Development and Maintenance of a Comprehensive Radioactive Waste Management Basis - 16349
In accordance with DOE Order 435.1, 'Radioactive Waste Management', radioactive facilities and activities must have a documented basis of operation consisting of procedures, and physical and administrative controls that ensure protection of workers, the public, and the environment. To fulfill this requirement, Department of Energy (DOE) facilities are required to have an approved Radioactive Waste Management Basis (RWMB) which provides assurance that controls are developed, documented, and implemented for management of radioactive waste. The required elements of the RWMB vary with the type of waste management operation or facility and the types of hazards associated with the facility. Therefore, a graded approach is used per DOE guidance. The Idaho National Laboratory Waste Management Program (WMP) has developed and implemented a thorough RWMB for each of its five operational areas in addition to facility specific DOE Order 435.1 compliance tables which served as a tool for developing each RWMB. With approximately 40 facilities generating and/or managing radioactive waste, the WMP has encountered several challenges in keeping RWMBs current and accurate, in addition to ensuring facilities are continually maintaining compliance in evolving conditions in support of programs and projects in a continuously expanding research environment. Prior to initial radioactive waste generation, nuclear facility management must demonstrate compliance via the facility safety basis and approved laboratory-wide and facility specific documents which are then incorporated into the RWMB and subsequently approved by the DOE-Idaho Operations field office designated point of contact. The WMP has incorporated several areas of improvement to its RWMB management strategy to help facilities maintain compliance in new and changing conditions. Improvements included providing ad hoc facility management training for new facility managers, adding a reviewer from the WMP during the environmental checklist process, and performing annual RWMB reviews which involve not only facility management, but also Waste Generator Services support personnel, and other support organizations, as applicable. (authors)