ASTM E1281-15(2021)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E1281 − 15 (Reapproved 2021)
Standard Guide for
Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Plans
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1281; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
As a nuclear facility approaches the end of its operational life, the operator should initiate final
preparations for decommissioning. As part of this program, a decommissioning plan should be
developed to comply with applicable federal and state requirements and regulations, as well as to
provide generic and detailed information relevant to decommissioning project planning.This standard
is a guideline for the preparation and content of the decommissioning plan.
1. Scope mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.1 This guide applies to decommissioning plans for any
nuclear facility whose operation was (is) governed by Nuclear
2. Referenced Documents
Regulatory Commission (NRC), Agreement State license,
2.1 ASTM Standards:
underDepartmentofEnergy(DOE)orders,orwhoseoperation
E1034 Specification for Nuclear Facility Transient Worker
was overseen by another federal, state, or local agency.
Records
1.2 The guide applies to the preparation and content of the
E1167 Guide for Radiation Protection Program for Decom-
decommissioning plan document itself.
missioning Operations
1.3 The detailed description and development of implemen- E1168 Guide for Radiological Protection Training for
tation plans identified in Section 4 is outside the scope of this
Nuclear Facility Workers
guide. E1760 Guide for Unrestricted Disposition of Bulk Materials
Containing Residual Amounts of Radioactivity
NOTE 1—Nuclear facilities operated by the U.S. DOE are not licensed
E1819 Guide for Environmental Monitoring Plans for De-
by the U.S. NRC, nor are other nuclear facilities which may come under
commissioning of Nuclear Facilities
the control of the U.S. Department of Defense or individual agreement
states. The references in this guide to licensee, U.S. NRC Regulatory
E1892 Guide for Preparing Characterization Plans for De-
guides, and Title 10 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations are to imply
commissioning Nuclear Facilities
appropriate alternative nomenclature with respect to DOE, DOD, or
E1893 Guide for Selection and Use of Portable Radiological
agreement state nuclear facilities. This distinction should not alter the
Survey Instruments for Performing In Situ Radiological
content of decommissioning plans for nuclear facilities.
Assessments to Support Unrestricted Release from Fur-
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
ther Regulatory Controls
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
E2216 Guide for Evaluating Disposal Options for Concrete
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
from Nuclear Facility Decommissioning
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
E2420 Guide for Post-Deactivation Surveillance and Main-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
tenance of Radiologically Contaminated Facilities
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
E2421 Guide for Preparing Waste Management Plans for
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
2.2 Code of Federal Regulations:
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
10 CFR 19 Notices, Instructions and Reports to Workers;
Inspections
This guide is under the jurisdiction of Committee E10 on Nuclear Technology
and Applications and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E10.03 on For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Radiological Protection for Decontamination and Decommissioning of Nuclear contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Facilities and Components. Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2021. Published February 2021. Originally the ASTM website.
approved in 1989. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as E1281-15. DOI: Available from Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
10.1520/E1281-15R21. Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E1281 − 15 (2021)
10 CFR 20 Standards for Protection Against Radiation 2.4 Department of Energy Standard:
10 CFR 30 Rules of General Applicability to Domestic DOE Order O 435.1-1 “Radioactive Waste Management”
and Supporting Guides and Manuals
Licensing of Byproduct Material
DOE Order 430.1B Real Property Assess Management
10 CFR 40 Domestic Licensing of Source Material
DOE Guide G430.1-3 Deactivation Implementation Guide
10 CFR 50 Domestic Licensing of Production and Utiliza-
tion Facilities
3. Terminology
10 CFR 51 Environmental Protection Regulations for Do-
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
mestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions
3.1.1 decommission, vt—to remove a nuclear facility safely
10 CFR 61 Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of
from service and reduce residual radioactivity to levels that
Radioactive Waste
permit release of the property or facility for unrestricted use
10 CFR 70 Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material
and termination of any applicable license(s).
10 CFR 71 Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive
Materials
3.1.2 decontamination, n—those activities employed to re-
10 CFR 73 Physical Protection of Plants and Materials
duce the levels of (radioactive) contamination in or on
10 CFR 140 Financial Protection Requirements and Indem- structures, equipment, materials, and personnel.
nity Agreements
3.1.3 dismantlement, n—the alternative in which the
10 CFR 150 Exemption and Continued Regulatory Author-
equipment, structures, and portions of a facility and site
ity in Agreement States Under Section 274
containing radioactive contaminants are removed or decon-
10 CFR 170 Fees for Facilities, Materials, Import and
taminated to a level that permits the property to be released for
Export Licenses and Other Regulatory Services Under the
unrestricted use shortly after cessation of operations.
Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as Amended
3.1.4 entombment, n—consists of placing the facility into
10 CFR 830 Nuclear Safety Rules
protective storage. Initial entombment activities consist of
10 CFR 835 Occupational Radiation Safety
removing the balance of plant contaminated components,
29 CFR 1910.120 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emer-
systems, and structures from the site and sealing all the
gency Response
remaining contaminated and activated plant components and
40 CFR 190 Environmental Radiation Protection Standards
systems within the entombment boundary. This structure pro-
for Nuclear Power Operations
vides for containment of the entire radioactive inventory
40 CFR 191 Environmental Radiation Protection Standards
remaining on site during the entombment period. Other initial
for Management and Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel,
activities would consist of processing and removing radioac-
High Level Waste and Transuranic Waste
tive waste, securing a possession-only license, and implement-
40 CFR 192 Health and Environmental Protection for Ura-
ing security and surveillance plans for the delay period.
nium and Thorium Mill Tailings
Decommissioning is completed by either radioactive decay to
40 CFR 260 Land Disposal Restrictions
unrestricted use levels or by dismantlement to unrestricted use
49 CFR 190 and above Hazardous Materials Transportation levels. If dismantlement were selected following entombment,
Regulations additional activities would be initiated after 30 or more years
4 andwouldconsistofradiationsurveys,removaloftheentomb-
2.3 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Standards:
ment structure and materials within it, processing and removal
NRC Regulatory Guide 1.86, Termination of Operating Li-
of any remaining solid and liquid radioactive wastes, and
censes for Nuclear Reactors
restoring/releasing the site for unrestricted use.
NUREG-1757 Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance;
3.1.5 nuclearfacility,n—afacilitywhoseoperationsinvolve
Volume 1, Decommissioning Process for Material Li-
(or involved) radioactive materials in such form or quantity
censes; Volume 2, Characterization, Survey and Determi-
thataradiologicalhazardpotentiallyexiststotheemployeesor
nation of Radiologial Criteria; Volume 3, Financial
the general public. Included are facilities that are (or were)
Assurance, Recordkeeping, and Timeliness
used to produce, process, or store radioactive materials. Some
NUREG-1575 Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site In-
examples are nuclear reactors (power, test, or research), fuel
vestigation Manual (MARSSIM), Rev 1, August 2000
fabrication plants, fuel reprocessing plants, uranium/thorium
NUREG-1575 Supplement 1, Multi-Agency Radiation Sur-
mills, UF-6 production and enrichment plants, radiochemical
vey and Assessment of Materials and Equipment (MAR-
laboratories, and radioactive waste disposal sites.
SAME)
3.1.6 safe storage, n—consists of placing and maintaining
NUREG-2082 Monitoring for Compliance with Decommis-
the facility in protective storage. Initial safe storage operations
sioning Termination Survey Criteria
would consist of general plant decontamination activities,
Regulatory Guide 1.179 Standard Format and Content for
radiation surveys, the processing and removal of radioactive
License Termination Plans for Nuclear Power Reactors
waste materials, securing a possession-only license, and the
(NRC 1999)
implementation of security, surveillance, and maintenance
4 5
Available from Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Public Document Room, Available from Dept. of Energy, National Technical Information Service, U.S.
1717 H St., N.W., Washington, DC 20555. Dept. of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
E1281 − 15 (2021)
plans for the delay period. Decommissioning is completed by licensing history, the operating record, and a summary of all
dismantling following the protective storage period. The addi- operating events that could affect decommissioning activities
tional activities initiated after 30 or more years would be (such as spills or releases of radioactive or contaminated
essentiallythesameasthosedescribedforentombment,except materials).
that there would be more systems removed after safe storage
6. Characterization
than after entombment.
6.1 Adescription of the entire nuclear facility to be decom-
4. Significance and Use
missioned should be provided including results of a radiation
4.1 The standardization of decommissioning plans will
survey prior to initiation of other decommissioning activities.
provide the nuclear facility owner with a greater assurance that
Site characteristics that should be addressed include
all basic planning elements and requirements have been
topography, soils and geology, hydrology, seismology,
identified, examined, and addressed.
demography, and meteorology. Specific details such as those
found in safety analysis reports may be provided in appendices
4.2 In applying the guidance contained in this standard, the
or by reference. Plant characteristics that should be addressed
nuclear facility owner will address the significant subject areas
include a general plant description, a plant structures
necessary to describe a comprehensive decommissioning plan.
description, and a plant systems description. Radiological and
Additional guidance on the planning of decommissioning
hazardous material characteristics of the nuclear facility shall
projects, and the preparation of decommissioning plans can be
be included as well. The radionuclide inventory for the facility
found in such references as NUREG-1757 on decommission-
shouldbepresentedwithallofthemajorcontributorsidentified
ing standard review plans, and Regulatory Guide 1.179 on the
and quantified. Environmental radiological characteristics of
format and content of license termination plans. Recent new
the site should be discussed. Guidance for developing the
guidance on all aspects of decommissioning is contained in an
Characterization Plan may be found in the MARSSIM manual
ASME publication titled The Decommissioning Handbook.
(NUREG-1575), the MARSAME manual, and Guide E1892.
4.3 This decommissioning plan will be developed to serve
Guidance for selection of appropriate instrumentation for
as the executive document that describes the objectives of the
obtaining the radiological data is provided in Guide E1893.
decommissioning program and identifies and defines the ele-
ments necessary to accomplish the program.
7. Program Objectives
4.4 A detailed implementation plan describing how the
7.1 The objective(s) of the decommissioning program
objectives of the decommissioning plan will be met should be
should be stated concisely. The selected or proposed decom-
prepared. Some of the documents or implementation plans that
missioning alternative (dismantlement, safe storage followed
may be required to support the overall decommissioning
by dismantlement, or entombment to unrestricted use levels)
program include an engineering plan; a cost, schedule, and
shall be included as a minimum (DOE Order 430.1B).
financing plan (10 CFR 140 and 170); a field implementation
7.2 A qualitative description of any interim status of the
plan; a health and safety plan (29 CFR 1910.120, Guide
facility should be provided when applicable, that is, when the
E1167); a quality assurance plan (10 CFR 50.59 and 10 CFR
safe storage or entombment alternatives are selected, and when
830.120); an emergency plan; an environmental monitoring
a surveillance/maintenance period is proposed for the facility
plan(GuideE1819);aradiologicalprotectionplan(10CFR20,
(DOE Guide G430.1-1, Guide E2420).
10 CFR 835, Guide E1167); and a physical security plan (10
CFR 73). These implementation plans shall be separate from
7.3 Cleanup criteria should be stated herein, such as NRC
and consistent with the decommissioning plan.
Regulatory Guide 1.86, or other specific federal and state
requirements. Termination survey requirements should be as
5. Elements of the Decommissioning Plan
detailed in 13.5.
5.1 The plan should identify and describe the ma
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