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ABSTRACTA safety assessment was performed on the second-phase disposal facility of the Gyeongju low – and intermediate-level radioactive waste repository using the RESRAD-OFFSITE code. On the basis of the acceptance criteria of the repository, 13 radionuclides and gross alpha were selected as the radionuclides to be evaluated. In addition, the thermodynamic database of Japan Atomic Energy Agency and natural groundwater data that reflect the operational condition of the disposal facility were applied to derive the solubility by using the PHREEQC computational code. The distribution coefficient was derived for the component of disposal facility based on the sorption database of Japan Atomic Energy Agency. In addition to the solubility and distribution coefficient for various radionuclides, the data of the disposal facility and repository site were analyzed and applied to the RESRAD-OFFSITE code for the safety assessment modeling. The result of the safety assessment calculation revealed the exposure dose corresponding to 3.8% of the exposure dose limit (0.1 mSv/yr). Moreover, additional sensitivity analysis for the exposure dose was conducted by varying the geochemical parameters. Although the exposure dose changed as the geochemical parameters were varied, the result of the sensitivity analysis confirmed that the exposure dose limit was still satisfied.

The Kori Unit 1 will be decommissioned after a permanent shutdown in June 2017. South Korea has a 0.1 mSv/yr exposure limit standard for limited or unlimited site release. This is South Korea's first commercial NPP; therefore, if the containment building is reused as a memorial hall, it will contribute to the improvement of public understanding and enhance the public's acceptance of NPPs. Also, existing Kori Unit 1 nuclear power plant manpower resources can be reused after decommissioning and resident staff and memorial hall visitors can activate nearby commercial areas. Therefore, such a reuse scenario may also prevent an economic recession. The exposure dose was calculated using the following scenarios: worker in the containment building, visitor in the containment building, and worker in buildings other than the containment building. The exposure dose in the buildings was calculated by the RESRAD-BUILD developed by the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The preliminary exposure dose and derived concentration guideline level (DCGL) were derived.

In British Columbia, many communities are dependent on the forest industry and are consequently concerned about uses for the millions of hectares of pine forests killed by the mountain pine beetle. The wood fiber from those dead trees is normally useless for traditional manufacturing of dimensional lumber due to its fragility and poor quality, but wood concrete provides an alternative use. This was a market research study on mountain pine beetle wood concrete product (MPBWCP), an innovative wood product that is a blend of pine beetle–killed wood and concrete. Three building product applications were investigated, including countertops, floor tiles, and garden blocks. We assessed the relative importance that consumers place on the product attributes of wood chip size, color, price, location of production, and green certification. Qualified consumer participants from cities on the West Coast of Canada and the United States were invited to evaluate physical samples of MPBWCP on site. The results of the conjoint analysis revealed that the consumers placed high importance on attributes pertaining to two forms of sustainability, economic and environmental. Indeed, economic sustainability of local communities was the most important attribute. Moreover, sustainability and aesthetic attributes were more important compared with the relative price attribute. Cluster analyses revealed that consumers could be divided into five different segments for all product types. Moreover, one consumer segment highly valued both attributes of sustainability (economic and environmental) more than any other segment. As for demographic insights, the most price-sensitive consumer segment had significantly higher education levels. Overall, consumers showed a desire for sustainable building products in their acceptance of MPBWCP. This is consistent with the importance they placed on both sustainability attributes versus the traditional product attributes of aesthetics and price. By examining a broader concept of sustainability that incorporates economic and environmental dimensions, this study extends the literature on wood products and environmental friendliness.