Dose Assessment for Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Disposal in Landfills

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiation Protection
• Waste Management

Background:

• Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) waste from the oil and gas industry lacks federal disposal regulations.
• Unregulated TENORM disposal in municipal landfills raises public health and safety concerns.
• A specific case in Kentucky involving alleged TENORM disposal is under litigation, necessitating dose evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate potential radiation doses to receptors from TENORM disposal in a municipal landfill.
• To assess the effectiveness and risks of two remediation alternatives: closure-in-place and excavation/redisposition.
• To outline broadly applicable methods for calculating doses from waste disposal and remediation.

Main Methods:

• Dose calculations considered landfill construction, local geology, hydrology, meteorology, background radiation, population distribution, and land use.
• Evaluated exposure pathways for landfill workers and the public.
• Assessed doses for initial disposal and two remediation scenarios.

Main Results:

• Calculated doses to landfill workers and the public are low, both during disposal and for remediation alternatives.
• Doses remain well below established regulatory limits.
• Removal of TENORM does not significantly reduce present-day doses and introduces other risks.

Conclusions:

• Dose impacts from TENORM disposal in municipal landfills are minimal.
• Closure-in-place and monitoring is a preferred remediation strategy over excavation.
• Current practices and proposed remediation methods ensure public and worker safety within regulatory limits.