Plutovia Hazardous Sites Cleanup Project

Additional Background Information[1]

The Republic of Plutovia is one of three countries sharing the coastline of the GreatBlueSea.

Oilfield site

The project site is located on a large delta at the mouth of the RollingRiver.

Several technical and engineering background studies have been prepared by the Government to characterize and define the site, providing baseline information including information on production processes, identification and distribution of contaminants, groundwater pollution assessment, modeling of potential radiological exposure to the public, and evaluation of radioactive and non-radioactive waste management at the project sites.

As the productivity of the oilfield is declining and parts of it are already abandoned, the Government hopes to clean up the abandoned land and make it available for redevelopment. Large parts of the area are contaminated with residues of petroleum and other hydrocarbon products which have accumulated over decades. The contamination is classified as very heavy (>5000 parts per million) in about 20% of the area, particularly in the vicinity of oil pumps (resulting from many years of oil spills) and in and around about 30 artificial ponds which were formed by produced water being trapped in natural hollows (the soil at the site is heavy clay with little permeability). The project will support mechanical cleaning of the soil in these heavily contaminated areas, using a method which involves mixing the soil with water and detergent followed by separation of the solid, liquid and oil fractions through settling. Other areas are lightly to moderately contaminated with hydrocarbons (less than 500 parts per million). For these areas the project will support soil cleaning through bioremediation, involving treatment over a period of 2 years with hydrocarbon oxidizing microorganisms purchased and imported from California. For all treated areas, the goal is to achieve levels no greater than:

100 ppm total petroleum hydrocarbons;

1.0 ppm total benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX).

Another major hazard at the site is the former iodine production plant, where oil production water was passed through activated charcoal to extract iodine. In the process the charcoal also extracted radioactive isotopes which occur at low concentrations in the production water and concentrated them to a dangerous level. Large piles of radioactive waste charcoal are found on much of the site. In addition to the waste charcoal and building debris, the same isotopes have been found in relatively high concentration in the chemical sediments (“scale”) deposited on the inner walls of the asbestos pipelines used for the drainage of processed oil water. These pipelines transported the used water together with other liquid wastes back into the reservoirs or into the neighboring industrial waste collectors. Artificial lakes containing high concentrations of petroleum acids were created in natural hollows on the site as a result of the oil water discharge during the plant operation.

The groundwater at the site is at depths varying between 0.34 and 2.9 m.

From the analyses performed during the EIA process, the following characterization describes the baseline situation at the iodine production site:

  • Gamma radiation at the site exceeds normal levels. Main isotopes identified are: Ra-226, Ra-228, U-235, U-238, Th -232 and K-40 (see Annex 1 for information on radioactivity, radioactive isotopes and exposure hazards).
  • The radiological contamination analysis revealed that the charcoal corresponds to the IAEA[2] radiation hazard Categories 2 and 3[3]. Other wastes on site (silt and scale within asbestos and polyethylene pipes, charcoal mixed with bricks or soils, and various mixed discharges) correspond to Categories 1 and 2. The total volume of radioactive waste is estimated to be 85,310 m3.
  • According to the testing results, radiation levels in the abandoned buildings on the site are within normal range (notconsidered as radioactive) and may be disposed in regular landfills.
  • Specific activity of surface waters and groundwater is relatively low due to the formation of insoluble radium compounds. However, radioactivity levels within soil at the groundwater level reaches Category 1 and 2 levels in some places (around 0.2 BQ/l)
  • Soil samples and bore pits identified varying levels of radioactivity in the soil, requiring removal of topsoil to depths of 50 cm, 1 m or 1.5 m depending on specific location (the highest contamination levels are beneath and adjacent to waste charcoal piles).
  • Gamma radiation mapping identified 5 “hotspot” areas, including 2 where radioactive wastes are believed to lie beneath oil deposits
  • Large volumes of radioactive charcoal (Category 2) were discovered in samples collected from the bottom sediments of the artificial lake;
  • Air measurements collected at the site(at earth surface and at 1 m height) identified radon at a specific activity level of about 110Bq/Kg (low). The open-air storage of radioactive charcoal waste and prevailing winds are believed to be responsible for this low level of activity in air at the site;
  • Oil contamination in soils was detected with concentrations varying from normal background levels to 65 times the allowable concentration level.
  • Oil contamination in ground water at both sites ranges from normal background levels to 55 times the allowable concentration level.
  • Main heavy metals analysis performed at the site indicated concentrations below acceptable threshold levels.

Rehabilitation criteria: following remediation, the site should meet national and international requirements including MAGATE Base Standards for Security:

  • Top soil and surface structures, radioactivity not to exceed 470 bq/kg
  • Gamma radiation equivalent at 1 m depth below surface not to exceed 0.005 mSv/hour
  • Effective dose of radiation for people occupying/using the site not to exceed 0.5 mSv/year
  • Oil contamination reduced to 0.5-2% of starting condition

TENORM/LLW_LL Disposal Facility Site

The site proposed for the construction of the new TENORM/LLW-LL disposal facility is located adjacent to the current disposal area of high radioactive wastes owned by the X Company. .

The existing storage facility is located at approximately 37 km from the nearest major city in a relatively isolated area where there is no groundwater (down to a depth of 600 m) and 10 km away from the nearest water and gas pipelines. There are no settlements or industry within 3 Km of the site. The existing facility is in line with international good practices and includes a mobile laboratory for the detection and analysis of radioactivity. After being sorted by activity and life-time, the radioactive waste is stocked in 200-litre barrels stored in 4-m deep concrete bunkers that are continuously monitored.

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ANNEX 1

Information on Radioactivity and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)

Radioactivity

Ionizing radiation consists of high-energy particles or waves that can detach (ionize) at least one electron from an atom ormolecule. Ionizing ability depends on the energy level of individual particles or waves, not on their number. Examples of ionizing radiation are energetic alpha particles, beta particles and neutrons. Certain electromagnetic waves (e.g. X-rays, gamma rays) can ionize almost any molecule or atom. Ionizing radiation may be produced by radioactive decay, nuclear fission, andnuclear fusion, among other sources. If enough ionizations occur in a biological system they can be destructive, for example causing DNA damage in individual cells. This destructive potential is used selectively in medicine, such as radiation treatment to kill cancer cells, or use of radioactive tracers in diagnosis.

Measuring radioactivity:

The level of radioactivity in a material is measured in becquerel (Bq); 1 Bq = 1 disintegration/second (1 bq = 2.7 x 10 -11 curies …one curie was originally the activity of one gram of radium-226).

The amount of radiation absorbed in tissue (total dose) is measured in grays or in sieverts (Sv)… Sv is used in setting radiological protection standards because it measures neutrons and alpha particles, which cause more damage than gamma or beta radiation. The rate of dose absorbed is usually measured in milli sieverts per hour or year. E.g., our natural dose is around 2 mSv/yr; maximum annual dose allowed for a uranium miner in Australia is 20 mSv/yr. 10,000 mSv as a short-term body dose would cause immediate illness and death within a few weeks. 50mSv is considered the lowest dose which is likely to cause cancer in adults, and in many countries is the highest dose allowed by regulation in any one year of occupational exposure. Natural doses from background radiation around the world average about2 mSv, but doses up to 50 mSv are found in some parts of the world with no evidence of harm to local populations. 20 sMv averaged over 5 years is the limit (in Australia) for personnel employed in businesses employing radiation (e.g. nuclear industry, uranium or mineral sands miners, hospital workers). Even a very brief exposure to 4 Sv would kill about half the people receiving it in a month, while a burst of 10 Sv would be fatal within days. The 28 radiation fatalities at Chernobyl received more than 5 Sv over a few days; those suffering acute radiation sickness averaged 3.4 Sv.

Estimating mSV from exposure to a specific bq/kg depends on exposure assumptions. For example: in Canada, the “release limit” for diffuse solid NORM in the soil is the concentration (Bq/kg) at the reference site which would result in a dose of 0.3 mSV/year for an adult who: (i) spends 25% of the year at that site; (ii) is exposed through external irradiation through direct contact with the soil (e.g. dirt on hands) and through inhalation of suspended dust contaminated to the same level as the soil; and (iii) whose diet includes vegetables half of which are grown in the contaminated soil, but no livestock products raised on that soil. The”unconditional release limit) for airborne NORM is the concentration in the air (Bq/m3) at thereceptor which would result in a dose of 0.3 mSV/a to a reference adult who occupies the site 25% of the time, with exposure through inhalation only.

The IAEA provides a ranking of radioactive sources in terms of their potential to cause harmful heath effects if not appropriately protected and managed. Category 1 sources are potentially the most dangerous and Category 5 the least likely to be dangerous.

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)

Natural background radiation comes mainly from cosmic radiation, solar radiation, radon and from terrestrial sources (NORM). Most materials on earth contain small quantities of radioactive atoms. Themajor radionulcides of concern from terrestrial sources are potassium, uranium and thorium. Radium -226 is also present wherever uranium is found.

The example of coal: most coal contains radionuclides uranium and thorium, potassium-40, lead-210, radium-226, at levels are similar to those of other rocks in the earth’s crust.

Examples of Naturally Occuring Radioactivity Levels in Coal*

Location / Data source / Total activity (bq/kg) / Uranium
series / Thorium
series / K-40
worldwide / UNSCEAR / 20 / 20 / 50
Earth’s crust / 1400
Australia / CSIRO / 830
USA / Gabbard / 174
New South Wales / Cooper 2005 / 850 / 20-70 / 70-500
India / Misha / 154

*Information from World Nuclear Association

The average annual radiation dose from NORM in the USA is 0.28 mSv/year, while among EU countries:

Although levels of individual exposure from NORM are usually trivial, concentrations can be increased as result of human activity. This is sometimes referred to as TENORM (technologically-enhanced NORM). Such enhancement of natural radioactivity has been found in products or waste materials from petroleum and natural gas production, mineral extraction and processing, metal recycling, thermal electric power generation, water treatment facilities, tunneling and underground works. For example, phosphate rock used in fertilizer production is a major source of NORM (uranium, thorium), with levels up to about 900 bq/kg. The superphosphate finished product can contain up to3000 bq/kg. The waste product phosphogypsum can also contain similar levels of radioactivity. Burning of coal can also lead to highly concentrated radionuclides in fly ash and bottom ash.

In the oil and natural gas industry, RA-226 and lead-210 are deposited as scale in pipes and equipment. If the scale has total activity of 30,000 bq/kg (3300 for RA-226 and 10,000for PB-210) it is “contaminated” according to Australian regulations. Published data from scale samples show radionuclide concentrations up to 300,000 bq/kg for PB-210, 250,000 Bb/kg for Ra-226, and 100,000 gb/kg forRa-228.

Threshold levels used for classifying material as low-level radioactive waste range from 1000 – 3700 bq/kg (above this level, the waste is not considered low-level). There is generally little Government control for materials with less than 1000 bq/kg.

[1] NOTE: not all the information provided here is directly relevant to preparation of the EMP for the project

[2] International Atomic Energy Agency

[3] In accordance with the IAEA classifications these waste categories must be totally removed from the site