UNECE Group of Experts on Monitoring of Radiologically Contaminated Scrap Metal

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UNECE Group of Experts on Monitoring of
Radiologically Contaminated Scrap Metal
APR04

• Presented by
• Alvaro Rodríguez Martínez (Spain)
• IEC-BIR Chairman

• Spanish
• Scrap
• Monitoring
• Protocol

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PROTOCOL ORIGINS

• On June 1998 one Cs 137 source is smelted by
  Acerinox (Cádiz) with an adverse national and
  international publicity.
• The Government decides to create a dialogue forum
  with the different public and private
  stakeholders in order to analyse the problems and
  seek possible solutions.
• During 18 months this group discussed different
  alternatives. The 2th November 1999 the Spanish
  Protocol on Radiological Surveillance of Metal
  recycling (The Protocol) is signed.

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PROTOCOL SIGNATORIES
On the First moment

• Administration
• MINER, CSN, M. of Infrastructure and ENRESA
• Industrial sector
• Steel Utilities Association (UNESID)
• Metal Recovering Association (FER)

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PROTOCOL SIGNATORIES (Cont)
On a second moment

• Industrial sector
• Aluminium Utilities Association (ASERAL)
• Lead Utilities Association (UNIPLOM)
• Cooper Utilities Association (UNICOBRE)
• Unions
• Unión General de Trabajadores (U.G.T.)
• Comisiones Obreras (C.C.O.O.)

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POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE PROTOCOL

• Every signatory of the Protocol gives and
  receives something from the Protocol.
• It is voluntary.
• It is the result of a very long negotiation and
  conversation.
• It promotes the common knowledge of the problem
  and the possible solutions.
• Shared costs.
• Recovery Plants and Smelters are Collaborators
  of the system, and not Criminals that have to
  be persecuted.
• Existence of mechanisms of revision ? We learn
  from the mistakes.

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COMMITMENTS OF THE PARTS

• MINER
• To create and maintain the Register of
  Collaborators and communicate registrations
• To grant a generic transfer authorisation of
  radioactive material detected from the facility
  to ENRESA
• To govern special interventions in case of big
  accidents with contamination
• CSN
• To issue (generic or case by case) safety
  guidance
• To inspect surveillance systems
• To set up radiological criteria
• Investigation and Exemption levels (NI, NE)
• To inform plants and ENRESA on applicability of
  the Protocol
• To promote training activities
• Direct intervention if needed

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COMMITMENTS OF THE PARTS (cont)

• ENRESA
• To give technical advise
• To collaborate to re-export radioactive material
• To dispose of radioactive material
• To collaborate in training activities
• To sign a specific agreement with the facilities
• M. of Infrastructures
• To require radiological surveillance
  certification to authorise scrap unloading in the
  Spanish harbours
• To inform CSN in case of event

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COMMITMENTS OF THE PARTS (cont2)

• Commitment of the facilities
• To install, maintain and operate a surveillance
  system in each facility
• To surveille radiation level in scrap and
  processed materials
• To take appropriate measurement to avoid
  radiological risks
• To require radiological surveillance
  certification from supplier
• To inform CSN on each relevant detection event
• To sign an agreement with ENRESA
• To collaborate in training activities

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HOW THE PROTOCOL WORKS (Part 1)
Steel Facility
Certifi- cation
Imports
Melting sample
National scrap
Radioactive material
Scrapyard
CSN
expert inspection
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HOW THE PROTOCOL WORKS (Part 2)

• To survey all scrap and processed materials
• To immobilise shipments and to stop process if
  investigation levels (NI) have been exceeded
• To require a UTPR services if the event occurs in
  the process
• To investigate shipments and processes where NI
  have been exceeded
• To segregate, characterise, and isolate
  radioactive material if exemption levels (NE)
  have been exceeded
• To inform CSN if NE have been exceeded
• To guard safely radioactive material until ENRESA
  taking off
• To manage re-sending abroad radioactive material,
  if applicable

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CONCLUSIONS OF LAST 4 YEARS

• 980 radioactive materials segregated and well
  managed.
• 83 radioactive sources.
• 37 small sources (non very important)
• 46 relevant sources.
• 75 facilities in the Protocol. (14.000.000 Tons
  per year are checked at least once). In the
  Protocol are
• All the steel smelting plants.
• Most of shredding plants
• Some other scrap yards, whilst
• Other non ferrous plants are coming.
• The number of sources grows with the time (more
  expansion of the Protocol more sources founded)

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Thank you very much for your attention