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Alpha Particle
A positively charged particle emitted during decay of certain radioactive elements. Alpha particles are the least penetrating of the three common forms of ionizing radiation (alpha, beta, gamma). They can be stopped by a sheet of paper or the skin, but are harmful if inhaled or ingested. An alpha particle is indistinguishable from a helium nucleus and consists of two protons and two neutrons.
Atomic Energy Act (AEA)
The Act of 1946 placed responsibility for production and control of nuclear materials within a civilian agency, originally the Atomic Energy Commission. The Act of 1954 allowed the Atomic Energy Commission to license private companies to use nuclear materials and build and operate nuclear power plants.
Beta Particle
A negatively charged particle emitted from a nucleus during decay of certain radioactive elements. A beta particle is identical to an electron. Beta particles are easily stopped by a thin sheet of metal. Exposure to high levels of beta radiation can cause skin burns.
Burial Grounds
Areas designated for near-surface disposal of containers of low-level radioactive waste and obsolete or worn-out radioactively contaminated equipment.
Buried Waste
Low-level radioactive waste that has been disposed of by near-surface burial.
Byproducts
Radioactive materials resulting from the production or processing of nuclear materials. Some byproducts have beneficial commercial uses.
Calcination
The process of making unconsolidated powder or granules by thermal evaporation and partial decomposition (release of gases) of high-level waste.
Canister
A container for radioactive solid waste forms, specifically for solidified high-level liquid waste.
Cask
A container that provides shielding during the transportation of highly radioactive materials.
Characterization
Facility or site sampling, monitoring and analysis activities to determine the extent and nature of contamination. Characterization provides the necessary technical information to develop, screen, analyze and select appropriate cleanup techniques.
Clean Air Act (CAA)
The purpose of this act is to protect and enhance the quality of the nation's air resources. Its primary application is through Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permits to regulate new potentially polluting facilities. The CAA was passed in 1970 as an amendment to 42 USC 7401 and was amended in 1977, 1990 and 1992.
Clean Water Act of 1977 (CWA)
This act amended the Federal Water Pollution Control Act first passed in 1956. Its objective is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation's waters, including surface waters and navigable streams. It regulates discharges to or dredging of wetlands. Its major enforcement tool is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
Compliance Agreements
Legally binding agreements between regulators and regulated entities that set standards and schedules for compliance with environmental statutes. Includes Consent Order Compliance Agreements, Federal Facilities Agreements and Federal Facilities Compliance Agreements.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)
A federal law (also known as Superfund) enacted in 1980 and reauthorized in 1986 that provides the statutory authority for cleanup of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that could endanger public health or welfare, or the environment. The Act and its amendments [Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)] created a trust fund, commonly known as Superfund, to investigate and clean up abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
Contamination
The presence of unwanted matter, or the soiling of objects or materials with radioactive or hazardous materials.
Decay
The spontaneous radioactive transformation of one nuclide into a different nuclide or into another energy state of the same nuclide.
Decommissioning
The process of removing a facility from operation, followed by entombment, decontamination, dismantlement or conversion to another use.
Decontamination
The removal of contamination from facilities, soils or equipment by washing, chemical action, mechanical cleaning or other techniques.
Defense Nuclear Fuel Cycle
The series of steps involved in supplying fuel for defense nuclear production reactors. It includes original fabrication of fuel elements, their use in a reactor, chemical processing to recover the fissionable material remaining in the irradiated fuel, refabrication into new fuel elements, transportation of materials and management of waste products.
Defense or DOE Waste
Waste from any activity performed in whole or in part in support of DOE atomic energy defense and research activities or assigned to DOE by Congress; excludes waste generated by the commercial nuclear power industry.
Dismantlement
The destruction of contaminated buildings and removal of radioactive and nonradioactive contaminated equipment and materials from a facility to reduce the potential hazard to humans and to comply with regulations.
Disposal
Waste emplacement designed to ensure permanent isolation of waste from the biosphere, with no intention of retrieval for the foreseeable future, and that requires deliberate action to regain access to the waste.
Engineered Barriers
Features of a disposal site constructed of materials designed to isolate waste from the environment and comply with applicable regulations.
Environmental Assessment
A written environmental analysis that is required under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to determine whether a federal action would significantly affect the environment and thus require preparation of a more detailed environmental impact statement.
Environmental Impact Statement
A document required of federal agencies by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for major projects or legislative proposals significantly affecting the environment. A tool for decision making, it describes the positive and negative effects of the undertaking and lists alternative actions. The report documents the information required to evaluate the environmental impact of a project. Such a report informs decision makers and the public of the reasonable alternatives that would avoid or minimize adverse impacts or enhance the quality of the environment.
Environmental Restoration
The remediation of sites and facilities contaminated with radioactive and/or hazardous substances from past production activities.
Feasibility Study
An analysis of the practicability of a proposal such as a description and analysis of the potential cleanup alternatives for a site. The feasibility study emphasizes data analysis and usually recommends selection of a cost-effective alternative. It is usually performed with, and uses data from, a remedial investigation; together, they are commonly referred to as a "RI/FS" or remedial investigation/feasibility study. The term can apply to a variety of proposed corrective or regulatory actions.
Fission
The splitting of a heavy nucleus into two roughly equal parts (which are nuclei of lighter elements), accompanied by the release of a relatively large amount of energy and frequently one or more neutrons. Fission can occur spontaneously, but usually is caused by the absorption of gamma rays, neutrons or other particles.
Fuel
Fissionable material used as a source of power when placed in a nuclear reactor.
Fuel Element
A tube, rod or other form into which fuel material is fabricated for use in a reactor.
Fuel Fabrication
The process through which fissionable material is configured into precisely shaped fuel or target elements and made ready for use in a nuclear reactor.
Gamma Radiation
High energy, short wavelength electromagnetic radiation emitted by a nucleus. Gamma rays are highly penetrating and are best shielded by dense materials like lead and thick concrete. They are similar to X-rays.
Groundwater
Water that exists or flows in a zone of saturation beneath land surface.
Half-Life
The length of time required for a radioactive substance to lose 50% of its activity by decay. After a period equal to 10 half-lives, the radioactivity has decreased to about 0.1 % of its original value. The half-life may vary in length from a fraction of a second to thousands of years.
Hazardous Waste
As defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, a solid waste, or a combination of solid wastes, that because of its quantity, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics may: (1) cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness, or (2) pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of or otherwise managed. Some wastes are listed as hazardous under certain Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
High-Level Waste
Material that remains following the chemical reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and irradiated targets from reactors. It contains a combination of transuranics and fission products in concentrations high enough to require permanent isolation.
Inactive Waste Site
A site formerly used for the treatment, storage or disposal of wastes. It can include any building, structure, equipment, piping, well, pit, pond, lagoon, ditch, landfill, etc.
Incineration
A treatment technology using combustion (burning at high temperatures) to burn certain materials under controlled conditions to destroy hazardous waste and reduce the volume of waste.
Irradiation
Exposure to radiation of wavelengths shorter than those of visible light (gamma, X-ray or ultraviolet). Used for medical purposes for the destruction of bacteria in milk or other foodstuffs, the sterilization of medical instruments and bandages or for inducing polymerization of monomers or vulcanization of rubber.
Isotope
One of two or more atoms whose nuclei have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs)
Provisions of the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act requiring phased-in treatment of hazardous wastes according to specified standards before they can be disposed of in or on land.
Landfills
Sanitary landfills are land disposal sites for nonhazardous solid waste. The waste is spread in layers and compacted to the smallest practical volume, and cover material is applied at the end of each operation day. Secure landfills are disposal sites for hazardous waste. They are selected, designed and permitted through environmental laws to minimize the chance of release of hazardous substances into the environment.
Low-Level Waste
Radioactive waste not classified as high-level waste, transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel, byproduct material or uranium mill tailings. Low-level waste typically has small amounts of radioactivity in large amounts of material. It is generated in every process involving radioactive materials in DOE, including cleanup projects. Most of the radioactivity in low-level waste will decay to harmless levels in a few years.
Millirem
One thousandth of a rem. Rems are a way to measure radiation according to the ability of the specific type of radiation to do damage to biological tissue. On the average, Americans receive about 360 millirem of radiation a year, about 82% of which is from natural radiation, 15% from medical exposure, 3% from consumer products and less than 1% from nuclear industry-related activities.
Mixed Waste
Waste containing both radioactive and hazardous constituents.
Monitoring
Periodic or continuous measuring of the quantity and type of discharges or migration of radioactive or hazardous waste from a management facility to determine the level of compliance with regulatory requirements and/or pollutant levels in various media.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
The Act that establishes the requirements for conducting environmental reviews of federal actions that have the potential for significant impact on the human and natural environment.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
A provision of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (also know as the Clean Water Act) which prohibits discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States unless a special permit is issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a state or (where delegated) a Native American Government on an Indian reservation.
National Priorities List (NPL)
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) list of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites identified for possible long-term remedial action under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (Superfund). The list is based primarily on the score a site receives from the EPA Hazard Ranking System. The EPA is required to update the NPL at least once a year.
Neutron Radiation
A form of radiation that can penetrate living tissue. Neutron radiation can be stopped by using dense materials like lead, steel or thick concrete.
Nuclear Fuel Cycle
The complete series of steps involved in supplying fuel for nuclear reactors. It includes mining, refining, enrichment, fabrication of fuel elements and fuel use in a reactor. In the past, it also included chemical processing to recover the fissionable material remaining in the spent fuel, reenrichment of the fuel material and refabrication of fuel elements. Common usage of this term also refers to the "cradle-to-grave" concept of handling materials from creation through disposal.
Nuclear Radiation
Particulate and electromagnetic radiation emitted from nuclei.
Nuclear Waste
A term normally used interchangeably with radioactive waste.
Nuclear Waste Fund
A fund established by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982, which directed DOE to pursue a program toward disposal of commercial high-level and transuranic waste in a geologic repository. The nuclear waste fund assesses utilities a fee to pay for siting, development and operation of a commercial repository. The share of the costs along with the portion of the repository committed for disposal of defense high-level waste will be paid by DOE.
Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA)
An Act passed in 1982, and reauthorized in 1987, that directs DOE to design, site and construct a geologic repository for the disposal of defense high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel from commercial nuclear reactors. The NWPA also established the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management to carry out these responsibilities.
Nuclide
Any species of atom that exists for a measurable length of time. The term is used synonymously with isotope.
Off-Site Facility
A hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal area that is located at a place away from the generating site.
On-Site Facility
A hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal area that is located at the generating site.
Permit
An authorization, license or equivalent control document issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or an approved state agency to implement the requirements of an environmental regulation (e.g., a permit to store or dispose of waste, to operate a wastewater treatment plant or to operate a facility that may generate harmful emissions).
Plutonium
A radioactive element with an atomic number of 94. Its most important isotope is fissionable plutonium-239, produced by neutron irradiation of uranium-238.
Preliminary Assessment
The process of collecting and reviewing available information about a known or suspected contaminated waste site or release.
Production Reactor
A nuclear reactor designed primarily for large-scale production of tritium or plutonium by neutron irradiation of hydrogen-2 or uranium-238. The term also refers to a nuclear reactor used primarily for the production of isotopes.
Radiation
The emitting of energy through matter or space in the form of waves (rays or particles).
Radioactive Decay
The spontaneous decay or disintegration of an unstable atomic nucleus, accompanied by the emission of radiation.
Radioactive Waste
A solid, liquid or gaseous material of negligible economic value that contains radionuclides.
Radioactivity
The rate at which radioactive material is emitting radiation, given in terms of the number of nuclear disintegrations occurring in a unit of time. The common unit of radioactivity is the curie (Ci), which measures the number of disintegrations in one second of one gram of radium.
Radionuclide
Any naturally occurring or artificially produced radioactive element or isotope.
Remedial Investigation (Rl)
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) process of gathering the data necessary to determine the nature and extent of contamination at a CERCLA site, establishing criteria for cleaning up the site, identifying preliminary alternatives for remedial action and supporting the technical and cost analyses of the alternatives. The remedial investigation is usually done with the feasibility study. Together they are usually referred to as the "RI/FS."
Repository (federal)
A federally owned and operated engineered facility for storage or disposal of specific types of waste from U.S. Department of Energy sites and/or licensees.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
An act passed in 1976 as an amendment to the Solid Waste Disposal Act (1965). The primary goals of RCRA are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal; to conserve energy and natural resources; to reduce the amount of waste generated, including hazardous waste; and to ensure that waste is managed in an environmentally sound manner. RCRA was amended in 1984 by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments, which expanded RCRA's scope.
Retrievable
Waste stored in such a way that it can be easily accessed and removed for further treatment or disposal.
Risk Assessment
The qualitative and quantitative evaluation performed to define the risk posed to human health and/or the environment by the presence or potential presence and/or the use of specific pollutants. Also an evaluation, typically performed as part of a remedial investigation, to assess conditions of a hazardous waste site and determine the risk posed to public health and/or the environment.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
Enacted in 1975, the primary purpose of this act is to protect drinking water resources. Primary drinking water standards set by the SDWA apply to drinking water "at the tap" as delivered by public water systems. Of equal significance is that drinking water standards are used to determine groundwater protection regulations under a number of other statutes. The SDWA states that each federal agency having jurisdiction over a federally owned or operated public water system must comply with all federal, state and local requirements for the provision of safe drinking water.
Sanitary Waste
Waste, such as garbage, that is generated by office and housekeeping activities and is not hazardous or radioactive. For example, paper, food products and product packaging are all sanitary waste, as well as some nonhazardous, nonradioactive industrial waste. This waste is disposed of in sanitary landfills. Sanitary waste also includes liquids, which are treated in sewage treatment plants.
Shallow Land Burial
Disposal of waste in shallow trenches; commonly used for low-level radioactive waste.
Shielding
A material interposed between a source of radiation and humans for protection against the effects of radiation.
Site Inspection
An on-site investigation at a known or suspected contaminated waste or release site to determine if there is a release or potential release and the nature of the potential hazards. It supplements the data collected in a preliminary assessment. The purpose is to gather information necessary to score the site, using the EPA Hazard Ranking System, and to determine whether the site presents an immediate threat that requires prompt removal action.
Site
A site is the spatial location of an actual or planned structure or set of structures, and/or the space of ground occupied or to be occupied by a building or buildings.
Sludge
Slushy matter or sediment such as that precipitated by the treatment of waste.
Solid Waste
Nonliquid, nonsoluble material ranging from municipal garbage to industrial waste that contains complex and sometimes hazardous substances. Solid waste also includes sewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolition wastes and residues. Technically, solid waste also refers to liquids and gases in containers.
Spent Nuclear Fuel
Nuclear reactor fuel that has been irradiated to the extent that it can no longer effectively sustain a chain reaction. Fuel becomes spent when its fissionable isotopes have been partially consumed and fission-products have accumulated in it.
Stabilization
Conversion of the active organic matter in sludge into inert, harmless material. Also, activities to reduce the active management required for disposal facilities (such as burial ground stabilization and closure).
Stakeholders
Anyone with an interest in DOE activities, or anyone who may be affected by DOE activities.
Storage
Retention and monitoring of waste in a retrievable manner pending treatment and/or final disposal.
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA)
The 1986 Act reauthorizing and amending the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). SARA includes the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 and the Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Act of 1986.
Surplus Facility
Any facility or site (including equipment) that has no identified programmatic use and may or may not be contaminated to levels that require controlled access.
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
TSCA was enacted in 1976 to protect human health and the environment from unreasonable risk caused by exposure to or manufacture, distribution, use or disposal of substances containing toxic chemicals. For example, under TSCA, any hazardous waste that contains more than 50 parts per million of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) is subject to regulation.
Transuranic Elements
Elements with an atomic number greater than 92, including neptunium, plutonium, americium and curium.
Transuranic Waste
Transuranic (TRU) waste is composed of elements that are heavier than uranium. This radioactive waste is contaminated with alpha-emitting transuranic elements with half-lives greater than 20 years and in concentrations greater than 100 nanocuries per gram of material at the time of assay. Contact-handled (CH) TRU waste does not require shielding and has a surface dose rate of less than 200 millirem (mrem) per hour. Remote-handled (RH) TRU waste has a surface dose rate greater than 200 mrem per hour (and less than 1,000 rem per hour) and requires additional shielding because it presents an exposure hazard.
Treatment
Any activity that alters the chemical or physical nature of radioactive or hazardous waste to reduce toxicity, volume or mobility, or to render it amenable for transport, storage or disposal.
Uranium
A naturally-occurring radioactive element with an atomic number of 92 and an atomic weight of 238. The two principle isotopes are the fissionable uranium-235 (0.7% of natural uranium) and uranium 238 (99.3% of natural uranium).
Uranium Mill Tailings
Naturally radioactive rock and soil that are the byproducts of uranium mining and milling.
Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978
This Act directed DOE to provide for stabilization and control of uranium mill tailings from inactive sites in a safe and environmentally sound manner to minimize radiation health hazards to the public. It authorized DOE to undertake remedial actions at 24 designated inactive uranium processing sites and at an estimated 5,000 vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project accomplishes this cleanup.
Vitrification
Immobilizing liquid and sludge-type waste by dissolving it in molten glass. The process produces a glass-like solid that captures the radioactive materials.
Waste Immobilization
The process of converting waste to a stable, solid form to prevent or slow its migration to
the environment.
Waste Stream
Term used to refer to waste leaving a facility or operation.
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