Annual report on the present state and activities of the Radiation Protection Department, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories in fiscal year 2010-2013

This annual report summarizes the various activities on radiation control at the nuclear fuel cycle facilities in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, which were undertaken by the Radiation Protection Department in fiscal year (FY) 2010-2013. In the Laboratories, the Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP), MOX fuel fabrication facilities, the Chemical Processing Facility (CPF), and various other radioisotopes and uranium research laboratories have been operated. The Radiation Protection Department is responsible for the radiation control in and around the facilities, including personnel monitoring, workplace monitoring, consultation on radiological work planning and evaluation, monitoring of gaseous and liquid waste effluents, environmental monitoring, radiological standards, maintenance of radiation monitoring instruments, quality management, and the related research. In FY 2010-2013, the results of radiological monitoring showed the situation to be normal, and no radiological incident or accident occurred. The maximum annual effective dose to radiation workers was 8.7 mSv (FY 2010) and the mean annual effective dose was 0.2 mSv (FY 2010). Individual doses were kept within the annual dose limit specified in the safety regulations. During the period from FY 2010 to 2013 the maximum estimated effective dose caused by gaseous and liquid effluents from the TRP to imaginary members of the public around the Laboratories was 1.6×10^-4 mSv (FY 2013). The environmental monitoring and effluent control were performed appropriately in compliance with safety regulation and standards. Because of the impact from the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, a part of the measured data was not contained in the normal range. But it was not recognized that the facilities in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, such as reprocessing plant, affected the environment. As for the quality management activities, the inspection by the government, the internal audit, and the maintenance to revise the documents have been continued in accordance with the quality management system which had been introduced to safety regulation since FY 2004. (author)