[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 40, Volume 24]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 40CFR191.13]



[Page 10-11]

 

                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT

 

         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)

 

PART 191_ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT AND 

DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE 

WASTES--Table of Contents

 

             Subpart B_Environmental Standards for Disposal

 

Sec.  191.13  Containment requirements.



    (a) Disposal systems for spent nuclear fuel or high-level or 

transuranic radioactive wastes shall be designed to provide a reasonable 

expectation, based upon performance assessments, that the cumulative 

releases of radionuclides to the accessible environment for 10,000 years 

after disposal from all significant processes and events that may affect 

the disposal system shall:

    (1) Have a likelihood of less than one chance in 10 of exceeding the 

quantities calculated according to Table 1 (appendix A); and

    (2) Have a likelihood of less than one chance in 1,000 of exceeding 

ten times the quantities calculated according to Table 1 (appendix A).

    (b) Performance assessments need not provide complete assurance that 

the requirements of Sec.  191.13(a) will be met. Because of the long 

time period involved and the nature of the events and processes of 

interest, there will inevitably be substantial uncertainties in 

projecting disposal system performance. Proof of the future performance 

of a disposal system is not to be had in the ordinary sense of the word 

in situations that deal with much shorter time frames. Instead, what is 

required is a reasonable expectation, on the basis of the record before 

the implementing



[[Page 11]]



agency, that compliance with Sec.  191.13 (a) will be achieved.