 kg
(37,000,000 lbs)
aPrior to 1972, liquid material containing uranium that
was transferred from operation, offsite, etc., to the
S-3 Ponds was included in accountability records and
considered as solid uranium in the burial ground.
bRefer to Section 2.2.3 of the text.
cBy U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)/D0E transfer
documents.
^All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first t
-------
Table in
Y-12 Plant
Estimated Quantities of Radionuclides Other Than Uranium
Disposed Onsite3
Accountabi1ity
Reportable
Amount (Ci)
1
Di sposal
Burial
Grounds (Ci)
Cesi um-137
1.45
-
Cobalt-57/60
320
-
Neptuni um-237
0.053
-
Ni obi um-95
654
-
PIutoni um-238/239
0.87
-
Rutheni um-106
0.056
-
Technetium-99
1.77
10.72 b
Thori um-228
13.7
-
Zi rconi um-95
350
-
a Certain transuranics and fission products were known to
be present in liquid waste streams discarded to the S-3
Ponds from enriched uranium processing since 1953.
Quantitative records were maintained for security
accountability purposes. The annual amounts which went
to the ponds were always below the threshold for reporting
under accountability provisions. This table shows these
threshold levels.
b Consists of 600 g disposed to Y-12 burial ground from the
-------
Table 1'
Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (0RGDP)
Estimated Atmospheric Releases of Radioactivity
Year
Uranlum (CI)8 Uranium (kg)
Technetium (CI) Krypton-85b
1946
0.01
1
1947
<0.01
<1
1948
<0.01
5
1949
<0.01
45
1950
0.10
136
1951
0.02
146
1952
0.23
345
1953
1.60
1,307°
1954
0.26
68
1955
0.26
264
1956
0.81
225
1957
0.15
306
1958
1.80
2,711°
1959
1.10
531
1960
1.50
977
1961
3.10
773
1962
0.24
29
1963
3.10
1,005°
1964
0.01
7
1965
0.14
269
1966
<0.01
1967
<0.01
2
1968
<0.01
<1
1969
<0.01
9
1970
<0.01
8
1971
0.02
21
1972
0.03
49
1973
0.13
144
1974
0.44
622
0.27
1975
0.27
371
0.30
1976
0.05
45
6.79S 6.5
1977
0.03
17
0.00f 18.5
1978
0.02
19
0.29 41.5
1979
0.04
25
1.34 15.0
1980
0.03
21
0.88 25.0
1981
0.01
5
0.04
1982
<0.01
2
0.03
1983
<0.01
2
0.02
1984
<0.01
1
0.02
1985
<0.01
1
<0.01
1986
<0.01
<1
<0.01
1987
<0.01
<1
T0TAL
q
15.64
10,5199
10.009 106.5
a The ratio of Cl/Kg varies due to different Isotoplc enrichments.
k These emissions are due to on tixperlment for ORNl. The five years represented
were the total time of that experiment.
c A major portion of the quantities reported In 1953, 1958, and 1963 resulted from
accidental releases due to valve and trap failures In the K-402-1, K—113, and
K-1420 feed and processing facilities.
d Declining production levels was a factor which reduced emissions In the 1966-70
11 me per Iod.
6 This elevated value may be due to Increased purging of the cascade associated with
the beginning of a large equipment change out program ttiat began In 1976
' This year the purge cascade location was changed from the K-25 Building to the
K-29 Building. Data for both locations were added; however, the total amount was
2 x 10"° curles/yr.
9 This total Includes the actual stated value tor any quantity which was reported as
-------
Table '2
Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Estimated Liquid Releases of Radioactivity
Year
Uranium (C
1946
<0.01
1947
--
1948
<0.03
1949
<0.01
1950
1951
0.05
1952
<0.01
1953
0.10
1954
0.23
1955
0.05
1956
0.24
1957
0.18
1958
<0.01
1959
<0.01
1960
<0.01
1961
0.02
1962
0.01
1963
5.10b
1964
1.10
1965
0.01
1966
<0.01
1967
<0.01
1968
0.26
1969
0.04
1970
0.86
1971
0.44
1972
0.40
1973
0.44
1974
0.4
1975
1.70
1976
0.54
1977
0.42
1970
0.63
1979
0.47
1980
0.09
1981
0. 18
1982
0.09
1983
0.18
1984
0.20
1985
0.07
1986
0.04
1987
0.12
TOTAL
14.77'
Uranium (kg)
<1
4
5
80
4
26
84
16
90
40
<1
5
<1
2
2
1, 576c
1, 826c
33
21
12
330
3,180c
88
76
1,601
570
508
564
306
2,201°
688
537
803
601
114
233
240
80
37
116
Technetium (CI)
Neptunium (CI)
16,700
f
3.5
9.0
24.1d
5.8
4.0
7.3
5.1
3.5
1.7
17.0°
10.1®
0.03
0.02
0.07
91.3
0.0015
0.0014
0.0021
0.0019
0.0004
0.0073
— Indicates data not available.
0 The ratio of Cl/Kg varies due to different Isotoplc enrichments.
^ Enriched material.
c A major portion of the quantities reported In 1963, 1964, 1969, 1972, and 1977 have
from discharges to a pond from the decontamination facility.
d This elevated value may be due to Increased decontamination efforts associated with ttie
beginning of a large equipment cha-nge out program.
0 In 1983 and 1984, there was a great amount of decontamination work being done on
equipment from an area of the cascade that Is highly contaminated with technetIum-99.
Also In 1983, there occurred a larger than normal technetIum-99 release from the
decontamination facility. The cause of this release was never determined.
This totol Includes the actual stated value for any quantity which was reported as a
-------
Table 13
ORGDP
Estimated Quantities of Uranium Contained in Solid Waste Buried Onsite
Year
Uranium (Ci)
Uranium (kg)
1958
1.20
1,790
1963
5.50
1,700
1964
1.10
1,990
1965
<0.01
< 10
1966
0.99
1,930
1968
0.37
600
1969
1.80
4,780
1970
0.87
1,210
1971
0.08
130
1972
1.21
3,600 b
1973
1.80
2,460
1974
0.55
710
1975
0.59
760
1976
0.95
1,340
1977
2.50
3,180
1978
0.85
1,090
1979
1.20
1,560
1980
1.20
1,860
1981
0.83
1,060
1982
0.43
550
1983
0.18
290
1984
0.04
150
1985
0.02
60
1986
0.07
< 10
1987
<0.01
< 1
TOTAL
24.35
32,821
Note: a The ratio of Ci/kg varies due to different isotopic enrichments.
b This quantity was reported in "ORGDP Uranium Discharges" K/HS-69,
May 1985, Pg. 9, Table 3 as 27,500 kg. It was determined that
23,900 kgs of the 27,500 kgs listed as buried was instead being
utilized in check weight cylinders in toll enrichment. The
present number of 3.6 x 10^ kg is the corrected burial amount
-------
Table 14
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion
Estimated Atmospheric Releases of
PI ant
Radioactivity
Year
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
TOTAL b
Uranium a
(Ci)
0.02
0.25
2.4
4.2
5.2
2.4
2.2
2.1
2.0
2.4
1.3
1.3
0.6
0.02
0.02
0.02
0.3
1.0
0.5
0.7
0.7
0.8
0.6
0.70
0.90
0.40
0.04
0.02
<0.01
0.05
0.13
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
<0.01
33.26
Urani urn
(m)
30
600
4,800
8,400
10,500
3,900
3,600
3,300
3,000
3,600
2,400
2,400
900
0
30
0
600
1,800
900
1,200
1,200
1,400
1,100
1,100
1,500
610
96
48
22
140
300
6
3
4
<1
<]_
59,451
Technetium
(Ci)
1
1
2.6
2.6
4.8
6.3
5.1
4.1
4.3
4.1
4.4
5.3
4.4
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.1
3.2
3.0
0.1
3.4
6.0
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.06
0.05
0.05
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.03
0.02
<0.01
<0.01
66.25
a The ratio of curie/kg varies due to different isotopic enrichment.
All digits carred through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
Table 15
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Estimated Liquid Releases of Radioactivity
Uranium
Uranium
Techneti um
Neptuni um
PIutoni
Year
(Ci)
(kg)
(Ci)
(Ci)
(Ci)
1952
0.02
30
.
1953
0.08
120
46
0.040
0.370
1954
0.02
30
440
0.110
1.200
1955
0.08
120
440
0.280
1.500
1956
0.02
30
440
0.280
1.500
1957
0.5
900
310
0.280
1.500
1958
0.5
900
310
0.210
1.300
1959
0.5
900
310
0.070
0.680
1960
1.1
1,800
77
0.070
0.680
1961
0.35
600
77
0.070
0.680
1962
1.0
1,800
77
0.050
0.680
1963
0.5
900
61
0.110
0.800
1964
0.5
900
76
0.070
0.430
1965
0.5
900
76
0.050
0.130
1966
0.5
900
76
0.050
0.130
1967
0.5
900
77
0.110
0.130
1968
0.5
900
77
0.140
0.180
1969
0.6
1,200
77
0.050
0.180
1970
0.6
1,200
31
0
0.130
1971
0.6
1,200
15
0
0.060
1972
1.6
3,200
8
0
0
1973
0.5
1,100
8
0
0
1974
0.06
100
7
0
0
1975
0.1
180
6.4
0
0
1976
0.2
440
16
0
0
1977
1.3
2,400
10-
0
0
1978
1.0
1,900
9.2
0.010
0.020
1979
0.5
910
7.5
0.020
0
1980
0.3
590
8.0
0
0
1981
0.2
300
2.8
0
0
1982
0.1
170
0.7
0
0
1983
0.12
220
0.7
0
0
1984
0.06
148
0.7
0
0
1985
0.04
75
0.4
0
0
1986
0.05
66
<0.1
0
0
1987
0.01
21
0.7
0
0
TOTAL b
5.11
28,050
3,178.7
2.070
12.28
a Ration of Ci/kg
varies due to
different isotopic enrichments.
b All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
Table 16
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Estimated Quantities of Radioactive Material Contained in Solid Waste
Buried Onsite
Urani um
Techneti um
Neptunium
Plutoni
Year
(Ci) (kg) a
(Ci)
(Ci)
(Ci)
1953
8
0.040
0.060
1954
34
0.070
0.310
1955 b
1.2 2.90
34
0.070
0.310
1956
50
0.070
0.310
1957
50
0.070
0.310
1958
50
0.070
0.310
1959
50
0.040
0.130
1960
17
0.040
0.130
1961
17
0.040
0.130
1962
17
0.050
0.130
1963
17
0.070
0.130
1964
17
0.070
0.060
1965 b
700 1700
14
0.040
0.020
1966
8
0.040
0.020
1967
8
0.040
0.020
1968
9
0.040
0.030
1969
9
0.050
0.030
1970
8
0.050
0.020
1971
1.7
0.050
0
1972
65 160
1.7
0.050
0.010
1973
84 210
1.7
0.050
0
1974
32 80
0.050
0.005
1975
130 310
1.7
0.050
0.005
1976
39 96
1.7
0.050
0.005
1977
140 340
2
0.050
0
1978
62 150
2
0.050
0
1979
60 150
2
0.050
0
1980
3 9.7
2
0.050
0
1981
1 3.4
2
0.070
0
1982
4 11
21
0.100
0
1983
3 7.2
2
0.080
0.010
1984
5
3
0.089
0.009
1985
3 6.0
0.1
0.080
0.008
1986
4
0.04
0.012
0.001
1987
0 0
0
0
0
TOTALC
1.327 3,320.0
463.0
1.891
2.513
Ration of Ci/kg varies due
to different
isotopic enrichment.
b Individual year data unavailable for 1955-1971. The values presented are
cumulative for the identified periods of time.
c All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
Table 17
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Estimated
Airborne Releases
of Radionuclides
Urani um
Urani urn
Uranium a
Daughters
Techneti um
Year
(Ci)
(kg)
(Ci)
(Ci)
1955
0.547
1611.1
1956
0.236
700.4
1957
0.022
49.1
1958
0.182
52.8
1959
0.452
737.6
1960
0.173
299.3
1961
0.347
567.1
1962
0.113
167.9
1963
0.016
0.9
1964
0.018
0.9
1965
0.042
15.8
1966
0.033
3.5
1967
0.020
3.8
0.0007
1968
0.018
7.6
0.0003
1969
0.199
461.5
0.0038
1970
0.032
15.7
0.0019
1971
0.046
38.5
0.0
1972
0.007
8.3
0.0
1973
0.051
7.7
0.0011
1974
0.023
14.0
0.0002
1975
0.162
33.6
0.0
1976
0.107
16.5
1.E—06
3.E-5
1977
0.300
94.6
0.0917
4.500
1978
3.032
5426.2
0.0856
0.823
1979
0.089
10.3
0.1248
0.170
1980
0.225
8.0
0.0807
0.210
1981
0.091
6.2
0.1192
0.108
1982
0.322
23.9
0.0862
11.1
1983
0.973
61.8
0.0249
0.561
1984
0.015
3.2
0.0246
0.127
1985
0.028
6.0
0.0154
0.123
1986
0.042
42.9
0.0282
0.122
1987
0.045
1.8
0.0022
0.169
TOTALS'3
8.008
10,510.1
0.6915
18.013
a Ratio of Ci/kg varies due to different isotopic enrichment.
b All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
Table 18
Portsmouth Gaseous Difussion Plant
Estimated Liquid Radionuclide Releases
Urani um
Urani um
Uranium a
Daughters
Technetium
Year
(Ci)
(kg)
(Ci)
(Ci)
1955
0.021
9.5
0.014
1956
0.139
86.2
0.121
1957
0.144
148.1
0.682
1958
0.349
350.2
1.223
1959
0.574
351.4
1.423
1960
0.154
94.5
0.232
1961
0.056
55.2
0.204
1962
0.166
103.1
0.667
1963
0.101
92.1
0.404
1964
0.064
64.7
0.098
1965
0.705
111.8
0.897
1966
0.104
54.1
0.109
1967
0.076
76.1
0.426
1968
0.209
583.7
0.605
1969
0.134
82.4
0.562
1970
0.206
119.1
0.877
1971
0.245
164.0
0.382
1972
0.034
73.2
0.376
1973
0.159
96.9
1.212
1974
0.303
137.9
4.308
1975
1.099
350.7
3.065
77.1
1976
0.967
425.5
3.703
15.4
1977
1.803
658.1
2.839
31.0
1978
2.180
1,802.3
2.978
17.7
1979
0.672
360.8
0.488
2.8
1980
0.713
544.3
0.561
7.7
1981
0.370
173.6
0.345
24.7
1982
0.588
150.1
0.253
11.9
1983
0.442
130.7
0.229
3.0
1984
0.442
80.9
0.370
9.3
1985
0.193
62.6
0.352
8.5
1986
0.233
74.6
0.047
2.5
1987
0.483
156.0
0.247
1.2
totals^
14.130
7,824.4
30.299
212.8
Ratio of Ci/kg varies to to different isotopic enrichments.
All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
TABLE 19
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant
Estimated Quantity of Radioactive Material Contained
in Solid Waste Buried Onsite
Uranium
Uranium b
Year a
(Ci)
(kg)
1955
0.0
0.0
1956
0.0
0.0
1957
0.0
0.0
1958
0.2617
771.0
1959
0.0
0.0
1960
0.0225
46.7
1961
0.0073
9.7
1962
0.1068
178.2
1963
0.1089
251.4
1964
0.0401
96.9
1965
0.1832
125.7
1966
0.0706
102.4
1967
0.0473
118.4
1968
0.0109
20.0
1969
0.0190
3.6
1970
0.0293
57.9
1971
0.1231
265.3
1972
0.1125
136.8
1973
0.0097
2.2
1974
0.0512
152.5
1975
0.0477
42.7
1976
0.1460
137.4
197 6C
0.0
0.0
1977
0.0 •
0.0
1978
0.5566
1158.4
1979
0.4143
743.0
1980
0.0698
171.6
1981
0.0599
36.2
1982
0.0
0.0
1983
0.1985
242.5
1984d
0.7105
249.3
1985
0.0543
19.5
1986
0.0
0.0
1987
0.0023
0.4
Total e
3.463
5,139.9
a Fiscal years instead of calendar years.
b Ratio of Ci/kg varies due to different isotopic enrichments.
c Transition from July-to-June fiscal year to October-to-September fiscal year,
d Includes large adjustment for material spread on oil biodegradation plot
between 1974 and 1983.
e All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
TABLE 20
RMI COMPANY
EXTRUSION PLANT
ESTIMATED
URANIUM RELEASES a
TO ENVIRONMENT - LIQUID
AND AIRBORNE
AIRBORNE
LIQUID
TOTAL
YEAR
RELEASE (Kg.)
RELEASE (Kg.)
RELEASE (Kg.)
1962
13.9
79.9
93.8
1963
70.7
59.1
129.8
1964
69.1
159.2
228.3
1965
14.3
46.8
61.1
1966
44.8
6.0
50.8
1967
85.7
12.5
98.2
1968
55.2
22.3
77.5
1969
36.9
63.0
99.9
1970
55.3
92.0
147.3
1971
26.4
193.9
220.3
1972
27.4
77.7
105.1
1973
40.6
167.3
207.9
1974
35.2
128.3
163.5
1975
22.2
117.2
139.4
1976
39.6
79.9
119.5
1977
50.8
135.2
186.0
1978
30.8
201.3
232.1
1979
25.0
227.0
252.0
1980
31.0
168.8
199.8
1981
13.8
199.6
213.4
1982
26.6
208.0
234.6
1983
23.0
274.1
297.1
1984
12.7
262.5
275.2
1985
13.1
126.7
139.8
1986
21.4
119.8
141.2
1987
0.7
42.9
43.6
Total
Release
886.2
3,271.0
4,156.5
a All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
-------
Table 21
FEED MATERIALS PRODUCTION CENTER (FMPC)
Estimated Atmospheric Releases a of Radionuclides b
Urium (Micocuriesj
Year
(kg)
(Ci)
Th-232
Ra-228
Th-228
Th-
-230
Ra-226
1951
123.0
0.008
1952
499.0
0.33
103
1953
2,077.8
1.87
0.16
0.90
22
5.5
X
4.2 x 1
1954
15,119.2
9.98
1.9
10.8
265
6.6
X
104
5.0 x 1
1955
32,976.2
21.76
1.9
10.8
265
6.6
X
104
5.0 x 1
1956
13,595.4
8.99
128.0
8.2
570
2.7
X
104
228
1957
8,045.2
5.31
549.0
35.3
2,450
1.1
X
105
980
1958
5,513.4
3.64
123.0
7.9
550
2.6
X
104
220
1959
5,127.4
3.38
67.0
4.3
298
1.4
X
104
119
1960
4,872.8
3.22
119.0
7.7
532
2.5
X
104
213
1961
3,516.4
2.32
2.0
2.4
168
7.8
X
103
67
1962
4,568.0
3.02
2.0
2.4
168
7.8
X
103
67
1963
6,036.4
3.98
0
0
0
0
0
1964
5,235.4
3.47
0
0
0
0
103
0
1965
7,044.8
4.65
0.38
0.46
32
1.5
X
13
1966
3,045.5
2.01
1.6
1.9
135
6.3
X
103
54
1967
2,924.7
1.93
0.80
0.96
67
3.1
X
103
27
1968
4,655.2
3.07
0.28
0.34
24
1.1
X
103
9.
1969
3,898.1
2.57
0.25
0.30
20
9.6
X
102
8.
1970
1,487.8
0.98
1,4
1.7
117
5.5
X
103
47
1971
772.0
0.51
0.78
0.94
65
3.0
X
103
26
1972
614.4
0.41
12
14.8
1,025
4.8
X
104
410
1973
496.0
0.33
5.6
6.7
465
2.2
X
104
186
1974
234.8
0.16
0.45
0.54
38
1.8
X
103
15
1975
318.0
0.21
0.28
0.33
23
1.1
X
103
9.
1976
169.1
0.11
0.28
0.33
23
1.1
X
103
9.
1977
191.9
0.13
0.19
0.22
16
7.2
X
102
6.
1978
222.0
0.15
1979
154.7
0.10
1980
266.5
0.18
1981
587.2
0.39
1982
279.8
0.18
1983
181.2
0.12
1984
377 .5
0.25
1985
75.0
0.05
1986
29.0
0.02
1987
35.4
0.02
TOTAL
135,387.2
89.35
1,018.25
120.00
7,338
5.02 x
: 105
1.07 x
a All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two
significant.
b Data through 1984 were presented in a different format in "History of
-------
Table 22
Peed Materials Production Center
Estimated Discharges of Radionuclides In Liquid Effluents0
ThorIum
Year (kg)
Sr-50
Tc-99 Ru-106
Cs-137
(Cur I es)
Ra-226
Ra-228
Np-237
Pu-258
Pu-254/240
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
1967
27.0
-
-
-
-
0.5
-
-
-
1968
128.0
-
-
-
-
0.5
1.1
-
-
-
1969
63.0
-
5.0
-
-
0.2
1.6
-
1970
29.0
-
2.0
-
-
0.2
0.5
-
-
1971
30.0
-
20.0
-
-
0.1
X
o
•
10"2
-
-
-
1972
18.0
7.2
_
5.5 x
O"2
1.5 x
10-2
-
-
_
1973
9.0
-
6.2
-
-
2.4 x
0"2
6.0 x
io-3
-
-
1974
18.0
-
c
-
-
8.0 x
0-3
6.0 x
1°"3
-
-
-
1975
6.4
-
c
-
-
1.3 x
0-2
1.6 x
10-2
-
-
*7
-
1976
5.5
-
9.0
3.0
X
10"3
2.0
X
10"2
7.0 x
O-3
8.0 x
10"3
2.0
X
10"7
4.0
X
10"7
2.0
X
10
1 977
5.1
7.2
X
10"2
0.1
8.2
X
10"3
8.4
X
10-2
7.2 x
O"3
6.9 x
10-2
<5.0
X
10-4
<2.5
X
10-5
<5.6
X
10
1978
5.5
6.9
X
10"3
0.1
1.1
X
10"2
1.5
X
i°i
3.2 x
0"3
4.3 x
1°"3
3.2
X
10~A
<2.4
X
1°-
<3.3
X
10
1979
7.0
3.2
X
10"3
3.4
1.8
X
10"3
6.1
X
10"3
7.8 x
0"4
9.3 x
10"3
1.9
X
10-4
1.0
X
2.9
X
10
1980
2. 1
2.6
X
10"3
0.9
3.9
X
10-4
1.0
X
i°i
3.5 x
0-4
3.3 x
10"3
<1.0
X
10-4
3.8
X
10"6
1.4
X
10
1981
3.0
2.5
X
10"3
4.2
6.7
X
10"4
2.3
X
10"3
1.1 X
0~2
7.0 x
10"3
<1.4
X
10~4
5. 1
X
10"6
2.9
X
10
1982
3.8
3.2
X
10"3
9.8
3.4
X
]0~a
2.8
X
10-3
2.9 x
°1
1.2 x
IO"2
3.0
X
10-4
4.9
X
10"f
1.5
X
10
1983
2.1
6.0
X
10-3
21.0
3.0
X
10
5.6
X
10-3
1.0 x
0-3
6.0 x
1°"3
<2.0
X
,0-4
5.0
X
10"6
8.0
X
10
1984
4.5
1.2
X
10~2
19.0
5.0
X
10"4
1.7
X
10-2
<1.7 x
0
<1.4 x
1°"2
2.0
X
10
3.0
X
10"5
5.0
X
10
1985
< 10
5.2
X
10"3
8.3
4.4
X
10~4
9.2
X
10"3
<3.8 x
0"3
<3.6 x
10-3
<1.7
X
10-4
7.5
X
10"6
1.5
X
10
1986
5.0
9.0
X
10"4
1.5
<1.0
X
10-2
<1.0
X
10-3
<4.6 x
0~3
<4. 1 x
1 °"t
<1.0
X
10~4
<1.0
X
'°~5
<1.0
X
10
1987
< 3.3
2.2
X
10"3
2.7
<3.3
X
10~2
<7.5
X
10-3
<4.0 x
o-3
<3.9 x
10-3
<2.4
X
10-4
<5.6
X
10"5
<5.6
X
10
TOTAL
<380.3
0.
12
120.4
<6.9
X
10~2
6.8
X
10"
<6.16
<3.43
<2.1
X
10~3
<1.8
X
10"4
<1.8
X
10
a Data through 1984 were presented In a different format In "History of FWPC Radionuclide Discharges (FMPC-2082)" In May 1987.
k A dash Indicates data were not collected.
r7
!i
r5
-5
a
-3
-------
Table 23
Feed Materials Production Center
Estimated Quantity a of Uranium In Wastewater
Discharged to the Great Miami River"
UranIum
Fiscal Year c (kg) (Ci)d
1952
11
0.01
1953
106
0.07
1954
347
0.23
1955
657
0.43
1956
1,485
0.98
1957
2,595
1.71
1958
3,712
2.45
1959
6,488
4.28
1960
4,445
2.93
1961
5,486
3.62
1962
3,543
2.34
1963
4,566
3.01
1964
10,504
6.93
1965
3,730
2.42
1966
3,740
2.47
1967
2,305
1.52
1968
1,855
1.22
1969
2,290
1.51
1970
1,914
1.26
1971
1,637
1.08
1972
1,140
0.75
1973
1,126
0.74
1974
1,066
0.71
1975
1,852
1.22
1976
875
0.58
1976A
179
0.12
1977
965
0.64
1978
880
0.58
1979
1,175
0.78
1980
685
0.45
1981
576
0.38
1982
755
0.50
1983
564
0.37
1984
1,054
0.70
1985
626
0.41
J986
473
0.31
1987
794
0.52
AL
76,201
49.96
a All digits carried through to avoid rounding errors. Only first two are
sign i f icant.
13 Data through 1984 were presented In a different format In "History of FMPC
Radionuclide Discharges (FMPC-2082)" in May 1987.
c 1952 through 1976, the fiscal year Is from July 1 through June 31 of the
next year. 1976A is a three month transition period, July 1, 1975 through
September 30, 1976. From 1977 to the present time, the fiscal year Is from
October 1 through September 30 of the next year.
d Based on the mass equivalent for natural uranium (U-238 = 99.3?,
-------
APPENDIX B
-------
APPENDIX B
DEFINITIONS
Activity: The number of nuclear transformations occurring per unit time.
(See Curie.)
Alpha Particle: A charged particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom having
a mass and charge equal in magnitude of helium nucleus; i.e., two protons and
two neutrons.
Atom: Smallest particle of an element which is capable of entering into a
chemical reaction.
Atomic Mass: The mass of an atom usually expressed in terms of "atomic mass
units." The "atomic mass unit: is-one-twelfth the mass of one atom of
carbon-12; equivalent to 1.6604 x 10"24 gm. (Symbol: u).
Atomic Number: The number of protons in the nucleus of a neutral atom of a
nuclide. (Symbol: Z.)
Background Radiation: (See Radiation.)
Beta Particle: Charged particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom, with a
mass and charge equal in magnitude to that of the electron.
Compound: A distinct substance formed by a union of two or more elements.
Contamination, Radioactive: Deposition of radioactive material in any place
where it is not desired, particularly where its presence may be harmful.
Cosmic Rays: High-energy particulate and electronmagnetic radiations which
originate outside the earth's atmosphere.
Curie: The special unit of activity. One curie equals 37 billion nuclear
disintegrations per second. (Abbreviated Ci.) Several fractions of the curie
are in the common usage.
Microcurie: One-millionth of a curie (3.7 x 10^ disintegrations per
second). Abbreviated uCi.
Millicurie: One-thousandth of a curie (3.7 x 10? disintegrations per
second). Abbreviated mCi.
Picocurie: One-millionth of a microcurie (3.7 x 10"2 disintegrations per
second or 2.22 disintegrations per minute). Abbreviated pCi.
Daughter: Synonym for decay product.
Decay Product: A nuclide resulting from the radioactive decay of a radio-
-------
Appendix B
Decay, Radioactive: The decrease in the amount of any radioactive material
with the passage of time due to spontaneous emission of charged particles
(alpha or beta particles) and/or gamma radiation.
Depletion: Reduction of the concentration of specified isotopes in a
material.
Depleted Uranium: Uranium having a percentage of uranium-235 smaller than the
0.7 percent found in natural uranium.
Dose: A quantity of radiation or energy absorbed. For special purposes it
must be appropriately qualified. If unqualified, it refers to absorbed dose.
Absorbed Dose: The energy absorbed from ionizing radiation in a gram of
any material. The unit of absorbed dose is the rad. One rad equals 100
ergs per gram. (See Rad.)
Dose Equivalent: A term used to express the amount of radiation on a common
scale when modifying factors have been considered. It is defined as the
absorbed dose in rads multiplied by certain modifying factors. (The unit of
dose equivalent is the rem.)
Dose Rate: The radiation dose delivered per unit time, measured, for example,
in mi Hi rem per hour.
Element: A category of atoms all of the same atomic number.
Enriched Uranium: Uranium in which the abundance of the uranium-235 isotope
is increased above the 0.7 percent found in natural uranium.
Exposure: A measure of the ionization produced in air by x or gamma radia-
tion. The special unit of exposure is the roentgen.
Fission Products: Radioactive isotopes produced when uranium atoms fission
(split apart).
Fuel: Fissionable material of reasonably long life, used in a nuclear
reactor.
Gamma Ray: High energy, short wavelength electromagnetic radiation emitted
from the nucleus.
Gaseous Diffusion: A method of isotopic separation based on the fact that
gas atoms or molecules with different masses will diffuse through a porous
barrier (or membrane) at different rates. This method is used to separate
uranium-235 from uranium-238.
-------
Appendix B
Half-life, Radioactive: Time required for a radioactive substance to lose
50 percent of its activity by radioactive decay. Each radionuclide has a
unique half-life.
Ion: Atomic particle, atom, or chemical radical bearing an electrical charge,
either negative or positive.
Ionization: The process by which a atom or molecule acquires a positive or
negative charge, through adding more electrons to, or removing electrons from
atoms or molecules.
Irradiation: Exposure to radiation.
Isotopes: Nuclides having the same number of protons (the same atomic
number), but differing in the number of neutrons (the mass number). Almost
identical chemical properties exist between isotopes of a particular element.
Mass Numbers: The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
Also known as the atomic weight of an atom. (Symbol: A)
Millironentgen (mR): One one-thousandth of a roentgen. (See Roentgen.)
Molecule: A group of atoms held together by chemical force. Smallest
quantity of a compound which can exist by itself and retain all properties of
the original substance.
Natural Uranium: Uranium as found in nature, having 0.7 percent uranium-235,
99.3 percent uranium-238, and 0.005 percent uranium-234.
Nucleus: That part of an atom in which the total positive electric charge and
most of the mass is concentrated.
Nuclide: An atom characterized by the constitution of its nucleus. The
nuclear constitution is specified by the number of protons (Z), number of
neutrons (N), and energy content. To b:e regarded as a distinct nuclide, the
atom must be capable of existing for a measurable time.
Organ: Group of tissues which together perform one or more definite functions
in a living body.
Parent: A radionuclide which, upon disintegration, yields a specified nuclide
(the daughter).
Rad: The unit of absorbed dose equal to 0.01 J/kg in any medium. (See
absorbed Dose.) (Written: rad.)
-------
Appendix B
Radiation: (1) The emission and propagation of energy through space or
through a material medium in the form of waves; for instance, the emission and
propagation of electromagnetic waves, or of sound and elastic waves. (2) The
energy propagated through space or through a material medium as waves; for
example, energy in the form of electromagnetic waves or of elastic waves. The
term radiation or radiant energy, when unqualified, usually refers to
electromagnetic radiation. Such radiation commonly is classified, according
to frequency, as infrared, visible (light), ultra-violet, x ray, and gamma
ray. (3) By extension, corpuscular emissions, such as alpha and beta
radiation, or rays of mixed or unknown type, as cosmic radiation.
Background Radiation: Radiation arising from radioactive material other
than the one directly under consideration. Background radiation due to
cosmic rays and natural radioactivity is always present. There may also
be background radiation due to the presence of radioactive substances in
other parts of the building, in the building material itself, etc.
External Radiation: Radiation from a source outside the body - the
radiation must penetrate the skin.
Internal Radiation: Radiation from a source within the body (as a result
of deposition of radionuclides in body tissues.)
Ionizing Radiation: Any electromagnetic or particulate radiation capable
of producing ions.
Radioactivity: Spontaneous emission of radiation.
Radionuclide: A radioactive atom.
Radioisotope: Isotope of an element which spontaneously emits radiation.
Rem: A special unit of dose equivalent. The dose equivalent in rems is
numerically equal to the absorbed dose in rads multiplied by the quality
factor, the distribution factor, and any other necessary modifying factors.
Respiratory System: The group of organs concerned with the exchange of oxygen
and carbon dioxide in organisms. In higher animals this consists successively
of the air passages through the mouth, nose, and throat, the trachea, the
bronchi, the bronchioles, and the alveoli of the lungs.
Roentgen (R): The special unit of exposure. One roentgen equals 2.58 x 10"^
coulomb per kilogram of air. (See Exposure.)
Transuranics: Elements having a higher atomic mass number than uranium (mass
number 92). Transuranics include plutonium, neptunium, and americium.
-------
Appendix B
thar/those of Visib?eight^'H^Thev1 ar^M1 fn" "h?se )faJ'e 'en9ths are shorter
metallic target with fas? eiect?2L ?„ S f ' pr0<)uced,b* b™Karding a
it is customary to refer to Dhotnnc n.a. 91? vacuum. In nuclear reactions,
ami those originating in the extranuclLTpln^^e^om'^YrayT'"3
-------
APPENDIX C
Summary of Significant Data on Isotopes Listed in Report
Isotope
hydrogen-3
cobalt-57
cobalt-60
krypton-85
strontium-89
strontium-90
zi rconium-95
niobium-95
technetium-99
rutheni um-103
ruthenium-106
iodine-131
xenon-133
Symbol
H-3
Co-57
Co-60
Kr-85
Sr-89
Sr-90
Zr-95
Nb-95
Tc-99
Ru-103
Ru-106
1-131
Xe-133
Half-life
12.3 years
270 days
5.25 years
10.7 years
50.8 days
28.9 years
65.5 days
35.1 days
213,000
years
39.8 days
368 days
8.1 days
5.25 days
Specific2
Activity Type o
Organs Principally Affected (Ci/g) Radiati
whole body 9,640 beta
lung (airborne) 8,480 gamma
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne) 1,130
gastrointestional tract
whole body (external 393
exposure)
bone 28,200
gastrointentional tract
lung (airborne)
bone 141 beta
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
gastrointestional tract 21,000
lung (airborne)
gastrointestional tract 39,200
lung (airborne)
gastrointestional tract 0.017 beta
lung (airborne)
gastrointestional tract 31,900 beta, gai
lung (airborne)
gastrointestional tract 3,360 beta, gar
lung (airborne)
thyroid 124,000 beta, gai
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
whole body (external 187,000 beta, gar
-------
Appendix C
Isotope
cesi um-134
cesium-137
ceri um-144
radi um-226
Symbol
Ce-134
Half-life
2.1 years
Specific3
Activity
Organs Principally Affected (Ci/g)
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
liver
spleen
muscle
Cs-137 30.2 years gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
1 i ver
spleen
muse!e
CE-144 284 days
Ra-226 1,602 years
gastrointestional tract
bone
1 i ver
lung (airborne)
bone
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
1,300
87
3,190
Type of
Radi ation
beta, gamma
beta, gamma:
beta, gamma1
0.99 alpha, gamm,"
radi um-228
thorium-232
uranium-233
uranium-234
urani um-235
Ra-228
Th-232
U-233
U-234
U-235
5.75 years
1.41 x 1010
years
160,000
years
250,000
years
7.1 x 108
years
bone
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
bone
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
bone
kidney
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
bone
kidney
gastrointestinal tract
lung (airborne)
bone
kidney
gastrointestional tract
lung (airborne)
273
beta, gamma
1.09 x 10"^ alpha, gam
0.01 alpha, gamma!
0.006 alpha, gamma
2.14 x 10~6 alpha, gamma
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