Page 372 - Beyond Decommissioning

348 Glossary

Entombment The encasing of part or all of a facility in a structure of long-lived material for the
purposes of decommissioning. Entombment is not considered an acceptable strategy for
decommissioning a facility following planned permanent shutdown. Entombment may be
considered acceptable only under exceptional circumstances (e.g., following a severe
accident). In this case, the entombment structure is maintained and surveillance is con-
tinued until the radioactive inventory decays to a level permitting termination of the license
and unrestricted release of the structure.
Environment The conditions under which people, animals, and plants live or develop and
which sustain all life and development; especially such conditions as affected by human
activities.
Externality Consequence of an industrial or commercial activity which affects other parties
without this being reflected in market prices (Oxford Dictionary). For example, the
emission of greenhouse gases is a negative externality: everybody is affected, but the
polluter does not pay (note by the author).
Fabric*** The material substance of which places are formed, including geology, archaeolog-
ical deposits, structures and buildings, and flora.
Gasholder A huge cylindrical tank for storing fuel gas under pressure (Merriam-Webster Dic-
tionary). Also known as (a.k.a.)—improperly—gasometer. The gas holders continued to be
built through the 19th century and the early 20th century when gas was produced at local
gas works. Due to developments in gas pipe technology and transport of gas from remote
gas fields over long distances, most gas holders became obsolete in the second half of the
20th century: they are currently being dismantled or converted to new uses.
Gentrification The buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighbor-
hoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, raising property values but often
displacing low-income families and small businesses (Dictionary.com).
Globalization The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international
influence or start operating on an international scale (Oxford Dictionary).
Greenfield* A condition when the nuclear site has been granted unrestricted release from
regulatory control, buildings have been demolished, and no further redevelopment is
planned.
Grayfield Properties that have been developed, and have infrastructure in place, but whose use
is outdated or blocks access to the best continued use or redevelopment of the real estate
(Michigan State University Extension Program Session 3 Adaptive Reuse https://www.
livgov.com/plan/Documents/Session%203%20Presentation%20-%20Adaptive%
20Reuse.pdf).
Heritage*** All inherited resources which people value for reasons beyond mere utility.
Historical value*** Value deriving from the ways in which past people, events, and aspects of
life can be connected through a place to the present.
Historic environment*** All aspects of the environment resulting from the interaction
between people and places through time, including all surviving physical remains of
past human activity, whether visible or buried, and deliberately planted or managed flora.
Incident Any unintended event, including operating errors, equipment failures, initiating
events, accident precursors, near misses or other mishaps, or unauthorized act, mali-
cious or non-malicious, the consequences or potential consequences of which are not
negligible from the point of view of protection and safety. The word incident is used to
describe events that are, in effect, minor accidents, that is, that are distinguished from
accidents only in terms of being less severe.
Infrastructure* Public improvements that support development, including street lighting,
sewers, flood control facilities, water lines, gas lines, telephone lines, etc.