As the management procedure for self-disposal wastes stored in the radiation controlled area within the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) have been established, and the types and quantities of wastes are increasing. In order to carry out the disposal of wastes with various generation histories, we expanded the processing range from surface contaminated waste, which was already in progress, to volumetric contaminated waste. In this paper, a case study of self-disposal of volumetric contaminated radioactive waste for which final disposal has been completed is described. In order to carry out of self-disposal of volumetric contaminated waste, it is important to collect representative samples and prove their representativenss. Based on this, a treatment plan was established after reviewing the history of the waste to be disposed of, and the treatment work was carried out as follows; waste collection, classification by size and shape, radiation (activity) measurement, sampling of representative samples, radioactivity concentration analysis, notification to regulatory bodies and question-and-answer, final disposal. The waste is judged have no potential for contamination because the polywood used to set the flat floor between the steel frame and floorboards in the experimental greenhouse didn’t come into contact with radioactive material. However, due to the conservative approach to the presence or absence of contamination, the treatment plan was established assuming volumetric contaminated waste. The type of waste is single wood, and the major contaminating radionuclides are Sr-85 and Cs-137. After the waste was collected and sorted by size and shape, it was weighed and a representative sampling amount and sampling method were set up. A direct method of surface contamination was performed on the entire area, and the representative sample was divided into three groups of homogenized population samples using the trisection method, with three points (upper/middle/below) were sampled at a 200:1 ratio, and radioactivity concentration analysis was conducted. After confirming that the concentration was below the allowable concentration for selfdisposal, the final disposal was completed after receiving approval after reporting to the regulatory body. As a result of radioactivity concentration analysis of representative samples, the maximum radioactivity concentration for each nuclide was Sr-85: < MDC (0.00178), Cs-137 : 0.00183 Bq/g (Sr-85 : 1 Bq/g, Cs-137 : 0.1 Bq/g), which meets the nuclide allowable concentration standard. It was confirmed that the total maximum fraction of 0.02 Bq/g satisfies the criteria (In the case of mixed nuclides, the sum of the fraction is less than 1). This paper introduces the establishment and implementation of self-disposal procedures based on the experience of self-disposal of radioactive waste with volumetric contaminants, and is going to utilize it as a basic material for self-disposal of radioactive waste with volumetric contaminants that will continue in the future and contribute to the reduction of radioactive wastes.

In this study, the current situation of recycling domestic and foreign metal clearance waste was reviewed to suggest the optimal recycling scenario for metal clearance waste that occurs the most when decommission nuclear power plants. Factors that can directly or indirectly affect the recycling of metal clearance waste were analyzed and evaluation criteria that can be used to evaluate optimal recycling measures were prepared. Using this, a scenario for recycling the optimal metal clearance waste suitable for the domestic environment was proposed. As a result of comparing/reviewing the importance of the first level of the evaluation criteria, public acceptance, national policy, and regulatory requirements were evaluated as the most important ones, and recycling acceptance and regulatory requirements were evaluated as the most important the second level of evaluation criteria. As a result of reviewing the clearance waste recycling scenario, it was evaluated that unrestricted recycling scenario was preferred. This may be because the survey subjects are composed of experts in the nuclear power field, so they know recycling of clearance waste in general industries does not significantly affect radiation safety. However even if it is clearance waste, the public may feel reluctant to recycle just because it was discharged from nuclear power plants, so policy and institutional improvements are needed to reassure the public along with the scientific safety of clearance waste. In addition, in order to improve public acceptance, it seems necessary to prepare specific measures to ensure the participation of public in the entire decommissioning process, share related information, and disclose all routes from generation to disposal of decommissioning waste. Considering that research on domestic clearance waste recycling options has not been activated, this study is significant in that it derives a scenario for recycling metal clearance waste that can be implemented. Also, it is expected that the evaluation criteria derived from this study will be used significantly when establishing a radioactive waste management strategy.