Remedial Action for Radioactive Waste Rock Piles in China
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Remedial Action for Radioactive Waste Rock Piles in China Chen Zhangru1, Jin Yuanxin1, Song Lanying2 and Wu Qingyan2 1 Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology, CNNC, Beijing 100029, China 2 Bureau of Geology, CNNC, Beijing 100013, China ABSTRACT The Chinese government has conducted remedial action for radioactive waste rock piles since 1990. The radioactive waste rocks produced in the course of geological exploration of uranium deposits are widely distributed over several hundreds of locations in more than 20 provinces in China. The following remedial actions for radioactive waste rock piles have been undertaken in China: 1. Protecting dams for stabilizing the piles have been built. A total length of about 50,000 m of these dams has been completed. 2. Soil layers have been emplaced on the radioactive waste rock piles. The focus of the action is to eliminate the radiation harmful to public health. A total area of 750,000 square meters of soil ahs been placed on the piles in China. 3. Radioactive waste rock piles have been vegetated. Aesthetic shaping of the landscape in the exploratory district of the uranium deposits is our expectant goal. A total area of about 560,000 square meters of vegetation has been placed on the soil covering the piles. Through these remedial actions, the environmental situation has been extensively improved in the remedial districts. The individual annual effective dose equivalent is less than 1 Sv/a. The radon emission rate is less than 20 pCi/m2.s. The gamma ray external exposure rate has been greatly reduced. INTRODUCTION A large amount of radioactive waste rocks have been produced in the course of geological exploration of uranium deposits in China since 1956. Actually, radioactive waste rocks are composed dominantly of non-radioactive host rock, and also include small amounts of radioactive waste rock and a small amount of uranium ore. The radioactivity in radioactive waste rock piles is not very homogeneous. Prior to the early 1960s radioactive waste rock management practices in China, like Canada, were primarily determined by operational requirements [1] whereby the large volume of radioactive waste rock generated was disposed of as conveniently and economically as possible. This requirement was most easily satisfied by the use of rivers and streams or natural depressions for deposition of radioactive waste rocks. So that, radioactive waste rocks piled up in the mountains or by streams or rivers and on cultivated land. China issued an environmental protection law in 1986. The law provides protection and improvement of the living and ecological environment, prevention of contamination and other
social effects of pollution and a guarantee of human health. Also, the ‘Code of Radioactive Prevention and Environmental Protection in Uranium Geological Work’ which was issued by the CNNC in 1984 stipulates that the safe handling of radioactive waste, gas and liquid needs to be strengthened by management. Therefore, safe disposal of the radioactive waste rock is an important measure to
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