NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY RESULTS

The Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission surveyed generators in the four party states of Arizona, California, North Dakota, and South Dakota to assess their capacity needs for temporary low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) storage following the anticipated mid-2008 closure to Southwestern Region generators of the Barnwell LLRW disposal facility, the only facility in the nation currently available to the Southwestern Region for disposal of Classes B and C low-level waste. A brief summary of the results follows below.

About 40% of the generators to whom the survey form was sent completed and returned it. Of those, 80% said that they anticipated generating LLRW in the future. The total anticipated annual generation of LLRW, adjusted by the percentage of response, is projected at 230,000 cubic feet and 38,000 curies. This compares favorably with the amounts anticipated during California’s process of licensing the region’s disposal facility, for which a license was issued but which was not built because of political problems.

About 25% of responding generators indicated that they would be able to store, onsite, Classes B and C waste, and 50% could store Class A waste. Problems associated with storage include cost, space availability, manpower needs, regulatory issues, safety and security issues, and administrative and other impacts. If onsite storage is not adequate or feasible, 37% of the responding generators said that they would contract for offsite storage of Classes B and C waste and 27% would contract for offsite storage of Class A waste.

In addition to interim storage, generators are considering several options, such as increasing storage for decay; reducing the amount of low-level waste produced, including discontinuing use of some isotopes; and increasing use of treatment facilities. Many expressed the hope that alternative disposal facilities would become available, including the possibility that the federal government might take the waste for disposal. Several generators noted that the State of California still has a statutory mandate to develop a disposal facility for the Southwestern Compact region.

Generators were asked if they would support a state-operated storage facility. Obviously some interpreted the question to mean disposal rather than storage. No generator answered “no” although several did not respond. Of those that did, 64% answered in the affirmative. Some caveats included that supporting such a facility would depend upon cost and whether the state would take title and responsibility.

The Commission thanks the generators who responded to the survey. The information provided will be helpful as the Commission addresses the problems associated with LLRW management and disposal.

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