588 



Section 4. Ways of Solving the Problem of Handling 



Radioactive Waste Produced in the System of the Navy 



AND Murmansk Marine Shipping Line 



The widespread practice of RW disposal at sea, followed in the former USSR from 1959 to 

 1991, arose as a result of unpreparedness for the deployment of an industry specializing in the 

 handling of RW. 



The design and construction of complexes for treating liquid RW and compacting solid RW, 

 begun in the 60s, was terminated for reasons of false economy and due to the lack of immediate 

 danger from RW dumping at sea. As a result, Russia now faces a whole series of acute problems 

 with the operation of its nuclear fleet, which require immediate solution. 



The USSR (and now Russia) possesses 235 nuclear-powered vessels and ships, including 228 

 in the Russian Ministry of Defense's Navy and seven in the Russian Ministry of Transportation 

 (394 nuclear reactors in the Navy and 13 on icebreakers — 60% of the world total). Each year, the 

 operation of NS's and nuclear-powered ships produces up to 20,000 m^ of liquid RW and up to 

 6,000 tonnes of solid RW. 



Clarification of ways of solving the problem requires a clear idea of the features of the RW 

 produced. 



Most of the LRW (up to 70%) is low-salinity discharges of circulating waters and water loop 

 flushes with activities on the order of 1 (iCi/l. Higher levels of activity are typical of wastes from 

 loop decontamination, water from spent fuel assembly (SPA) holding ponds, and a number of 

 other liquid wastes. This LRW has high salinity and comprises up to 15% of all LRW. Most of the 

 total activity comes from this group of LRW. A third group includes waters from special sewage 

 systems of shore sanitation stations, laundries, decontamination stations, and radiation safety labo- 

 ratories. Their activity is low (up to 10 nCi/l), and they difiFer little in salinity from the second 

 group, but contain surfactants. In volume, the third group also comprises about 15%. 



The highest levels of contamination in SRW are found in equipment used in reactor com- 

 partments. 



Significant levels of activity accumulated on filters during treatment of LRW. The majority 

 (by volume) is contaminated film coatings, uniforms, and other objects. SRW with high levels of 

 activity was produced in operations with SNF. Handling of SNF should be singled out as an es- 

 pecially important problem, along with the problem of decommissioning and recycling NS's. 



4.1. Problems in Recycling Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines and Handling 

 Spent Nuclear Fuel in the Northern Fleet and Murmansk Marine Shipping Line 



As a result of arms reductions and for technological reasons, the Russian Ministry of De- 

 fense's Navy is decommissioning NS's. 



On an NS being decommissioned, SNF must be removed from reactors, decontamination 

 must be performed, reusable equipment must be removed, and the reactor compartment must be 

 cut out and placed in a properly equipped, ecologically safe storage or disposal site. However, 

 due to technical unpreparedness, this cycle cannot presently be fully implemented. 



The most urgent problem is removing SNF from reactors. As of January 1, 1993, SNF had 

 been removed from only 15% of NS's decommissioned by the Navy. Only six reactor compart- 

 ments had been prepared for long-term storage. A special problem is the removal of SNF from 



46 



