Transcript TCEQ Resident Inspectors

Duties of the Resident Inspectors at the Texas LowLevel Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility in Andrews
County
Diane Wakefield, Health Physicist, Resident Inspector
Joe Gonzalez, Health Physicist, Resident Inspector
Radioactive Materials Compliance Team
Critical Infrastructure Division
Office of Compliance and Enforcement
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Environmental Trade Fair and Conference
Austin, Texas
May 4, 2016
Introduction
 Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 401 mandates that Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) have two Resident Inspectors at the Waste Control
Specialists LLC (WCS, the Licensee) Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal
facility 30 miles west of Andrews, Texas
 The Resident Inspectors serve as the TCEQ (State) agent for the receipt and disposal of
the waste at the Compact Waste Disposal Facility (CWF) and the Federal Waste Facility
(FWF). Main focus is on the CWF operation.
 Title of commercial waste received and accepted at the CWF is transferred to the State
of Texas at the time the waste is accepted for disposal. The TCEQ, on behalf of the
State of Texas, is the owner of the CWF
 Acceptance and disposal of commercial LLRW disposal are conducted in accordance
with Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 401 ,Title 30, Health and Texas
Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 336 and Radioactive Material License R04100
Introduction
 Radioactive Materials Compliance and Inspection Team resides within the Critical
Infrastructure Division (CID)
 The Radioactive Materials Compliance and Inspection Team within the CID consists of
five inspectors, including a Work Leader and two resident inspectors
 The two Resident Inspectors have an office on-site and are assigned full-time to the
WCS LLRW operations Currently, both resident inspectors live in Andrews
 The TCEQ Radioactive Materials Licensing Program resides within the Radioactive
Materials Division (RMD)
TCEQ Resident Inspector Duties during Construction Phase
 Monitored and documented all aspects of construction related to the CWF and FWF in
coordination with RMD Licensing Team
 Participated in weekly meetings with WCS staff and contractors regarding CWF and FWF
construction activities
 Interacted with the RMD Licensing Team and assisted with environmental
surveillance/sampling on a quarterly basis, such as collecting and exchanging facility
perimeter environmental dosimeters
 Participated in emergency response exercises, drills, and actual emergencies
Resident Inspectors Duties during CWF and FWF Operation Phase
▪
Prior to receipt of the waste shipment at the facility, the Licensee is required to notify the TCEQ in writing at least
five (5) days before the arrival of the waste shipment at the facility for disposal at CWF and FWF
▪
Main focus is on CWF operations; certain FWF waste shipments may be inspected and documented by the Resident
Inspectors
▪
Resident Inspectors and RMD review the advanced waste shipment manifests for CWF and discuss their findings
▪
Upon arrival of the waste shipment at the facility, the driver of the vehicle delivers the final manifest to the Licensee.
The inspector(s) coordinate with the Licensee to obtain a copy of the final manifest and compare to the advanced
manifest for accuracy and any changes
▪
In case of issues/ discrepancies, the inspectors assure that discrepancies are addressed by the Licensee in
accordance with the license requirements and Licensee’s TCEQ approved procedures
▪
Depending on the severity of issues/discrepancies, further process of the waste shipment may be put on hold until
the issues/ discrepancies are addressed by the Licensee
▪
After the disposal of the waste, the inspector(s) obtain a copy of the final manifest signed by the Licensee for
inclusion with the inspection report
Preparation for Inspection and Survey Activities
▪ Attend Pre-job (activities) meeting on a daily basis held by the Licensee;
meeting includes discussion of various aspects of the activities for the day,
including radiation safety and other related safety issues
▪ The Resident Inspectors coordinate with the Licensee to assure that all
applicable licensee’s site specific training, safety, and radiation protection
requirements are met prior to the start of the activities
▪ Availability of all necessary equipment such as TCEQ and Licensee issued
personal dosimeter, hardhat, safety glasses, steel toe shoes, gloves,
camera, binocular, appropriate calibrated instruments, including detectors,
and other equipment deemed necessary to accomplish the task successfully
Resident Inspectors Duties
during CWF and FWF
Operation Phase
Closed vehicle surveys and
inspections
Flat bed Vehicle-Cask
shipment: Lid to the cask
being removed to transfer the
waste package into shielded
cylindrical canister
Waste package is being transferred
into shielded cylindrical canister

Visual inspection and surveys of the vehicle
transporting the waste shipment, including the
shipping container ; visual inspection and
radiation surveys on certain waste
containers/packages (i.e. drums) received at
WCS to ensure compliance with US Department
of Transportation requirements and the license

Witness waste verification conducted by the
Licensee to ensure the waste is properly
characterized and packaged in accordance with
license and Waste Acceptance Criteria prior to
disposal

Witness certain stages of waste processing,
grouting , void filling/solidification

Complete a TCEQ LLRW Shipment Inspection
Report for each waste shipment to provide
documentation of the TCEQ’s inspection
findings

Site surveillance to document site conditions
and to address any areas that may need
attention

Collect and exchange facility perimeter
environmental dosimeters on a quarterly basis

Participate in emergency response exercises,
drills, and actual emergencies
Drum Shipments
Offloading and
sampling/verification of
the waste in CWF staging
building
Sampling room inside CWF staging
building
CWF
CWF Disposal Operation
The CWF received its first shipment
for disposal on April 27, 2012
Currently, CWF accepts Class A,
Class B, and Class C LLRW
Waste is transported in cask and
non-cask containers (i.e., drums, B25 boxes, and other approved
containers)
Rectangular or cylindrical reinforced
concrete canisters are used for
disposal of the waste
Void filling and/or solidification of
containerized waste inside the
canister is conducted by the
Licensee prior to disposal
Canisters are leveled in the disposal
cell; voids between the canisters are
filled with sand
CWF
CWF Disposal
Operation
An operator removing the
hook from the lid to a
canister after the final
disposal of the waste
Example of an Environmental Monitoring Station
ENV. Dosimeter
OSL
O
S
L
Radon Cup
Thermometer
TCEQ Radon Cup
An inside view of the
TCEQ Resident
Inspectors offices
Two offices
A conference room
A storage room
A restroom
Outside TCEQ Resident Inspectors
office
Looking southwest
Contact Information
Diane Wakefield
Office: 432-525-8971
[email protected]
Joe Gonzalez
Office: 432-525-8975
[email protected]
Muhammadali Abbaszadeh
Office: 512-239-6078
[email protected]
Questions?