Environmental Monitoring for West Cumbria in 2011 (Sellafield & LLWR nr Drigg)

John TitleyMonitoring, Assessment and New Reactor Permitting

ContentsPermitted discharges from SellafieldPermitted disposals of solid wastes to the LLWR Effluents and gaseous check monitoring.Solid LLW check monitoringEnvironmental monitoring in West Cumbria.Doses to public in West Cumbria.Fukushima.Other events.Conclusions.

Sellafield’s permit in 2011 - 1

Varied twice in 20111st August 2011

RSA-93 to EPR-10 template

Added routes for metallic low level waste (LLW) (combustible & high volume very low level waste (HV-VLLW)

Start up of the new Separation Area Ventilation (SAV) stack & its discharge limits.

9th September 2011To allow optimisation of EARP operations

No change to permit limits for discharges

Sellafield’s permit in 2011 - 2No change to site permit limits for discharges Discharges of gases; mists; dusts

Gross alpha & beta activities.

12 specified radionuclides.

All discharges of radionuclides below permit limits.Liquid releases via sea pipe-line.

16 nuclides specified, 2 alpha/beta and 1 for U by mass.

Variation in discharges from changes in amount of fuel reprocessed.

All discharges of radionuclides well below permit limits.

Reporting discharges in 2011

In 2011 RIFE reported discharges and disposals in Bq - as opposed to TBq which was the unit of report up until 2009

10 TBq = 1.0E+13 Bq1 TBq = 1.0E+12 Bq0.1 TBq = 1.0E+11 Bq

Sellafield’s sea pipe discharges (Bq/y) Note:- 1.0E+12 Bq = 1 TBq

Nuclide Discharge

2010

Discharge

2011

Limit

Tritium 1.39E+15 2.07E+15 2.00E+16

Carbon-14 4.37E+12 6.39E+12 2.10E+13

Cobalt-60 9.81E+10 6.46E+10 3.60E+12

Strontium- 90 1.02E+12 1.93E+12 4.80E+13

Technetium-99 1.41E+12 1.59E+12 1.00E+13

Caesium-137 4.85E+12 5.86E+12 3.40E+13

Plutonium alpha 1.34E+11 1.06E+11 7.00E+11

All discharges 2-39% of limits

Sellafield’s atmospheric discharges 2011 (Bq/y)Note:- 1.0E+12 Bq = 1 TBq

Nuclide Limit Discharge % of Limit

Tritium 1.10E+15 9.79E+13 8.9

Carbon-14 3.30E+12 3.96E+11 12.0

Krypton-85 4.40E+17 6.43E+16 15.0

Antimony-125 3.00E+10 5.73+09 19.0

Plutonium alpha 1.90E+08 1.58E+07 8.3

Americium- 241 1.20E+08 1.63E+07 14.0

All discharges 1- 160% of site limits

12 nuclides specified, 2 alpha/beta

LLWR permit status in 2011

Permit revised in 2011 to allow the LLWR to act as a waste broker as well as a disposer.

Allowance for LLW transfer from LLWR to other sites that can receive it.

Extension in time or the transfer of PCM from LLWR to Sellafield (2022) – in line with planning permissionNo change to limits on liquids, gases and solid waste disposal at the site.No disposals of LLW - pending review of EA’s Environmental Safety Case (ESC) outcome

Waste continues to be sent for storage pending disposal.

Disposals to LLWR in 2011 (Bq/y)

Nuclide LLW Limit LLW Disposal

% of Limit

Tritium 1.0E+13 Nil N/A

Carbon-14 5.0E+10 Nil N/A

Cobalt-60

Iodine-129

2.0E+12

5.0E+10

Nil

Nil

N/A

N/A

Uranium 3.0E+11 Nil N/A

Other alpha 3.0E+11 Nil N/A

Metals recycling facility - permit status 2011

Operated by Studsvik UK Ltd.

Located at Lillyhall Industrial Estate.

Processes metallic LLW for recycling.Permitted discharges –

Liquids - alpha and beta – nil during 2011 Gases - alpha and beta - <1% during 2011

Effluent and gaseous discharge check monitoring 2011

Effluent & gaseosu discharge check monitoring 2011Agency checks on radionuclides in discharges & disposals in its check monitoring programme

– Aerial discharges (bubblers & filters)– From Sellafield (Magnox Reprocessing & THORP)

– Liquid effluents – From Sellafield (EARP, SIXEP, SETP, Factory Sewer,

Lagoon & Laundry) – From site boreholes – introduced in 2006.– From LLWR (near Drigg)

– Solid LLW disposals – To LLWR from nuclear sites in England and Wales.

Sellafield - gaseous monitoring 2011

Overall 2011: 53 analytical comparisons.

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Poor - Op-erator lower than Agency lab

Poor - Op-erator higher than Agency lab

Good

Sellafield - liquid effluent monitoring 2011

Overall 2011: 470 analytical comparisons

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Poor - Opera-tor lower than Agency lab

Poor - Opera-tor higher than Agency lab

Good

Sellafield borehole liquids - 2011

Regular programme – started 2006Quarterly check monitoring samples from 5 boreholes

Compare with Operator’s results

Provide reassurance that Operator’s monitoring arrangements for borehole water is satisfactory

Checks - total alpha, total beta, H-3, Sr-90, Tc-99, and gamma emitters (Cs-137 etc).

Sellafield borehole liquids check – 2011

115 analytical comparisons carried out of which: 84% good comparison4% poor - Sellafield finding higher results than EA12% poor - Sellafield finding lower levels than EAMajority of the poor comparisons were very low activity samples were or only just classed as “poor”

LLWR - liquid effluent monitoring 2011

• Overall 2011: 14 analytical comparisons.

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Poor - Opera-tor lower than Agency lab

Poor - Opera-tor higher than Agency lab

Good

Effluent check monitoring – things on the horizon

New ‘MCERTS’ for radiochemical analysis (environmental & waste waters) - May 2012

Based on ISO-17025 and states the requirements that are additional to ISO-17025.

Precision and bias in the results defined.Our contractors will adopt it for liquid effluentsExisting nuclear industry - voluntary uptake.New nuclear build will be required to adopt it.

Checking of solid LLW

Waste Quality Checking of solid LLW

� Agency facility for investigating solid LLW - WQCL at Winfrith.

� Ceased operation at the end of December 2010

� New monitoring capability being worked up

Checking of LLW for LLWR 2011

No checking by EA during 2011 Winding down the facility at Winfrith Setting up a new contract

• New contract in place April 2012 Consortium of the National Nuclear Lab (NNL), and various other suppliers

Checking of LLW – new contract

NNL

Courier

Nuvia

Instrument manufacturer

Frazer Nash Babcock

Future of checking of LLW Changes to LLW management and disposal.Wastes - segregated, sorted and treated.

Much less material for disposal to LLWR.Fewer ISO consignments of mixed waste.

New EA checking (assurance) arrangements for LLW.

New contract in placeTargeted checking at key locations.

Environmental Monitoring in 2011.

Environmental Monitoring in 2011 The Environment Agency is responsible for

monitoring non-food parts of the environment. Sediments, water, seaweed, grass, soil, dose rates,

gulley pots Ensuring the dose limit of 1 mSv/y is not exceeded The Food Standards Agency is responsible for

monitoring the food chain. Fish, shellfish, milk, vegetables and meat. Ensuring that doses from foods are assessed. Results from both organisations are used to

assess total dose – compared with dose limit.

Environmental Monitoring in 2011Monitoring of Gully pots- Seascale and Whitehaven:-

Gully pots in road drains - good indicators of urban contamination. Seascale - high activity concentrations from pigeons in 1998Concentrations in gulley pots much reduced since remedial

measures in 1998.In 2010, elevated Sr-90, Cs-137, Am-241 and Pu concs were found

in one Seascale road drain. Very wet weather conditions in Nov 2010 – radioactivity held in the

drainage path may have been released. Additional monitoring carried out in 2011In 2011 levels similar to those in previous years.Elevation seen in 2010 was not sustained in 2011.

Further review of gully pots in 2012 by MSc Student.

Environmental dose rates 2011

Cumbrian and Lancashire CoastlinesAverage UK background dose rates– silts 0.07 Gy/h– sand 0.05 Gy/h

Highest annual dose rates (2010 in brackets)– River Mite 0.16 Gy/h (0.16Gy/h)– Newbiggin 0.14 Gy/h (0.13 Gy/h)– Upper River Calder 0.11 Gy/h (0.10Gy/h)

W Cumbria Coast - Dose rate trends1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Ravenglass (silt)St Bees (sand)Silt BackgroundSand Background

Year

Me

an

ga

mm

a r

ad

iati

on

do

se

ra

te (

mG

y/h

)

Gamma dose rates above mud and salt marshes in the NE Irish Sea(Fig 2.22)

Summary - silt concs – Eskmeals

Nuclide Silt concentrations Bq/kg

Average 1998-2010

2011

Cobalt-60 33 2

Ruthenium-106 85 <12

Caesium-137 530 350

Americium-241 1100 1300

Plutonium-239/40 635 600

West Cumbria – Eskmeals. Co-60 levels in sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

SedimentDischarges

Year

Me

an

Co

-60

Co

nce

ntr

ati

on

(B

q/k

g)

Co

-60

Dis

ch

arg

es (

TB

q/y

)

West Cumbria - Eskmeals Ru-106 levels in Sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

SedimentDischarges

Year

Me

an

Ru

-10

6 C

on

ce

ntr

ati

on

(B

q/k

g)

Ru

-10

6 D

isch

arg

es (

TB

q/y

)

West Cumbria - Eskmeals Cs-137 levels in Sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

SedimentDischarges

Year

Me

an

Cs-1

37

Co

nce

ntr

ati

on

(B

q/k

g)

Cs-1

37

Dis

ch

arg

es (

TB

q/y

)

West Cumbria - Eskmeals Am-241 levels in Sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0

1

2

SedimentDischarges

Year

Me

an

Am

-24

1 C

on

ce

ntr

ati

on

(B

q/k

g)

Am

-24

1 D

isch

arg

es (

TB

q/y

)

West Cumbria - Eskmeals Pu-239/40 levels in sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Year

Mean P

u-2

39/2

40 C

once

ntr

ati

on (

Bq/k

g)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Pu-a

lpha D

isch

arg

es

(TB

q/y

)Sediment

Discharges

West Cumbria - Eskmeals Pu-239/40 levels in sediments (Bq/kg) and discharges (TBq/y)

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

20

04

20

05

20

06

20

07

20

08

20

09

20

10

20

11

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

SedimentDischarges

Year

Mean

Pu

-23

9/2

40

Con

cen

trati

on

(B

q/k

g)

Pu

-alp

ha D

isch

arg

es (

TB

q/y

)

Conc’ns of Am-241 and Cs-137 in coastal sediments in the NE Irish Sea (Figure 2.21)

Doses in West Cumbria in 2011

Presentation of doses in RIFE – 17 for 2011

RIFE-17: Presents ‘total dose’ first‘Total dose’ methodology agreed in 2004

Information on habits around nuclear sites

‘Total dose’ assessments completed at all nuclear sites

Doses using other slightly different methods retained – but not highlighted at the front of the report

Summary of non food doses (mSv/y)

Group 2009 2010 2011

Recreational user of beaches – North Cumbria 0.012 0.013 0.011

Ravenglass, nature warden 0.048 0.044 0.038

Houseboat dweller, Ribble 0.13 0.16 0.13

Dose limit for public 1 1 1

Total dose summary (mSv/y)

Group Source 2009 2010 2011

Fish/shellfish and external dose

5 y habits

Sellafield 0.20 0.18 0.15Whitehaven

factory0.18 0.08 0.11

Total 0.38 0.26 0.26 Total dose method

‘mollusc consumers’ Sellafield &

Whitehaven 0.28 0.18 0.18

Inhabitants and consumers of local

food

Sellafield 0.028 0.022 0.02

Dose limit for public All sources 1 1 1

Total dose (mSv/y) West Cumbria (local seafood consumers)

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 20110

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Nuclides from Sellafield Po-210 from Rhodia Dose limit

Fukushima

Fukushima in March 2011Environment Agency detected arrival of radioactivity late March to late April 2011.High volume air samplers network at 7 locationsHPA also detected the using similar equipment

Our air monitoring locationsUK air and rainwater monitoringHVAS Filters capture particles and radionuclides on them.

Di shfort

Fukushima

I-131, I-123, Cs-137, Cs-134, Te-132, I-123Levels about 2000 times lower than from ChernobylPooled EA and HPA results and published them regularly on the HPA website:- April-July.Monitoring of grassDose to the public < 0.001 mSv/yCompilation of results in RIFE – in a new chapter 8 “over seas incidents”

Fukushima - activity concs in air in UK

Other events

The European Commission verification visit of the environmental monitoring arrangements for Sellafield & Lillyhall landfill sites, August 2011. Follow-up to visit in 2010 (on-site monitoring)Air, rain, river water, dose rate and shellfish monitoring by Sellafield Limited, Environment Agency, the Food Standards Agency and HPAEC team concluded SL is fulfilling its monitoring obligations under Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty.

Other events

Sellafield Limited and NDA published their plans for decommissioning the Sellafield site. SL continues to prepare for retrievals of intermediate level waste from legacy facilities and to reduce environmental risk. Some of projects could affect discharges.Magnox swarf liqours sent to SIXEP for treatment.Removal of sludge from pile storage pond

Conclusions – 1 Disposals and dischargesNo changes to permit limits for LLWR in 2011.No changes to permit limits for Sellafield site in 2011.Discharge monitoring –

broadly acceptable agreement for liquid and gaseous discharges from Sellafield and from LLWR.

Waste Quality Checking (LLW) by EA - ended in 2010.New contract in place at the start of 2012

Conclusions – 2 EnvironmentDose rates - general unchangedCo-60, Ru-106 levels in marine environment follow discharges closelyPu-239/40, Am-241 and Cs-137 concs in environment (in particular Esk Estuary) don’t follow discharges closely. Residue of higher historic environmental burden from 1970s and 1980s continue to affect levels seen.Results are “noisy” with variation from year to year Am-241 levels influenced by ingrowth from Pu-241.Po-210 concs in shellfish increased in 2011 v 2010.

Conclusions – 3 DosesDose to the public associated with Sellafield decreased slightly because of reduced consumption of winkles in 2011.Dose to the public associated with past discharges from Whitehaven phosphate plant increased because of higher levels of Po-210 in fish – dab - and slightly increased fish consumption.Total dose from past discharges from both plants unchanged.Total dose < 1 mSv/y dose limit.