Concerning current management of radioactive wastes at reprocessing facilities

It has been required that the release of radioactive gas and liquid wastes at the Tokai reprocessing facilities of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation be managed in such a way as to maintain the release should be controlled below the standards specified in the Safety Rules established in the Facilities. High-level concentrated liquid wastes are stored in storage tanks while low-level liquid wastes are stored in tanks or solidified into asphalt or plastic material. High-level radioactive solid wastes are transported in special casks to storage facilities, where they are stored in water or in a dry consition by specified methods. Low-level solid wastes are stored in sealed drums. Solidified asphalt and plastic wastes are stored in sealed drums in the asphalt storage facilities. The present note briefly summarizes the data given in the 1987 Radiation Management Report submitted in accordance with the Law Concerning Management of Nuclear Material, Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Reactor by Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation, which is the operator of the reprocessing facilities. The data on the management of radioactive wastes in these facilities show that the amount of radioactive gas and liquid wastes released in 1987 and subsequent years were below the specified values. (N.K.)