No abstract

It is DOE'S objective to operate its facilities and to conduct its activities so that radiation exposures to members of the public are maintained within acceptable limits and exposures to residual radioactive materials are controlled. To accomplish this, DOE has adopted Order DOE 5400.5; "Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment," and will be promulgating 10 CFR Part 834 to codify and clarify the requirements of DOE 5400.5. Under both DOE 5400.5 and 10 CFR Part 834, radioactively contaminated DOE property is prohibited from release unless specific actions have been completed prior to the release. This paper outlines a ten-step process that, if followed, will assist DOE Operations and contractor personnel in ensuring that the required actions established by Order DOE 5400.5 and 10 CFR Part 834 have been appropriately completed prior to the release for reuse or recycle of non-real property (e.g., office furniture, computers, hand tools, machinery, vehicles and scrap metal). Following the process will assist in ensuring that radiological doses to the public from the released materials will meet applicable regulatory standards and be as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

It is the policy of the U S . Department of Energy (DOE) to improveenvironmental quality and conseme natural and economic resources by, among other things, increasing the reuse and recycle of recoverable materials in order to minimize land disposal of wastes. Consistent with this policy, DOE'S Ofice of Environ-mentalManagement believes it is important to pursuestrategies for reusingand recycling the large and growing DOE invenfo y of recoverable non-real property. However, responsible pursuit of such strategies requires careful prior consideration of the available alternatives, given the radiological character of much of the non-real property to be released. Requirements applicable to considerations of this type are established by Order DOE 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. This article describes the development and content of a step-by-step process designed to provide confidence that radiological doses to the publicfrom recycle or reuse of released nonreal property containing residual radioactive material meet applicable regulat o y standards, are as low as reasonably achievable, and meet the requirements Stephen W. Warren is the Director (Acting), Ofice #Program Integration and Office of Program Initiatives (EM-47) with the Oficeof Environmental Management in the Department of Energy. He has served with the Department of Energy in the Environmental Management program for the past seven years. He has an M.S. in systems management and a B.S. in nuclear engineering. Prior to his service with the Department @Energy he served on active duty with the US. AirForcefornineyears. Nancy L. Ranekisan environmentalsystemsengineeratArgonne National Laboratory. She holds an M.S. degree in nuclear engineen'ng, a B.S. degree in physics, is an attomy licensed in Texas and the District of Columbia, and specializes in hazardous and mixed waste regulation.

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal lizbility or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.

This report was made possible through cooperative efforts of several U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Program Offices (EM-43, EM-77, and EH-41), the Ohio Field Office, and the Fernald Site Office. In March 1997, EM-43, working with EH-41, published the Draft Handbook for Controlling Release for Reuse or Recycle of Property Containing Residual Radioactive Material. In anticipation of the handbook, the Ohio Field Office requested funding to support a case study implementing the new guidance. The project was funded by EM-77 as one of seven interrelated tasks designed to enhance site-level implementation of pollution prevention, reuse, and recycling initiatives. The Fernald Site Office took the lead role on the project, providing oversight and direction for project activities. The project benefited greatly from the insights and comments provided by DOE personnel, including Pete Yerace (DOE-FN), Don Hodge (DOE-OH), Bob Fleming (EM-43), Stephen Warren (EM-43), and Andy Wall0 (EH-41). In addition, the project benefited from interactions with personnel working on the related tasks funded by EM-77, notably Michael Gresalfi (Oak Ridge National Laboratory [ORNL]), Kathy Yuracko (ORNL), Bob Lehrter (