Proceedings of an International Conference on the Remediation of Land Affected by Radioactive Residues Organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hosted by the Government of Kazakhstan and held in Astana, 18-22 May 2009
In past decades, when supplies of uranium were urgently needed for nuclear weapons production and for nuclear energy generation, the emphasis of the industry was on production, often at the expense of the environment from which the uranium ore was taken. The uranium mining activities of this era have left a legacy of tailings piles and polluted land and water courses in many countries of the world. The need to restore the affected areas is now recognized and remediation programmes are under way in many countries.
Uranium was mined in some countries which had no other nuclear or radiation related practices and, as a result, there is little or no expertise to manage the remediation. Furthermore, these countries tend to have only modest resources and so, finding funds to remediate the uranium legacy sites is often difficult. These problems have been recognized by the international community and efforts to assist countries in resolving them have been made in recent years.
With this background, the International Atomic Energy Agency decided to organize an international conference on the Remediation of Land Affected by Radioactive Material Residues with the purpose of reviewing global progress in remediating areas affected by radioactive materials – with special emphasis on areas affected by former uranium mining and milling activities. The conference was held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 11 to 22 May 2009.
This was the second conference organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency on this subject. The first was held in 1999 in Arlington in the United States of America and was titled ‘Restoration of Environments with Radioactive Residues: The Arlington conference was focused mainly on the cleanup of nuclear weapons test sites and areas affected by nuclear accidents. In contrast, the Astana conference was concentrated on legacy sites from uranium mining and milling activities.
The Astana conference was organized in eight sessions: From Arlington to Astana – Lessons Learned, International Cooperation and Support in Environmental Remediation, Complying with Safety Criteria, Innovative Technologies in Environmental Remediation, Life Cycle Planning and Stakeholder Issues, Case Studies (2 sessions), and Expediting and Enhancing Experience Exchange. This publication, which constitutes the record of the conference, includes the opening address, the invited papers, the summaries of the individual sessions and the conference president’s summary.
The IAEA gratefully acknowledges the support and generous hospitality of the Government of Kazakhstan in hosting this conference. The IAEA officers responsible for this publication were R. Edge of the Division of Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety and H. Monken Fernandes of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology.
EDITORIAL NOTE
The Proceedings have been edited by the editorial staff of the IAEA to the extent considered necessary for the reader’s assistance. The views expressed remain, however, the responsibility of the named authors or participants. In addition, the views are not necessarily those of the governments of the nominating Member States or of the nominating organizations.
Although great care has been taken to maintain the accuracy of information contained in this publication, neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use. The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries.
The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA.
The authors are responsible for having obtained the necessary permission for the IAEA to reproduce, translate or use material from sources already protected by copyrights.
conference summary 19
OPENING SESSION 22
Opening Address 23
1.H. Forsstroem 24
1.H. Forsstroem 24
FROM ARLINGTON TO ASTANA – LESSONS LEARNED
(Topical Session 1) 28
2.Summary of the 1999 International Conference on the Restoration of Environments with Radioactive Residues 29
2.Summary of the 1999 International Conference on the Restoration of Environments with Radioactive Residues 29
3.Remediation of Contaminated Areas of Kazakhstan 33
3.Remediation of Contaminated Areas of Kazakhstan 33
4.International Policies and Strategies for the Remediation of Land Affected by Radioactive Residues 37
4.International Policies and Strategies for the Remediation of Land Affected by Radioactive Residues 37
5.Assisting the Return to Normal Life in Chernobyl–Affected Regions: the International Chernobyl Research and Information Network (ICRIN) 47
5.Assisting the Return to Normal Life in Chernobyl–Affected Regions: the International Chernobyl Research and Information Network (ICRIN) 47
SUMMARY OF SESSION 1 53
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND SUPPORT IN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION
(Topical Session 2) 55
6.Remediation of Radioactively Contaminated Sites – Review of Projects Supported by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) 56
6.Remediation of Radioactively Contaminated Sites – Review of Projects Supported by the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) 56
SUMMARY OF SESSION 2 62
COMPLYING WITH SAFETY CRITERIA
(Topical Session 3) 64
7.The Existing Regulatory Framework in Russia on Environmental Remediation 65
7.The Existing Regulatory Framework in Russia on Environmental Remediation 65
8.US Policies for Cleanup at Radioactively contaminated sites 69
8.US Policies for Cleanup at Radioactively contaminated sites 69
9.Principles of Uranium Stewardship: Guidance from the World Nuclear Association 73
9.Principles of Uranium Stewardship: Guidance from the World Nuclear Association 73
10.Adapting International Experience to Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites in the Central Asian Republics 79
10.Adapting International Experience to Regulatory Supervision of Legacy Sites in the Central Asian Republics 79
SUMMARY OF SESSION 3 84
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION
(Topical Session 4) 87
11.Innovative Mathematical Modelling in Environmental Remediation 88
11.Innovative Mathematical Modelling in Environmental Remediation 88
12.Advances in the Application of Electrical Techniques for Site Remediation 93
12.Advances in the Application of Electrical Techniques for Site Remediation 93
13.Site Remediation in Practice 101
13.Site Remediation in Practice 101
14.Monitored Natural Attentuation of Metals and Radionuclides in Soil and Groundwater 107
14.Monitored Natural Attentuation of Metals and Radionuclides in Soil and Groundwater 107
SUMMARY OF SESSION 4 112
LIFE CYCLE PLANNING AND STAKEHOLDER ISSUES IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION 114
(Topical Session 5) 115
15.Balancing the Uranium Production Cycle: Central Asia as a Case Study 116
15.Balancing the Uranium Production Cycle: Central Asia as a Case Study 116
16.IAEA Preliminary Assessment of the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria 128
16.IAEA Preliminary Assessment of the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria 128
17.Social and Ethical Issues in Remediation 135
17.Social and Ethical Issues in Remediation 135
18.A Guide for the Remediation of Radioactively Contaminated Sites: EURSSEM 139
18.A Guide for the Remediation of Radioactively Contaminated Sites: EURSSEM 139
19.Improving Radioactive Waste and Source Management at the Vinča Institute 147
19.Improving Radioactive Waste and Source Management at the Vinča Institute 147
SUMMARY OF SESSION 5 150
CASE STUDIES (ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION IN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES)
(Topical Session 6) 152
20.Environmental Effects of Possible Landslides in the Areas of Radioactive Waste Storage in Kyrgyzstan 153
20.Environmental Effects of Possible Landslides in the Areas of Radioactive Waste Storage in Kyrgyzstan 153
21.The Radiological and Environmental Situation Near to the Decommissioned Uranium Mines in Uzbekistan 157
21.The Radiological and Environmental Situation Near to the Decommissioned Uranium Mines in Uzbekistan 157
22.Multiple Stressors – Environmental Impact at Sites Contaminated with Radionuclides and Metals 162
22.Multiple Stressors – Environmental Impact at Sites Contaminated with Radionuclides and Metals 162
23.Industrial Environmental Monitoring — a Land Restoration Costs Tracking Tool 167
23.Industrial Environmental Monitoring — a Land Restoration Costs Tracking Tool 167
SUMMARY OF SESSION 6 171
CASE STUDIES II
(Topical Session 7) 173
24.Challenges in Estimating Public Radiation Dose Resulting from Land Application of Waters of Elevated Natural Radioactivity 174
24.Challenges in Estimating Public Radiation Dose Resulting from Land Application of Waters of Elevated Natural Radioactivity 174
25.Experience of the Constraints Affecting the Implementation of Decommissioning/Remediation Programmes at Uranium Mining Sites 179
25.Experience of the Constraints Affecting the Implementation of Decommissioning/Remediation Programmes at Uranium Mining Sites 179
26.Lessons Learned from the Remediation at Villa Aldama Uranium Extraction Plant 185
26.Lessons Learned from the Remediation at Villa Aldama Uranium Extraction Plant 185
27.Occupational Exposure During Remediation Work at a Uranium Tailings Pile 190
27.Occupational Exposure During Remediation Work at a Uranium Tailings Pile 190
28.Baseline Radiological Survey of the Uranium–Bearing Region of Poli (Northern Cameroon) 194
28.Baseline Radiological Survey of the Uranium–Bearing Region of Poli (Northern Cameroon) 194
29.Romanian Experience in the Remediation of NORM Contaminated Sites – A Case Study 200
29.Romanian Experience in the Remediation of NORM Contaminated Sites – A Case Study 200
30.Radioecological Assessment and Remediation Planning of Uranium Milling Facilities at the Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant in Ukraine 206
30.Radioecological Assessment and Remediation Planning of Uranium Milling Facilities at the Pridneprovsky Chemical Plant in Ukraine 206
31.Experience Gained in Transferring WISMUT Radiation Protection Know–How to International Projects in Uranium Mining Remediation 211
31.Experience Gained in Transferring WISMUT Radiation Protection Know–How to International Projects in Uranium Mining Remediation 211
32.Justification of Remediation Strategies in the Long Term After the Chernobyl Accident 217
32.Justification of Remediation Strategies in the Long Term After the Chernobyl Accident 217
33.Experiences in the Remediation of Contaminated Land 222
33.Experiences in the Remediation of Contaminated Land 222
34.Assessment of Current Doses from Uranium Tailings 228
34.Assessment of Current Doses from Uranium Tailings 228
SUMMARY OF SESSION 7 235
EXPEDITING AND ENHANCING EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE
(Topical Session 8) 237
35.The ENVIRONET – Network on Environmental Management and Remediation 238
35.The ENVIRONET – Network on Environmental Management and Remediation 238
SUMMARY OF SESSION 8 241
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE 243
CHAIRPERSONS OF SESSIONS 246
PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE 247
SECRETARIAT OF THE CONFERENCE 248
PROGRAMME COMMITTEE 249
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IN KAZAKHSTAN 250
AUTHOR INDEX 251
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 253