Activity Release From IL W Packages in Impact Accident Conditions

UK Nirex Ltd (Nirex) is owned by the major organisations in the UK nuclear industry. The company is responsible for developing and operating an underground repository for the disposal of solid intermediate-level and low-level radioactive waste (IL W and LL W). Most intermediate level waste will be converted to a cementitious monolithic solid, packaged in thin-walled unshielded waste containers and transported to the repository in reusable shielded transport containers (RSTCs). The standard unshielded waste containers adopted by Nirex, the 500 litre drum, 3m3 box and 3m3 drum, have been specified to provide waste producers with a choice of container to suit their needs whilst maintaining common handling features and dimensions (Barlow 1993). Four 500 litre drums in a transport stillage have the same outer envelope dimensions as a 3m3 drum or box, so that all these containers can be transported within a standard range of RSTCs having the same cavity sizes and a range of shielding thicknesses.