Strategy for decommissioning of underground pipes at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology in Havana, Cuba

The National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology (INOR) was one of the first institutions in Cuba that applied ionizing radiations in medicine. At the beginning of the 1980s, no centralized storage facility for radioactive wastes was in operation in Cuba. A room at INOR was then used as a storage facility for disused sealed sources from nuclear applications in medicine and industry. This room was located in a facility that had been used for brachytherapy services. At least one of the 137Cs sources stored in this area was leaking, causing radioactive contamination in the eight rooms belonging to the former brachytherapy service. Different decontamination and dismantling activities were carried out in the facility between 1988 and 1999. However, for different reasons, the requirements established by the National Center for Nuclear Safety (the regulatory authority) for decommissioning could not be achieved, and therefore the facility could not be released from regulatory control. The facility was closed because of the remaining contamination. Final decommissioning activities were started again in 2004. One of the key issues considered was decommissioning of the underground pipes located in the facility. A plan of the contaminated areas is shown. This annex presents the strategy selected for decommissioning of the underground pipes, taking into consideration technical and financial aspects, as well as the regulatory requirements established by the regulatory authority