Re: Source of regs/policy on decay in storage

[Chris Alston <alstonc@odrge.odr.georgetown.edu>]

Doug

Neither Section D.1001 (Waste Disposal - General Requirements), nor Section
G.30 (Decay-In-Storage), of the Suggested State Regulations for Control of
Radiation, proposes a limit on the length of the half-life.  Section G.30a
simply reads: "Before disposal in ordinary trash, a licensee shall hold
radioactive material for decay-in-storage and is exempt from the waste
disposal requirements of Part D of these regulations if the licensee: i.
Holds radioactive material for decay a minimum of 10 half-lives."
Contrastingly, 10 CFR 35.92(a) reads: "A licensee may hold byproduct
material with a physical half-life of less than 65 days for
decay-in-storage before disposal in ordinary trash . . ."

Perhaps the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, in its
wisdom, thought it best to leave it to the individual States to write a
half-life limitations, should they so desire. I recommend that you consult
your own regs.

Many licensees do have line-items that permit nuclides with longer
half-lives to be decayed-in-storage. However, the halflife of Co57 is 271
days. I don't know of any regular licensee allowed that much time (2710 d =
7.4 y). I suppose that one of the waste disposal companies might be able to
D-I-S it for you. If they could it'd probably be a darn sight cheaper than
disposing of it as radwaste (i.e., land burial).

good luck
cja


At 04:28 PM 4/18/00 -0500, you wrote:
>But Co-57 is State-regulated, and not NRC-regulated!
>
>Doug
>
>At 03:56 PM 4/18/00 -0500, you wrote:
>>Stephen -
>>
>>Try 10CFR35.92.
>>
>>Steve
>>
>>At 03:09 PM 4/18/00 -0500, you wrote:
>> >Does anyone know the source of the often used limit for decay and 
>> storage of
>> >radioactive materials not exceeding a half life of 65 days?  Licensees are
>> >having a difficult time in getting rid of old cobalt 57 dose calibrator
>> >reference sources if the manufacturer will not take them back in 
>> exchange by
>> >new sources.  One choice being used is to hold these sources for "storage
>> >only" until they have reached exempt limits.  Any suggestions?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >Thanks in advance,
>> >
>> >Stephen A. Doerfler
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