UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges - Case Study Example

UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges Q1. Why has the UK government published a strategy for the control of radioactive discharges and over what time period are strategic targets set? The UK government published a strategy paper in order to meet the country’s commitments under the OSPAR (Oslo/Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic) Convention. The obligations entail a specific commitment on minimizing concentrations of radioactive materials in the marine environment by the year 2020. UK ministers agreed to appraise critically the initial document (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p3). The strategy was written in the perspective of a declining UK nuclear industry and decreases in charges were hugely driven by the supposed dates of closure for the facilities at that period (consistent with operational safety and planning). The document has outlined a clear policy foundation for future assessments of discharge permissions by environmental regulators and nuclear operators’ strategic planning. For each nuclear sector, the strategy document sets various targets for the decrease of liquid discharges. Among these targets, three of them were linked to the period between 2002 and 2010. It is important to mention that two of the three targets have been met (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p3). Q2. Identify the regulatory body responsible for controlling radioactive discharges in UK and explain how this control is excised There are various regulatory authorities that make sure that the Government policy is implemented. The regulatory authorities include SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Authority) in Scotland, NII (Nuclear Installations Inspectorate) of the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), NIEA (Northern Ireland Environment Agency) in Northern Ireland, and Environment Agency in Wales and England. For instance, the NII regulates the accumulation and storage of radioactive waste on nuclear sites in the United Kingdom. The regulation is done in respect of its treatment, production, and storage (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p11). Q3. What requirements does the Euratom Treaty place on member states in relation to radioactive discharges? The Euratom Treaty necessitates compliance with measures to report and monitor radioactivity in European environment based on Articles 35 and 36. It also requires compliance in the prevention of waste disposal or radioactive discharges in one Member State that lead in the contamination of a neighboring Member State’s environment based on Article 37. Therefore, the European Commission makes decision on whether a plan for disposal of radioactive waste can lead in the contamination of the soil, water, or air of another Member State. It is important to state that the defence sites are not subjected to the Euratom Treaty regulation (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p12-13). Q4. Identify the principle sectors of the nuclear industry that are responsible for the radioactive discharges. What types of operation are undertaken and what types of nuclear facility are involved? The nuclear industry in the United Kingdom is divided into five sectors and they include defence facilities, research facilities, spent fuel reprocessing, nuclear energy production, and nuclear fuel manufacture and uranium enrichment. The sectors are responsible for the prevention of radioactive discharges from their facilities. Each sector has its own form of discharge and abatement technologies that assist them control such discharges (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p24). The main discharges from the nuclear sectors include total-alpha discharges, total-beta discharges, and tritium discharges (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p25-26). Q5. For the two sectors specified [(a) Nuclear Energy Production Sector and (b) Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Sector], identify the locations in the UK where operations leading to radioactive discharges carried out For Nuclear Energy Production Sector, there are different power stations located across the United Kingdom. For Magnox, there are eleven Magnox gas-cooled power stations in the United Kingdom. However, ten of the mentioned sites have terminated power production and are in the process of decommissioning. Five of the sites have been completely defueled. The only operational site is Wylfa and the site is anticipated to end operation in the month of December 2010 (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p72). For AGR, there are seven operational AGR twin power stations (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p76). There is one PWR power station located at Sizewell B, Suffolk (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p79). For Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Sector, the site is at Seascale, Cumbria and it is operated by Sellafield Ltd (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p88). Q6. What total quantities of alpha-emitting beta-emitting radioactivity (in TBq) have been discharged by these sectors over the period 2006-2010? Nuclear Energy Production Sector The total liquid alpha discharges from nuclear energy production sector between 2006 and 2010 were approximately 0.0017 TBq. On the other hand, the total liquid beta discharges from nuclear energy production sector during the same period were approximately 7.5 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p82). The total aerial beta discharges from nuclear energy production sector between 2006 and 2010 were approximately 750 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p84). Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing Sector The total liquid alpha discharges from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing sector between 2006 and 2010 were approximately 0.25 TBq. On the other hand, the total liquid beta discharges from spent nuclear fuel reprocessing sector during the same period were approximately 48 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p95). The total aerial alpha discharges from spent nuclear reprocessing sector between 2006 and 2010 were approximately 0.00022 TBq and the total aerial beta discharges during the same period were approximately 0.0072 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p97). Q7. How much Tritium has been discharged by these sectors over the same time period? In the nuclear energy production sector, the amount of tritium discharged between 2006 and 2010 was approximately 2400 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p33). In the same period, the amount of tritium discharged in the spent fuel reprocessing sector was approximately 2700 TBq (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p35). Q8. For each of the following: (i) a spent fuel reprocessing plant (ii) a typical AGR and (iii) a typical PWR, answer the following: (a) Identify the principle radionuclides discharged to air and water (i) Radionuclides discharged in water in a spent fuel reprocessing plant include the following; alpha, beta, H-3, C-14, Co-60, Sr-90, zirconium 95 & Nb-95, Tc-99, ruthenium-106 (Ru-106), I-129, Cs-134, Cs-137, cerium-144 (Ce-144), Np-237, plutonium alpha, Pu-241, Am-241, curium-234 and 244 (Cm-243 and 244), and uranium (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p88). In the air, they include the following radionuclides, that is, alpha, beta, tritium, C-14, krypton-85 (Kr-85), Sr-90, Ru-106, antimony-125 (Sb-125), iodine-129, iodine-131, caesium-137, plutonium alpha, Pu-241, Am-241 and Cu-242 (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p89). (ii) Radionuclides discharged in water include H-3, S-35, cobalt-60 (Co-60), Cs-137, and alpha and beta. Radionuclides discharged in the air include beta, H-3, C-14, S-35, Ar-41, Co-60, and I-131 (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p76-77). (iii) Radionuclides discharged in water include H-3, Cs-137 and other forms of radionuclides and those discharged in water include halogens, beta, H-3, C-14, and I-131 (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p79). (b) State the estimated critical group doses at the sites (i) The historical and current discharges stand at 0.24 mSv/yr (Department of Energy & Climate Change 2009, p89). (ii) The critical group dose stands at Read More