[ RadSafe ] Rad in Hawaii - TENORM disposal

Wed Apr 4 15:19:07 CDT 2007

I have not been following this thread, but in Colorado, we have a new TENORM policy/guidance document that tries to avoid the costs of radwaste disposal for low concentrations.  It takes a graded approach to what concentrations of radium226-228 and U-nat can go to the various levels of disposal facilities.  We have been sending drinking water residuals with low concentrations to an industrial landfill on a case-by-case basis for about 30 years.  We also have a Subtitle C facility that is licensed to receive diffuse NORM/TENORM up to source material concentrations and 400 pCi/g Ra.  The court challenges are hopefully going to be over in a short time.  Our Radiation Control Act specifies that TENORM can be a solid waste, so it is a decision we base on concentration, chemical form, and risk.

The guidance part right now focuses on drinking water treatment residuals (the crisis du jour around here), but the policy part applies to all TENORM.  Note that we even have a threshold below which the material will not be managed for its radioactivity, but rather as solid waste.
The Policy and Guidance can be found at the following url:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/wq/drinkingwater/pdf/TENORM/FinalPDFMaster.pdf

Phil Egidi
EPS III
Radiation Management Unit
Radiation Control Program
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division
CDPHE

NEW ADDRESS:
222 S. 6th St. Rm. 232
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 248-7162
(970) 248-7198 fax

alternate numbers:
(303)692-3447
(303)759-5355 (fax)

>>> "Boing, Lawrence E." <lboing at anl.gov> 04/04/07 1:35 PM >>>
There has been much discussion internationally on regulating 'NORM
industries' - that could be very interesting.....

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Mccormick, Luke I
Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2007 2:21 PM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl 
Subject: Re:RE: [ RadSafe ] Rad in Hawaii

I wonder how they handle the rad waste problem? According to regulators,
the condensed out NORM in now TENORM so must be disposed of as Rad
waste. I remember the fiasco at El Centro well. 1.58 pCi/g (total, not
above bkgd of about 0.8 pCi/g) of Ra-226 in the sludge so it had to go
to a rad waste dispo facility. God forbid someone spill a bag of Brazil
nuts at 14 pCi/g.

____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:    RE: [ RadSafe ] Rad in Hawaii
Author:     radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl 
Date:       4/3/2007 10:13 AM

       Found this snippet. I was at this geothermal location.
       Impressive site to
       see.

       "The Hawaii geothermal area includes the Puna Geothermal
       Venture, which is
       located about 21 miles south of Hilo on the Big Island of
       Hawaii. The
       facility is situated along the Lower East Rift Zone of the
       Kilauea Volcano.
       At the Puna Geothermal Venture, geothermal fluid is brought to
       the surface
       through production wells, which tap into the resource at a
       depth of almost a
       mile. The steam, along with its non-condensable gases, is
       routed to the
       power plant and used to produce electricity for the Big Island
       of Hawaii."

       Here is a  reference:

       HAWAII AND GEOTHERMAL WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING?
       http://geoheat.oit.edu/bulletin/bull23-3/art4.pdf 

       ---------------------------------------------------------------
       -
       Sandy Perle
       Senior Vice President, Technical Operations
       Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
       2652 McGaw Avenue
       Irvine, CA 92614

       Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714 Extension 2306
       Tel: (949) 419-1000 Extension 2306
       Fax:(949) 296-1144

       Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/ 
       Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/ 

       But I would think that Hawaii has geothermal potential
       comparable to
       Iceland, no ?

        Jaro
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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