Method of disposing radioactive ion exchange resin

Purpose: To reduce the concentration of radioactive materials in incinerated ashes and confine high level radioactive materials into solidification products upon disposing resins by a incinerating method. Method: Radioactive materials contained in radioactive ion exchange resins are transferred to inorganic adsorbents such as zeolite, while the resins reduced with the radioactivity are incinerated in a incinerator. The inorganic materials having adsorbed the radioactivity are converted into rocks through the hydrothermic synthetic reaction under the pressure and temperature conditions above the critical point of water to obtain highly reliable solidification products. Thus, since most of the resins supplied to the incinerator have previously been removed with most of the radioactivity, only a small amount of the radioactive materials is contained in combustion exhaust gases to reduce the radioactivity removing performance required for the device and facilitate the handling of burnt ashes, as well as the leaching ratio and the long time stability of the rock materials can be improved. Zeolite is suitable to the hydrothermic synthesis and can be converted into rocks with good quality. (Kawakami, Y.)