Clearance of concrete debris generated from modification of JRR-3

Satoyama, Tomonori ; Nanri, Tomohiro ; Kishimoto, Katsumi 

Japan Atomic Energy Agency at the Nuclear Science Research Institute (NSRI) planned to apply the clearance system to about 4,000 tons of slightly contaminated concrete debris with radionuclides, which was generated from the modification of the Japan Research Reactor No.3 (JRR-3). The modification work was conducted from 1985 to 1990 and the generated concrete debris has been stored as radioactive waste in interim storage facilities in the NSRI. In 2008, the authority approved procedures for measuring and evaluating the radioactivity concentration of stored concrete debris. Since 2009, NSRI have been measuring and evaluating the radioactivity concentration of concrete debris, using the approved procedures. By the end of 2013, the authority had confirmed the correctness of our measurement and evaluation results on about 3,000 tons of concrete debris. About 1,800 tons of those cleared concrete were recycled as backfilling material in depressed areas around buildings caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and as roadbed material of the parking lots in the NSRI.