Design of an Expedited Characterization Process for Materials at a Nuclear Decommissioning Site

Abstract

Decommissioning a full-size nuclear power plant site has never been completed before in Canada, so there are many lessons to be learned. It is anticipated that within the next ten years the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station will commence decommissioning activities. A key step in the decommissioning processes is timely characterization of the site to determine the location of hazards and the accurate characterization of the waste for disposal. Traditional methods where samples are sent to off-site labs are very time consuming and can cause significant delays in completing the work. Thus, to add efficiencies to the decommissioning process at the plant site, a hazardous material characterization support system has been conceptually designed. The facility envisaged is a mobile laboratory that will support a safe, fast, and efficient characterization of the samples. Decommissioning of systems containing asbestos, lead, mercury, or polychlorinated biphenyls is described in this paper. Proper characterization of the waste material will allow for appropriate disposal, depending on the level and type of contamination. Preliminary cost estimates of the laboratory, including equipment, will be presented.