Performance demonstration program plan for RCRA constituent analysis of solidified wastes

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPJP) specifies the quality of data necessary and the characterization techniques employed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to meet the objectives of the Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Transuranic Waste Characterization Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP) requirements. This QAPJP is written to conform with the requirements and guidelines specified in the QAPP and the associated documents referenced in the QAPP. This QAPJP is one of a set of five interrelated QAPjPs that describe the INEL Transuranic Waste Characterization Program (TWCP). Each of the five facilities participating in the TWCP has a QAPJP that describes the activities applicable to that particular facility. This QAPJP describes the roles and responsibilities of the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) Analytical Chemistry Laboratory (ACL) in the TWCP. Data quality objectives and quality assurance objectives are explained. Sample analysis procedures and associated quality assurance measures are also addressed; these include: sample chain of custody; data validation; usability and reporting; documentation and records; audits and 0385 assessments; laboratory QC samples; and instrument testing, inspection, maintenance and calibration. Finally, administrative quality control measures, such as document control, control of nonconformances, variances and QA status reporting are described.

The Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) strategy for the management of transuranic (TRU) and TRU mixed wastes has focused on the development of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The WIPP repository is designated to receive DOE defense wastes that meet the established criteria for acceptance. As a national strategy [DOE, 1993], DOE does not intend to treat candidate wastes unless treatment or processing are necessary to meet the safety, health, and regulatory criteria for transport and disposal at WIPP. The WIPP WAC has evolved over the past 10 years to include criteria and requirements in support of the Waste Characterization program and other related compliance programs. In aggregate, the final health, safety and regulatory criteria for the waste will be documented in the Disposal WAC. This document serves two purposes. First, it familiarizes regulators and stakeholders with the concept of performance based waste acceptance criteria as an augmentation within a final Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Waste Acceptance Criteria. Second, the document preliminarily identifies certain waste characteristics that appear important to the performance assessment process for WIPP; therefore, these could become component characteristics in the Performance Based Waste Acceptance Criteria (PBWAC). Identification of the final PBWAC will be accomplished through iterative runs of the System Prioritization Method (SPM). These iterations will serve to more clearly isolate and identify those waste characteristics that directly and predominately impact on the performance assessment.

The US Department of Energy, Carlsbad Area Office (DOE-CAO) has completed a voluntary release assessment sampling program at selected Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This Voluntary Release Assessment/Corrective Action (RA/CA) report has been prepared for final submittal to the Environmental protection Agency (EPA) Region 6, Hazardous Waste Management Division and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Hazardous and Radioactive Materials Bureau to describe the results of voluntary release assessment sampling and proposed corrective actions at the SWMU sites. The Voluntary RA/CA Program is intended to be the first phase in implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) and corrective action process at the WIPP. Data generated as part of this sampling program are intended to update the RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) for the WIPP (Assessment of Solid Waste Management Units at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant), NMED/DOE/AIP 94/1. This Final Voluntary RA/CA Report documents the results of release assessment sampling at 11 SWMUs identified in the RFA. With this submittal, DOE formally requests a No Further Action determination for these SWMUs. Additionally, this report provides information to support DOE`s request for No Further Action at the Brinderson and Construction landfill SWMUs, and to support DOE`s request for approval of proposed corrective actions at three other SWMUs (the Badger Unit Drill Pad, the Cotton Baby Drill Pad, and the DOE-1 Drill Pad). This information is provided to document the results of the Voluntary RA/CA activities submitted to the EPA and NMED in August 1995.

Solubility of Nd 3+ and UO 22+ in WIPP brine as oxidation-state invariant analogs for plutonium

The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory is being used as a temporary storage facility for transuranic waste generated by the US Nuclear Weapons program at the Rocky Flats Plant (RFP) in Golden, Colorado. Currently, there is a large effort in progress to prepare to ship this waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. In order to meet the TRU Waste Characterization Quality Assurance Program Plan nondestructive assay compliance requirements and quality assurance objectives, it is necessary to determine the total uncertainty of the radioassay results produced by the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP) Passive Active Neutron (PAN) radioassay system. This paper is one of a series of reports quantifying the results of the uncertainty analysis of the PAN system measurements for specific waste types and measurement modes. In particular this report covers active mode measurements of weapons grade plutonium-contaminated aqueous sludge waste contained in 208 liter drums (item description codes 1, 2, 7, 800, 803, and 807). Results of the uncertainty analysis for PAN active mode measurements of aqueous sludge indicate that a bias correction multiplier of 1.55 should be applied to the PAN aqueous sludge measurements. With the bias correction, the uncertainty bounds on the expected bias are 0 {+-} 27%. These bounds meet the Quality Assurance Program Plan requirements for radioassay systems.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), which is designed for receipt, handling, storage, and permanent isolation of defense-generated transuranic wastes, is being excavated at a depth of approximately 655 m in bedded halites of the Permian Salado Formation of southeastern New Mexico. Site-characterization activities at the present WIPP site began in 1976. Full construction of the facility began in 1983, after completion of ``Site and Preliminary Design Validation`` (SPDV) activities and reporting. Site-characterization activities since 1983 have had the objectives of updating or refining the overall conceptual model of the geologic, hydrologic, and structural behavior of the WIPP site and providing data adequate for use in WIPP performance assessment. This report has four main objectives: 1. Summarize the results of WIPP site-characterization studies carried out since the spring of 1983 as a result of specific agreements between the US Department of Energy and the State of New Mexico. 2. Summarize the results and status of site-characterization and facility-characterization studies carried out since 1983, but not specifically included in mandated agreements. 3. Compile the results of WIPP site-characterization studies into an internally consistent conceptual model for the geologic, hydrologic, geochemical, and structural behavior of the WIPP site. This model includes some consideration of the effects of the WIPP facility and shafts on the local characteristics of the Salado and Rustler Formations. 4. Discuss the present limitations and/or uncertainties in the conceptual geologic model of the WIPP site and facility. The objectives of this report are limited in scope, and do not include determination of whether or not the WIPP Project will comply with repository-performance criteria developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (40CFR191).

This hydrogeologic modeling study has been performed as part of the regional hydrologic characterization of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site in southeastern New Mexico. The study has produced an estimation of the transmissivity and Darcy-velocity distributions in the Culebra Dolomite Member of the Permian Rustler Formation at the WIPP site. The results of this study are intended to support Sandia National Laboratories performance-assessment calculations. The three-dimensional finite-difference code SWIFT II was employed for the numerical modeling, using a variable-fluid-density and single-porosity formulation. The spatial scale of the model, 21.3 km by 30.6 km, was chosen to allow simulation of regional-scale pumping tests conducted at the H-3 and H-11 hydropads and the WIPP-13 borehole, which are located south, southeast, and northwest, respectively, of the center of the WIPP site. The modeled area includes and extends beyond the controlled area defined by the WIPP-site boundaries. The work performed in this study consisted of modeling the hydrogeology of the Culebra in two stages: steady-state modeling to develop the best estimate of the undisturbed head distribution (i.e., of the hydraulic conditions before excavation of the WIPP shafts, which began in 1981) and superimposed transient modeling of local hydrologic response to excavation of the four WIPP shafts at the center of the WIPP site, as well as to various well tests. The transient modeling used the calculated steady-state freshwater heads as initial conditions. 144 refs., 98 figs., 23 tabs.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility is proposed for development in the southeast portion of the State of New Mexico. The proposed horizon is in bedded salt located approximately 2150 ft below the surface. The purpose of the WIPP is to provide an R&D facility to demonstrate the safe disposal of radioactive wastes resulting from defense activities of the United States. As such, it will include a disposal demonstration for transuranic (TRU) wastes and an experimental area to address issues associated with disposal of defense high level wastes (DHLW) in bedded salt. All DHLW used in the experiments are planned for retrieval at the termination of testing; the TRU waste can be permanently disposed of at the site after the pilot phase is complete. This report addresses only the Plugging and Sealing program, which will result in an adequate and acceptable technology for final sealing and decommissioning of the facility at the WIPP site. The actual plugging operations are intended to be conducted on a commercial industrial basis through contracts issued by the DOE. This report is one in a series that is based on a technical program of modeling, laboratory materials testing and field demonstration which will provide a defensible basis for the actual plugging operations to be conducted by the DOE for final closure of the facility.

A stability evaluation of the underground workings of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was completed by the US Bureau of Mines` WIPP evaluation committee. This work included a critical evaluation of the processes employed at WIPP to ensure stability, an extensive review of available deformation measurements, a 3-day site visit, and interviews with the Department of Energy (DOE) and Westinghouse staff. General ground control processes are in place at WIPP to minimize the likelihood that major stability problems will go undetected. To increase confidence in both short- and long-term stability throughout the site (underground openings and shafts), ground stability monitoring systems, mine layout design, support systems and data analyses must be continuously improved. Such processes appear to be in place at WIPP and are discussed in this paper.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for managing the disposition of transuranic (TRU) wastes resulting from nuclear weapons production activities of the United States. These wastes are currently stored nationwide at several of the DOE's waste generating/storage sites. The goal is to eliminate interim waste storage and achieve environmentally and institutionally acceptable permanent disposal of these TRU wastes. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico is being considered as a disposal facility for these TRU wastes. This document describes the first of the following two major programs planned for the Test Phase of WIPP: Performance Assessment -- determination of the long-term performance of the WIPP disposal system in accordance with the requirements of the EPA Standard; and Operations Demonstration -- evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of the DOE TRU waste management system's ability to emplace design throughput quantities of TRU waste in the WIPP underground facility. 120 refs., 19 figs., 8 tabs.

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is being developed in southeastern New Mexico by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a repository for transuranic waste produced by defense programs. Regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) place limits on the cumulative release of radionuclides to the accessible environment over 10,000 years and require performance assessments to demonstrate WIPP compliance with these regulatory standards.

Implementation of monitoring activities at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is important to ensure the predicted behavior of the repository. The Department of Energy (DOE) Compliance Monitoring Program (CMP) described in this Monitoring Implementation Plan meets the requirements of the radioactive waste disposal regulations in Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 191, Subparts B and C, and the criteria in 40 CFR Part 194. The final monitoring activities selected to identify deviations from predicted long-term repository performance are as described in the Compliance Baseline. The Compliance Baseline includes; the WIPP Compliance Certification Application (CCA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Compliance Application Review Documents (CARDs), the Technical Support Documents (TSDs), and the EPA's Response to Comments regarding the certification of the WIPP. The long-term performance expectations for the disposal system are derived from conceptual models, scenarios, and assumptions developed for the WIPP Performance Assessment (PA), which was used to predict performance of the disposal system over a 10,000 year period. This plan describes the CMP, the requirements governing the program, the responsible organizations, and the reporting function used to inform the EPA of monitoring data that deviates from the expected values. The CMP monitors ten compliance monitoring parameters (COMPs) identified through PA and sensitivity analyses.

This data analysis is to show that weapons grade plutonium is of uniform composition to the standards set by the Waste-Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Transuranic Waste Characterization Quality Assurance Program Plan (TRUW Characterization QAPP, Rev. 2, DOE, Carlsbad Area Office, November 15, 1996). The major portion of Superblock transuranic (TRU) waste is glove-box trash contaminated with weapons grade plutonium. This waste originates in the Building 332 (B332) radioactive-materials area (RMA). Because each plutonium batch brought into the B332 RMA is well characterized with regard to nature and quantity of transuranic nuclides present, waste also will be well characterized without further analytical work, provided the batches are quite similar. A sample data set was created by examining the 41 incoming samples analyzed by Ken Raschke (using a {gamma}-ray spectrometer) for isotopic distribution and by Ted Midtaune (using a calorimeter) for mass of radionuclides. The 41 samples were from separate batches analyzed May 1993 through January 1997. All available weapons grade plutonium data in Midtaune's files were used. Alloys having greater than 50% transuranic material were included. The intention of this study is to use this sample data set to judge ''similarity.''

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is planned as the first mined geologic repository for transuranic (TRU) wastes generated by defense programs of the United States Department of Energy (DOE). Before disposing of waste at the WIPP, the DOE must evaluate compliance with the United states Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Standard, Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Radioactive Wastes (40 CFR Part 191, US EPA, 1985). Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is evaluating long-term performance against criteria in Subpart B of the Standard. Performance assessment'' as used in this report includes analyses for the Containment Requirements ({section} 191.13(a)) and the Individual Protection Requirements ({section} 191.15). Because proving predictions about future human actions or natural events is not possible, the EPA expects compliance to be determined on the basis of specified quantitative analyses and informed, qualitative judgment. The goal of the WIPP performance-assessment team at SNL is to provide as detailed and thorough a basis as practical for the quantitative aspects of that decision. This report summarizes SNL's late-1990 understanding of the WIPP Project's ability to evaluate compliance with Subpart B. 245 refs., 88 figs., 23 tabs.

Transuranic waste is planned for disposal in the Late Permian evaporites of the Delaware Basin, southeastern New Mexico, at the WIPP Site. The disposal horizon is located in the bedded halite of the Salado Formation, which is overlain by the impure haliteanhydrite(gypsum)-siltstone-mudstone of the Rustler Formation. The Rustler Formation also contains two dolomite members, the Magenta and Culebra, which transmit water. The Culebra Member is suspected to have actively interacted with waters at time(s) from the Late Permian to the present, and it is important to assess the reactivity of these waters in conjunction with WIPP stability. We have investigated the Rb--Sr systematics of clay minerals from the Culebra Member and elsewhere in the Rustler Formation. The authigenic fraction is especially sensitive to chemical and isotopic exchange with waters, and an episodic exposure to a large amount of water will reset the clay minerals to such a time. Our data yield 259 {plus minus} 22 MaRb--Sr isochron, which is consistent with the Late Permian age of the Rustler Formation. This age demonstrates that age-determining cations in these clay minerals have preserved their isotopic and chemical integrity since the Late Permian. 16 refs.