Rehabilitation of the former Vakulenchuk radioactive waste landfill territory in the Zhytomyr region

The work at site remediation stage was planned in accordance with a separate Technical Solution for the final site remediation approved by the State Regulator. The Site Remediation Criteria and the Final Radiation Survey Program were separately developed and also approved by the State Regulator.

In accordance with the approved solutions, prior to remediation of the territory, the specialists of SSE “Ecocenter” performed a final radiation survey of the site, which confirmed the compliance of the site with the approved criteria, namely:

  1. neutron radiation EDR at the site was less than the EDR of instruments (remediation criterion - the absence of neutron radiation EDR - was confirmed);
  2. gamma radiation EDR at the site was 8-11 μSv/h (remediation criterion - the level of gamma radiation EDR up to 12 μSv/h – was confirmed);
  3. beta particle flux density at the site ranged from 2 to 13 part.-min/cm2 (remediation criterion - beta particle flux density not higher than 18 part.-min/cm2 - was confirmed).

The results of final radiation survey were recorded by the appropriate protocol. The obtained results confirmed the absence of radiation contamination levels at the site, which required work on further retrieval of materials – i.e. confirmed the readiness of the site for recultivation measures.

The borders of recultivation were determined and approved by the Project Beneficiaries and local authorities at the stage of approval of the technical solution and made up a plot of 20x20 meters in size referenced to the conditionally “dirty” zone. Considering the technological logic of work performance at the stage of recultivation, the measures were taken for technical recultivation in the entire territory of former conditionally “dirty” zone and temporary road. The purpose of this was to recreate the natural landscape in all areas subjected to anthropogenic impact due to activities within the project.

 

As a result, all the works envisaged by the Technical Solution on the technical part of remediation were performed, namely:

  1. Planning of the site territory was performed up to elevations corresponding to the surrounding area;
  2. Pure topsoil was imported, the quality of which is confirmed by:
    • Certificate of analysis of agrotechnical properties of soil (analyzes performed by the Department of Soil Science of the Agrobiological Faculty of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine);
    • Certificate of analysis of volumetric activity of radionuclides (analysis performed by a certified laboratory);
  3. With the help of imported soil, the upper fertile layer was created on the site of former conditionally “dirty” zone and temporary access road;
  4. The created upper fertile layer was loosened by hand and prepared for measures to restore forest plantations.

In addition, taking into account the professional position of the State Enterprise “Zhytomyr Military Forestry”, which served the forest area, where the site is located and the recommendations of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine, measures to restore forest stands were planned for the spring of 2017 by specialists of the State Enterprise “Zhytomyr Military Forestry”. Relevant works on planting pine seedlings, which is the main forest crop in the area of the site, were carried out in March 2017.

Successful completion of remediation of the site of former RW storage facility allowed to ensure its compliance with the following requirements:

  1. The area to be remediated is completely free of RW and materials of technogenic origin.
  2. The area to be remediated has been restored to a state corresponding to the surrounding natural landscape.
  3. The area to be remediated has no restrictions on its use due to radiation factor. All restrictions on the use of the remediated area are set only by administrative restrictions on the use of surrounding areas.
  4. The threat of radiation exposure from the area to be remediated to the environment, human health and safety has been completely eliminated.