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US DOE changes waste interpretation 中文为网络直译，仅供参考！ 07 June 2019 2019年6月07 The US Department of Energy (DOE) has published a new interpretation of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) in which reprocessing waste streams are defined by their radiological characteristics rather than solely on how they were made. 美国能源部(DOE)发布了对高放废物(HLW)的新解释，在解释中，再处理废物流的定义是根据其放射性特征，而不仅仅是它们是如何产生的。 The locations of the US DOE's reprocessing HLW inventories (Image: DOE) 美国能源部HLW再处理库存的位置(图:能源部) Up to now the DOE has managed nearly all reprocessing waste streams as HLW regardless of radioactivity in a one- size-fits-all approach. This, it says, has led to decades of delay, cost billions of dollars, and left the waste 'trapped' in DOE facilities in Idaho, South Carolina and Washington without a permanent disposal solution. 到目前为止，美国能源部已经用一种放之四海而皆准的方法管理了几乎所有的再处理废物流，不论其放射性如何。报告说，这导致了几十年的拖延，造成了数十亿美元的损失，并使美国能源部在爱达荷、南卡罗莱纳和华盛顿的设施陷入了垃圾“困境”，没有一个永久性的处理方案。 'Recognising this failure, this Administration is proposing a responsible, results-driven solution that will finally open potential avenues for the safe treatment and removal of the lower level waste currently housed in three states,' US Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar said. 'DOE is going to analyse each waste stream and manage it in accordance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards, with the goal of getting the lower-level waste out of these states without sacrificing public safety.' 美国科学部副部长Paul Dabbar说:“认识到这一失败，本届政府正在提出一个负责任的、以结果为导向的解决方案，最终将为安全处理和清除目前存在于三个州的较低水平废物开辟潜在的途径。”“能源部将分析每一种废物流，并按照核管理委员会的标准进行管理，目标是在不牺牲公共安全的情况下，将这些州的低水平废物排出。” The USA's 1954 Atomic Energy Act, as amended, and the 1982 Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended, define HLW as: 'the highly radioactive material resulting from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, including liquid waste produced directly in reprocessing and any solid material derived from such liquid waste that contains fission products in sufficient concentrations; and … other highly radioactive material that the [Nuclear Regulatory] Commission, consistent with existing law, determines by rule requires permanent isolation.' This means that nearly all reprocessing waste streams have up to now been managed as HLW regardless of their radioactivity. 美国1954年原子能法案,修订,1982年和1982年的核废料政策法案,修订,HLW定义为:“高放射性物质产生的乏燃料的后处理,包括废液直接生产后处理和任何固体材料来源于这样的废液含有裂变产物在足够的浓度;而且……根据现行法律，[核管理]委员会(Nuclear Regulatory)根据规则决定的其他高放射性物质需要永久隔离。”这意味着，到目前为止，几乎所有的再处理废物流都被管理为HLW，而不考虑它们的放射性。 The DOE's new interpretation was drawn up after a 90-day public comment period and was informed by more than 5000 comments from stakeholders including members of the public, Native American tribes, members of Congress, state and local governments, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 能源部的新解释是在90天的公众评论期后起草的，并得到了来自公众、印第安部落、国会议员、州和地方政府以及核管理委员会等利益攸关方5000多条评论的通知。 Under the new interpretation, DOE may determine that waste is not 'highly radioactive', and therefore not HLW, if it does not exceed concentration limits for Class C low-level radioactive waste as set out in section 61.55 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations; or if it does not require disposal in a deep geologic repository. Waste meeting either of these tests could be classified based on its radiological content and disposed of accordingly. 根据新的解释，如果废物不超过《联邦法规法典》第10篇第61.55节规定的C类低放射性废物的浓度限制，美国能源部可以确定废物不属于“高放射性”，因此不属于HLW;或者不需要在深层地质储存库中处理。符合上述任何一项测试的废物可根据其放射学含量加以分类，并据此处理。 The interpretation does not change or revise any current policies, legal requirements, permits or agreements, DOE said. Decisions about whether and how it will apply to existing wastes and whether such wastes may be disposed of as non-HLW will be the subject of subsequent actions, and any actions to implement the interpretation will be done on a site-specific basis with appropriate engagement with affected stakeholders, it added. 能源部表示，该解释不会改变或修改任何现行政策、法律要求、许可或协议。决定是否和如何应用现有的废物,这些废物可以处理non-HLW将后续行动的主题,和任何行动来实现解释将在特定站点的基础上完成与利益相关者的影响,用适当的接触。 Benefits from the new interpretation, if implemented, include reducing the length of time that radioactive waste is stored on-site at DOE facilities; enhancing site safety by using lower-complexity waste treatment and immobilisation approaches; aligning the USA with international guidelines for management and disposal of radioactive waste based on radiological risk; and using available commercial facilities and capabilities to achieve shorter mission completion schedules, DOE said. 新解释的好处，如果实施，包括减少放射性废物储存在能源部现场设施的时间;采用较简单的废物处理及固定方法，提高地盘安全;根据放射性风险，使美国与管理和处置放射性废物的国际准则保持一致;并利用现有的商业设施和能力来缩短任务的完成时间。 Reprocessing of used nuclear fuel as part of the US defence programme began in the 1940s and continued through much of the Cold War. Weapons development activities occurred primarily at Hanford in Washington and Savannah River in South Carolina, while reprocessing activities supporting nuclear research and development and naval propulsion programmes took place at the Idaho National Laboratory. According to DOE, Savannah River currently holds 4,190 canisters of vitrified waste and 35 million gallons of reprocessing waste; Idaho National Laboratory, 4,400 cubic metres of solid calcine waste - a dry, granular waste form from the processing of liquid wastes - and 3,210 cubic metres of sodium-bearing waste; and Hanford 56 million gallons of waste stored in 177 underground tanks and 1,936 caesium and strontium capsules. 作为美国国防计划的一部分，对使用过的核燃料进行再处理始于上世纪40年代，并在冷战期间持续了很长时间。武器发展活动主要在华盛顿的汉福德和南卡罗来纳州的萨凡纳河进行，而支持核研究和发展以及海军推进方案的后处理活动则在爱达荷州国家实验室进行。美国能源部称，萨凡纳河目前有4190罐玻璃化垃圾和3500万加仑的再处理垃圾;爱达荷州国家实验室，4400立方米固体煅烧废料(一种干燥的颗粒状液体废料)和3,210立方米含钠废料;汉福德有5600万加仑的废料储存在177个地下储罐和1936个铯和锶胶囊中。 Reprocessing waste from the only commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to have operated in the USA is not included in this inventory of defence waste. The West Valley Demonstration Project, which was established in 1980 to complete the clean-up of the site in New York state, operates under a distinct statutory and regulatory basis from the three DOE sites where the defence reprocessing waste is stored. 美国唯一的商用核燃料再处理工厂的废料不包括在这份国防废料清单中。西谷示范项目成立于1980年，目的是完成纽约州场址的清理工作。该项目与美国能源部储存国防后处理废物的三个场址有明显的法律和规章基础。 DOE also announced it is initiating a National Environmental Policy Act analysis to determine the potential environmental impacts of the disposal of a Savannah River reprocessing waste stream as non-HLW at a commercial disposal facility licensed to receive low-level radioactive waste. 美国能源部还宣布，正在启动一项《国家环境政策法》分析，以确定萨凡纳河(Savannah River)再处理废物流作为非hlw处置对环境的潜在影响。 |
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