Low level waste post LLWPA

["Dale E. Boyce" <dale@radpro.uchicago.edu>]

I am looking for other universities who are in similar
situations as The University of Chicago wrt. low level
radioactive waste disposal.  We are a moderate sized
type A broad scope licensee; a few Curies of H3, P32, S35,
and I125 plus the assorted other stuff you find at research
universities.  We have always brokered most of our waste
directly from the labs to disposal sites.  Decay in storage
for half-lives less than 90 days is done in the labs, not
centrally.  We have minimal storage space and no chance
of getting an incinerator.

We are planning to try to incinerate with SEG.  To use SEG
we must create a quality control program to ensure compliance
with SEG's criteria (material composition, activity limits,
no biohazards or sharps).  We have a plan that is being sold
to the administration.  They want to know what plans other
universities are preparing in face of being closed out of all
disposal sites.

Our non-processed waste volume has gone from 300 barrels in
1991 down to 80 in 1993 due to D.I.S. in the labs.  I don't
like that much waste in the labs, but haven't been able to
sell a central D.I.S. program --- yet.  Who else out there
is in a real jam due to the LLWPA?

   __        _         __         __
  /  )      //        /  `       /  ) dale@radpro.uchicago.edu       
 /  / __.  // _      /--        /--<  ____  ,   _. _ "Fear is not a
/__/_(_/|_</_</_    (___, o    /___/_(_) (_/___(__</_ stochastic effect
"A mind is a terrible thing to lose." D.Q./   of ionizing radiation." D.B.
                                         '