Sewer Disposal

[ehsnet!hps (HPS)]

Reply-to: Wes.Dunn@p2.f13.n233.z1.fidonet.org (Wes Dunn)
Fido-To: hps

You should comment to the NRC on their latest review of sanitary sewer disposal.  The ruckus being raised by water treatment plants (WTPs) is forcing them to relook at the issue (via a Petition for Rule Making).  As you hopefully know, the new 10CFR20 prohibits disposal of non-dispersable material that is not biological.  WTPs are having problems because new (ok, so they've been around for a few decades, but no one thinks about such stuff) techniques create a sludge which concentrates heavy metals and what not (Chicago first noticed heavy metal problems in sludge in the late 70's).  And residue was found in WPT's due to a couple of Am-241 processors.  Ignoring that the new provisions on non-dispersables solved that issue, they are looking at modifying sewer limits such as creating maximum activity limits based on radiotoxicity.  So instead of 1/1/5, you would have separate limits for each isotope.  This could be a pain in the *** for Broad licensees who already have enough records to keep.

The above was included (though maybe in a nicer form) with my comments on the NRC's notice.

Wes


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