Information Notice No.79-09 - Spill of Radioactively Contaminated Resin
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
Information Notice No. 79-09
Date: March 30, 1979
Page 1 of 2
SPILL OF RADIOACTIVELY CONTAMINATED RESIN
Description of Circumstances:
In May 1978, a spill of contaminated resin slurry occurred outside the
auxiliary building at the Crystal River Nuclear Power Plant, Unit No. 3.- A
plant radioactive waste pump was being used to transfer resin from a holdup
tank inside the building, through a trailer-mounted control station, into a
shielded shipping cask. The cask and trailer, owned and operated by a
contractor, were located outside of plant buildings because of space
limitations. All hoses in the transfer line were metal braided and all piping
was steel except for a polyvinylchloride (PVC) tee inside the trailer, where
flush water could be added after each transfer. Resin entered the cask
through a fill cap where it was mixed with a solidifying agent. An automatic
isolation valve in the transfer line was designed to close upon receipt of
a high cask level signal from level instrumentation on the fill cap. The
resin spill occurred when this valve closed prematurely; the resultant
pressure surge caused the PVC tee inside the trailer to break. Resin flowed
from the broken tee into the trailer sump. Bolted seams in the sump leaked,
spilling resin onto asphalt pavement under the trailer. Water from the
spilled resin slurry flowed into a nearby storm drain.
Factors contributing to the cause or consequences of the spill included: use
of a PVC pipe fitting in the resin transfer line, inadequate hydrostatic test
of the system before use, failure to leak test the trailer sump, and
insufficient precautions taken to mitigate the consequences of a spill.
Technical Specifications require radioactive waste system to be tested and
operated in accordance with procedures approved by licensee management. It
should be noted that this requirement applies to systems owned and/or
operated by contractors at licensed power reactors.
It is the responsibility of licensees to review equipment and procedures used
for the transfer of contaminated liquids, resins, and filter media that
differ from permanent systems described in the FSAR. Such equipment and
procedures should include consideration of the following:
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Information Notice No. 79-09
Date: March 30, 1979
Page 2 of 2
1. Preoperational testing of systems, including interlocks and automatic
functions. These tests should assure the operability of the systems (i.e.,
hydrostatic testing for transient loads, testing of sump integrity, testing
of system interlocks, functional testing of level instrumentation, and
verification of proper valve line-ups).
2. Visual inspection of connections, temporary lines, and other potential
leak paths during transfer operations.
3. Means to promptly isolate leaks.
4. Establishment of adequate communications.
5. Means to control releases (i.e., capping of uncontrolled drains, use of
barriers or dikes, use of controlled sumps, and protection from inclement
weather).
No specific action or written response to this Information Notice is
required. If you desire additional information regarding this matter, please
contact the Director of the appropriate NRC Regional Office.
Enclosure:
List of IE Information
Notices Issued in 1979
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Thursday, March 25, 2021