Publication Laka-library:
Review of UK and Overseas Depleted, Natural Low Enriched Uranium Management

AuthorS.Doudou, E.J.Harvey
6-01-5-50-95.pdf
DateMay 2014
Classification 6.01.5.50/95 (WASTE - RADIOACTIVE WASTE GENERAL)
Front

From the publication:

Review of UK and Overseas Depleted, Natural Low Enriched Uranium Management
S. Doudou and E.J. Harvey
19 May 2014
1207-INT-6-1 Version 1.3
Integrated Project Team on Uranium: Phase 2
[Task INT-6]

Executive Summary
An Integrated Project Team (IPT) comprising Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) 
Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD) staff and members of the supporting 
contractor base has been formed, to work collaboratively on the topic of depleted, 
natural and low-enriched uranium (DNLEU), focusing on the disposability and 
associated full lifecycle implications of managing the UK inventory of these materials 
through geological disposal (the “uranium IPT”).
This document reports the outcomes of an international review of DNLEU management 
practices. The review collates information on current and planned activities in the 
UK and overseas, in order to inform work undertaken elsewhere by the uranium IPT.
Worldwide DNLEU stocks arise mainly from uranium enrichment operations for nuclear 
fuel, with significant quantities also arising from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel 
(RepU), particularly in France and the UK. Russia, the US and France hold by far the 
largest stocks of depleted uranium (DU). DNLEU stocks held by these countries 
significantly exceed UK stocks.
In most countries, including the UK, France, Russia, Japan and South Korea, DNLEU is 
considered to be a potential (or current) resource, and it is held in storage with 
this in mind. Some countries, notably France, reuse RepU within fuel rods for nuclear 
power plants, either as conventional uranium oxide (UOX) fuel, or within mixed-oxide 
(MOX) fuel.
Approaches to package DNLEU for storage are similar across different countries. 
Depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF6) is typically stored in steel cylinders, as in the 
UK. Triuranium octoxide (U3O8) is regarded as the preferred chemical form for 
long-term storage and/or disposal in most countries. In the UK, deconverted U3O8 
will be stored in DV-70 containers, as is also done in France, Germany, and the
Netherlands.

Transport of DNLEU stocks in a variety of chemical forms (including UF6, liquid uranyl 
nitrate, U3O8 and uranium trioxide (UO3) powders) is routinely undertaken in many 
countries. The materials are usually classified as Low Specific Activity (LSA) and 
industrial packages (IP) are used for their transport.
The US is the only country that currently regards at least some DNLEU as a waste. 
The regulator classifies it as low-level waste (LLW), and regulatory policy provides 
for disposal of DNLEU in near-surface facilities. However, to date only relatively 
small quantities have been disposed of in this way at the existing sites.
Japan has examined the possibility of near-surface disposal of some uranium-bearing 
wastes of low activity concentration in a trench-type facility.
Germany is the only country that has assessed the performance of a geological disposal 
facility (GDF) for significant quantities of DU (in a salt dome at Gorleben). Some 
consideration has been given in US research projects to alternative (beneficial)uses 
of DU in a GDF. However, overall, there is relatively little transferable experience 
from overseas that is specifically relevant to geological disposal concept development 
for DNLEU in the UK.