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Re: Mixed Waste
You know, as a simple-minded chemist, I don't understand this. Toluene is
an organic solvent as well as a reagent, no matter where it is used. Excess
toluene from a reaction or a separation process that is contaminated with
other reagents is a waste material -- an organic waste. If it is
contaminated with radioactive material, it would be a mixed waste. As an
organic solvent, it shouldn't be disposed of in a landfill. It can be
absorbed and the absorbent disposed of, I guess -- I am not up on the
regulations.
Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: William V Lipton <liptonw@dteenergy.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Saturday, April 22, 2000 4:58 AM
Subject: Re: Mixed Waste
>Toluene is an F005 waste only if it is a "spent solvent." It's thus
important
>to find out where it originated. Toluene is often used as a reagent in
>chemistry labs. If that is its origin, then it's not F005.
>
>The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
>It's not about dose, it's about trust.
>
>Bill Lipton
>liptonw@dteenergy.com
>
>David Lovett wrote:
>
>> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>>
>> ------=_NextPart_000_00FF_01BFAAF0.50E19FE0
>> Content-Type: text/plain;
>> charset="iso-8859-1"
>> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>>
>> Radsafers, need some help here.
>>
>> This station's radwaste system has an inline charcoal bed, that had been
=
>> in service for about six years, processing about one million gallons of =
>> waste water per year. In 1999, the charcoal bed was exhausted and its =
>> contents discharged to the spent resin tank (SRT).
>>
>> In late 1999, the contents of the SRT were sluiced to a liner for =
>> disposal. This was a mixture of charcoal and demin resins, the demins =
>> are downstream of the demins. A sample was taken for characterization =
>> prior to shipment for diposal. The sample was analyzed for RCRA =
>> hazardous waste as well.
>>
>> The results on the radiological part, were within expectation, however =
>> the RCRA analysis showed levels of 120 ppb Toluene and Xylene, as well =
>> as the expected benzenes et al. All compounds except Toluene and Xylene
=
>> were below RCRA and LDR criteria. Xylene, 40CFR261.3 subpart D was =
>> discounted on the ignitability criteria.
>>
>> Toluene is a problem here in that the F005 code is listed and a =
>> justification for not classifying this waste as mixed waste is being =
>> sought. Investigation into that history of this charcoal bed and =
>> documentation and interviews of plant personnel have not indidcated any =
>> particular incident that might have resulted in the introduction of =
>> organics into the resin/charcoal mix. =20
>>
>> Has anyone in the non-nuclear/nuclear experienced similar results, is =
>> this a mixed was, although < 10% by volume, and if any facility has =
>> handled the same how was it handled?
>>
>> Would appreciate a prompt response, the implications for the nuclear =
>> industry are profound.........
>>
>> =20
>>
>> ------=_NextPart_000_00FF_01BFAAF0.50E19FE0
>> Content-Type: text/html;
>> charset="iso-8859-1"
>> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>>
>> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
>> <HTML><HEAD>
>> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
>> http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
>> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=3DGENERATOR>
>> <STYLE></STYLE>
>> </HEAD>
>> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Radsafers, need some help here.</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>This station's radwaste system has an inline =
>> charcoal bed,=20
>> that had been in service for about six years, processing about one =
>> million=20
>> gallons of waste water per year. In 1999, the charcoal bed was =
>> exhausted=20
>> and its contents discharged to the spent resin tank (SRT).</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>In late 1999, the contents of the SRT were sluiced =
>> to a liner=20
>> for disposal. This was a mixture of charcoal and demin resins, the =
>> demins are=20
>> downstream of the demins. A sample was taken for =
>> characterization=20
>> prior to shipment for diposal. The sample was analyzed for RCRA =
>> hazardous=20
>> waste as well.</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>The results on the radiological part, were within =
>> expectation,=20
>> however the RCRA analysis showed levels of 120 ppb Toluene and Xylene, =
>> as well=20
>> as the expected benzenes et al. All compounds except Toluene and =
>> Xylene=20
>> were below RCRA and LDR criteria. Xylene, 40CFR261.3 subpart D was
=
>>
>> discounted on the ignitability criteria.</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Toluene is a problem here in that the F005 code is =
>> listed and=20
>> a justification for not classifying this waste as mixed waste is being=20
>> sought. Investigation into that history of this charcoal bed and=20
>> documentation and interviews of plant personnel have not indidcated
any=20
>> particular incident that might have resulted in the introduction of =
>> organics=20
>> into the resin/charcoal mix. </FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Has anyone in the non-nuclear/nuclear=20
>> experienced similar results, is this a mixed was, although < 10%
=
>> by=20
>> volume, and if any facility has handled the same how was it=20
>> handled?</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2>Would appreciate a prompt response, the =
>> implications for=20
>> the nuclear industry are profound.........</FONT></DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
>> <DIV><FONT size=3D2> </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>>
>> ------=_NextPart_000_00FF_01BFAAF0.50E19FE0--
>>
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>
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html