Large amounts of concrete, metal, soil, and other radioactive waste are generated not only from nuclear power plants operating in Korea but also from nuclear power plant decommissioning. If it is confirmed through measurement of residual radioactivity that the concentration is below the allowable clearance level, they can be managed as general or industrial waste in accordance with the Nuclear Safety Act. The Korea Radioactive Waste Agency predicts that very low-level radioactive waste will be generated the most, at about 67.1%. If waste below clearance level among very low-level radioactive waste can be evaluated and reduced, a lot of costs can be saved. Among radioactive wastes, metal wastes in particular have various sizes, shapes, and densities. If radioactivity is measured without properly considering this, a large error occurs in the measured value even if the radioactivity value is the same. This requires a conservative measurement method using density correction taking into account the self-absorption effect. For conservative measurements, it is essential to compare measured values with calculated values using MCNP6 (Monte Carlo N-Particle). You must enter the geometry of the measurement environment and derive calculated values using F8 Tally. Clearance level of radioactive waste is determined through the above method. In addition, sufficient MDA (Minimum Detectable Activity) must be secured to determine clearance level by using NaI(Tl), plastic scintillator configuration, and lead shielding. Nuclide analysis is performed using a NaI(Tl) scintillator and the total gamma radioactivity is evaluated using a highly efficient plastic scintillator.

Natural uranium-contaminated soil in Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) was generated by decommissioning of the natural uranium conversion facility in 2010. Some of the contaminated soil was expected to be clearance level, however the disposal cost burden is increasing because it is not classified in advance. In this study, pre-classification method is presented according to the ratio of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and contaminated uranium in the soil. To verify the validity of the method, the verification of the uranium radioactivity concentration estimation method through γ-ray analysis results corrected by self-absorption using MCNP6.2, and the validity of the pre-classification method according to the net peak area ratio were evaluated. Estimating concentration for 238U and 235U with γ-ray analysis using HPGe (GC3018) and MCNP6.2 was verified by 􀟙-spectrometry. The analysis results of different methods were within the deviation range. Clearance screening factors (CSFs) were derived through MCNP6.2, and net peak area ratio were calculated at 295.21 keV, 351.92 keV(214Pb), 609.31 keV, 1120.28 keV, 1764.49 keV(214Bi) of to the 92.59 keV. CSFs for contaminated soil and natural soil were compared with U/Pb ratio. CSFs and radioactivity concentrations were measured, and the deviation from the 60 minute measurement results was compared in natural soil. Pre-classification is possible using by CSFs measured for more than 5 minutes to the average concentration of 214Pb or 214Bi in contaminated soil. In this study, the pre-classification method of clearance determination in contaminated soil was evaluated, and it was relatively accurate in a shorter measurement time than the method using the concentrations. This method is expected to be used as a simple pre-classification method through additional research.

It is important to make a strategy for clearance-level radioactive waste. Sampling and disposal plans should be drawn up with characteristics of target waste. In this paper, a target clearance-level radioactive waste is used in a laboratory for experiments with Cs-137 and Co-60, unsealed radioactive sources with gamma radiation isotopes. Therefore, it is enough to analyze with HPGe to check the contaminant level. The laboratory fume hood combined multiple materials, which means some are volume contamination and others are surface contamination. The wood, plastic, and drywall boards, which are absorbent volume contaminated parts and make up PVC pipes, base cabinet doors, backside baffles, etc., will be sampled with coring methods. The metals and glasses, which are unabsorbent, surface-contaminated parts, are sampled with smear methods. The work surface, baffles, exhaust plenum, and glass sash inside parts have a high possibility of being contaminated. The hood body, flame, base cabinet, PVC pipe (the rare end of the filter), and blower transition case have a low possibility of becoming contaminated. When we checked with HPGe, except for the work surface (which was below clearance level), other parts were less than MDA. The highest radionuclide concentration was in PVC pipe: Cs-137C 3.91E-02 (Bq/g), Co-60 4.54E- 03 (Bq/g). It is less than clearance level. Therefore, the waste was applied for the clearance level radioactive wastes and got permission from the regulatory body.

Following a radioactive waste criterion and clearance level radioactive waste Act Article 2. “The radioactive wastes confirmed by the Commission as having concentration by nuclide not exceeding the value determined by the Commission through incineration, reclamation, recycling, etc”. The combustible clearance level radioactive wastes like lumbers are incinerated and non-combustible wastes like concreted are buried. The metals clearance level radioactive wastes are recycled after being re-molded. However, the clearance level radioactive waste with keeping its original forms is not common. Due to the nature of KAERI, the equipment are brought into the radiation-controlled zone for experiments. Those equipment are conservatively considered contaminated and categorized with radioactive waste following nuclear safety acts. In this case, the spectroscopy device which is clearance level radioactive waste is self-disposed for use in non-controlled areas. The 4 devices are composed of 3 gamma-ray spectroscopy and 1 alpha, beta counting system. Those devices were used for clearance level radioactive waste’s radioisotope analysis in Radioactive Waste Form Test Facility which is used in a separated room for analysis. This room will be released in nonradiation controlled area, therefore those devices will be moved to non-controlled area and keep using. Last April self-disposal was reported to the regulatory body and got acceptance last May. Those devices were moved to non-controlled area last July. This case will be good example for reuse equipment which stop using in radiation controlled area but can keep used.

방사성핵종의 분포유형에 관한 정보에 기초하여 극저준위폐기물의 자체처분 적합성을 통계학적으로 해석할 수 있는 방법론을 개발하였다. 방사성핵종의 분포에 관한 정보를 알 수 없는 경우에 대해서는 널리 알려진 마코프 부등식과 체비셰프 부등식을 적용하여 방사능농도의 산술평균과 허용되는 최대 표준편차의 상관관계식을 제시하였고, 방사성핵종의 농도가 정규분포 또는 로그정규분포를 갖는 경우에 대해서는 확률밀도함수, 누적확률밀도함수 등의 통계학적 관계식을 이용하여 방사능농도의 산술평균과 허용되는 최대 표준편차의 상관관계식을 새롭게 유도하였다. 또한, 자체처분기준 100 Bq/g 및 신뢰수준 95%인 조건에 대한 사례 적용연구를 통하여 방사능농도의 산술평균과 허용되는 표준편차의 범위를 방사성핵종의 분 포유형에 따라 정량적으로 비교·제시하고, 자체처분 대상 폐기물의 방사성핵종 분포유형에 관한 정보가 확보될 경우 동일한 신뢰수준에서 자체처분이 허용될 수 있는 범위가 확장될 수 있음을 통계학적으로 입증하였다.

연구로 1,2호기 해체과정에서 발생되는 많은 양의 철재폐기물 중 자체처분대상 철재폐기물을 대상으로 재활용하는 경우에 대해서 피폭방사선량을 평가하고, 규제해제농도기준(안)을 도출하였다. 평가도구는 RESRAD-RECYCLE ver 3.06을 이용하여 ICRP60에서 제시하고 있는 유효선량 개념에 근거한 내부피폭 선량환산인자를 수정하였고, IAEA Safety Series 111-P-1.1 및 NUREG-1640을 적용하여 예상되는 최대개인선량 및 집단선량을 평가하였다. 0.4 Bq/g의 철재폐기물에 대한 RESRAD-RECYCLE 전산코드의 평가결과 개인최대선량 및 집단선량은 23.9 Sv/y, 0.11 manSv/y이다. 최종적인 핵종별 규제해제농도기준은 일반평가방법과 세부평가결과를 종합하여 가장 보수적인 평가결과를 추출하여 결정하였다. 그 결과 , C 핵종에 대한 규제해제농도준위는 1.14 Bq/g미만이 되어야 국내 원자력법에서 정하고 있는 처분제한치(최대개인선량 : 10 Sv/y, 집단선량 : 1 manSv/y)를 만족할 수 있다.