SAFE BAG CHANGE SYSTEM FOR ALPHA CONTAMINATED HFC PUCKS

High force compaction is a well-developed volume reduction treatment process for drums of solid radioactive waste. As safety standards improve and permitted operator dose uptake reduces, so the total containment of the high force compactor equipment will become obligatory, particularly when dealing with alpha contaminated materials. Entering such primary containment with drums of waste is already an accepted discipline, employing double airlock door systems to prevent the release of airborne particulate from the containment envelope. The external surfaces of the drums entering the system are radiologically clean and, therefore, present minimal threat to the operators. During the compaction process, the drums of radioactive material become contaminated, as does the equipment and interior surfaces of the containment. Currently, the only satisfactory developed procedure for transferring these contaminated pucks from the primary containment envelope is the high cost 500 litre overpack drum system and bagless transfer process. Reducing the volume of waste and, therefore, the cost for disposal is largely negated by the need for the expensive overpack system. This review investigates the possibility of designing a cost effective but safe alternative transfer procedure. The safe bag change system for alpha contaminated HFC pucks addresses the present shortfall in wast