1 Annual NMMSS Users Meeting May 19, 2010 J. Whitworth, L. Manzanares Los Alamos National Laboratory Offsite Source Recovery Project Update

1

Annual NMMSS Users MeetingAnnual NMMSS Users MeetingMay 19, 2010May 19, 2010

J. Whitworth, L. ManzanaresJ. Whitworth, L. ManzanaresLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory

Offsite Source Recovery Project Update

Operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC for NNSA

U N C L A S S I F I E D, LA-UR 10-03266

2

OverviewOverview

Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI)/Offsite Source Recovery Project (OSRP) Mission and Performance

GTRI/OSRP Major Domestic Activities and Barriers• Website/Inventory• Recovery• Storage• Disposal• Container Development• International

GTRI/OSRP Material Accounting

Example of an AmBe Source

Example of a Co-60 Source(3,540 Ci)



3

DOE Source Recovery HistoryDOE Source Recovery History

• Late 1970s – 1999: LANL accepts old Pu-239 sources for potential reuse of the radioactive material (approximately 1,100 sources)

• 1992: NRC/DOE Agreement enables DOE to accept sources identified by NRC as a threat to public health and safety or loss of control.

• 1999: DOE EM establishes the Off-site Source Recovery Project (OSRP) to recover and permanently dispose of excess, unwanted sealed sources.

• 2003: OSRP is transferred to DOE NNSA

• 2004: Scope expansion beyond four GTCC isotopes due to RDD concerns. Now includes 10 primary isotopes: Am-241, Cf-252, Cm-244, Co-60, Cs-137, Ir-192, Ra-226, Pu-238, Pu-239, Sr-90



4

GTRI OSRP MissionGTRI OSRP Mission

• OSRP was moved to NNSA NA-21 Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) in 2003

• Current Mission: Remove disused radiological sources that present a risk to security, health, or safety (priority agreed between NNSA and U.S. NRC)



Why Recover Sources?

Security concerns – information that al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations desire to acquire radioactive material for malicious use

Public health and safety - 133 fatalities reported by IAEA among more than 3,000 over-exposed individuals

5

5 Ci Ir-192 source in pocket

Skin burns – LargeCs-137 Source

3.5 Ci Cs-137 Source



6

• LANL team recovered more than 22,000 sealed sources to date domestically at almost 800 different sites and disposed of more than 250 drums of TRU sources

• Obtained Type A Fissile certification (COC and CoCA) for S300 container – can now be used internationally

• Obtained approval to dispose of Am-241, Pu-238, and U.S.-origin Pu-239 sealed sources (domestic or foreign-owned) at WIPP deep geologic repository

• First repatriation of US-origin Pu-239 and Pu-238 sealed sources (cannot be transported by air) in December 2007

• Pu-239 Milestone:— By July 2006, the GTRI/OSRP had recovered and secured all non-governmental

declared excess and unwanted Pu-239 radiological sources in the United States.

Performance RecordPerformance Record



7

Performance Record, continuedPerformance Record, continued

• Repatriated first foreign-owned sealed sources of U.S.-origin from Africa in January 2006 and Australia in late 2006.

• Initiated recovery of beta- and gamma-emitting sources (Cs-137, Co-60, Sr-90) in 2005 and recovered more than 200,000 Ci to date

• Worked with IAEA to design and implement a portable hot cell (SHARS facility). Successful hot functional testing in March 2007.

• Developed and certified field-sealable (without welding) special form capsules for transportation of sources.



8

What GTRI OSRP Has RecoveredWhat GTRI OSRP Has Recovered

To date, a total of more than 22,000 sources and 750,000 Ci have been recovered.

Am-24169%

Sr-900%

Cs-1376%

Co-605% Other

3%Pu-238

14%Pu-239

3%

Sources Recovered

Sr-9041.82%

Co6036.11%

Am-2417.88%

Cs-1377.47%

Pu-2386.25%

Pu-2390.44%

Other0.02%

Curies Recovered



9

Unwanted Source Registration WebsiteUnwanted Source Registration Website

• OSRP webpage address: http://osrp.lanl.gov

• Complete registration form to register unwanted radioactive sealed sources with GTRI OSRP

• Registrant receives an e-mail notice of acceptance.

• Prior to the recovery of source(s), source owners will be notified and requested to provide documents needed for characterization.

• Self-ships by qualified shippers are possible.



10

Recovery StepsRecovery Steps

• Recoveries planned according to prioritization scheme coordinated with NRC

• OSRP writes work plan and packages sources for for consolidation and/or disposal• Contamination control ensured• Self-ships by qualified owners

• Document transfer of source ownership to DOE

• Transportation to secure interim storage

• Interim storage

• Disposal



11

StorageStorage

• Storage on-site at LANL and off-site commercially

• SNM storage at LANL in MBAs is required. After 2 IG audits, obtained a Cat III MBA for permanent non-rollup storage of up to 1999 grams Pu-239 at LANL and 800g of dedicated storage at another DOE facility.

• Termination of safeguards - Am-241 and Pu-238 safeguards are terminated as soon as material is placed in storage as waste. Pu-239 must be maintained under safeguards until on a vehicle to be shipped for disposal.

• Safety Basis – Authorization Basis documentation required for storage and operational areas at LANL



Sealed Source DisposalSealed Source Disposal

Transuranic Waste (TRU) • Includes Pu-238, Pu-239, and Am-241 isotopes• TRU waste exceeds 100 nCi/g of alpha-emitting radionuclides with atomic

number exceeding that of U and half lives greater than 20 years.• TRU waste sources have no commercial disposal pathway

Low-level Waste• Lack of disposal in 36 states for waste sealed sources – major problem

area• Primarily affects Cs-137, Co-60, and Sr-90 sources• OSRP is supporting DOE-EM on Greater-than-Class-C EIS

Commercial Disposal• Requires an exemption from DOE-EM under Order 435.1

12



13

LLW Sealed Source Commercial DisposalLLW Sealed Source Commercial Disposal

Legend:

States within the US Ecology Compact:

States within the Barnwell Compact:

• Only 2 commercial LLW sites covering only 14 states are licensed for sealed source disposal

• No sites can dispose of large sources

Barnwell

US Ecology



14

Containers/TransportationContainers/Transportation

How does OSRP move sealed sources?• S300 pipe overpack container (Type A fissile) and other pipe

overpacks for most actinide sources• Formerly 6M replaced by 9977 Type B for non-special form form

sources • Formerly 20 WC (large Type B) for large devices –

replacements in development• Field-sealable special form capsules• Other shielded Type A and B containers such as Hopewell Type A’s

for smaller beta-gamma sources• Shielding inserts if needed



15

Major International Recovery WorkMajor International Recovery Work

• To date, recovered 800 sources from 18 sites in 12 countries on 5 continents

• November 2007 - obtained defense determination for foreign origin sources currently in LANL possession

• FY10 – Completed recoveries from Israel and Chile, expecting sources from Peru, packaging efforts in Germany and Brazil

• Special recovery and training projects in China, following up after major project to remove materials in advance of Beijing Olympics.

• Source recovery training for colleagues in Ghana, Georgia, Egypt

• Support for joint IAEA/State Department NDF fund removal project in Uruguay, plus other IAEA support in consultancies



How OSRP Transfers Ownership of Recovered Sources

• Ownership of sources is accomplished using a LANL and DOE/NNSA approved form called an ATRO (Authorization to Transfer/Relinquishment of Ownership/Custody).

• ATRO contains the former owner information, where the material is being shipped to (i.e. off-site consolidation facility or direct to LANL).

• Other information includes the Isotope, Mfr/Model, Serial# and Activity (usually decayed).

• Once all approvals and receipts are made a copy of the ATRO and formal letter are sent to the former owner and their regulatory authority.

• The material at this point will be consolidated with other material or sent directly to the disposal repository.

16


U N C L A S S I F I E D, LA-UR 10-03266 17

Transfers Ownership of Recovered Sources



OSRP Tracking of Recovered Sources in NMMSS• Previously when material was transferred, OSRP would notify

NMMSS who would check the database and prepare the 741 for the transferring site.

• Eventually the transferring source owner was left with the task of preparing the 741.

• Some commercial sites are unfamiliar with the process or do not know it exists.

• LANL’s material accounting team is the most familiar with the 741 process, however, can only complete the form for LANL material.

• Simplified 741 forms are needed to streamline this process. (i.e. 741EZ)

18



Sources Defined as SNM in DOE but not in Commercial Space• SNM accountability differs in U.S. NRC and DOE space.

• NRC uses the Code of Federal Regulations while LANL uses the DOE orders for accountability guidance.

• This difference causes LANL to add material to their account until disposal. (i.e. Am-241 accounted to the gram level but not in U.S. NRC space)

• Addition of material to the LANL account has caused our off-site consolidation facility to have a negative balance in their account.

• These differences in accountability guidance need to be considered when material is transferring from Commercial to DOE space.

• `

19



Conclusions

• Disused, unwanted sources should be registered with OSRP if recovery is desired.

• OSRP webpage address: http://osrp.lanl.gov

• The process for completing the 741 transfer needs to be made more user friendly.

• Possible acceptance of the ATRO at NMMSS could help the process and prevent negative balances.

• How do we capture the sites that are unfamiliar with the process.

20

Documents

1 Annual NMMSS Users Meeting May 19, 2010 J. Whitworth, L. Manzanares Los Alamos National Laboratory Offsite Source Recovery Project Update