Re: chemical question; a different angle.

[jdelahunt@cc.colorado.edu (John DeLaHunt)]

>I have another angle on this I'd like an answer to.
>
>Would these compounds constitute mixed hazardous waste?  They're 
>radioactive and hazardous; just not man-made radioactivity.
>
>What regulations would apply to their disposal?

The current rules regarding non-specific nitrates and their status as
hazardous wastes (federal) may be found in 40 CFR 261.21(a):

A solid waste exhibits the characteristic of ignitability if a
representitive sample of the waste has any of the following properties:

(4):  It is an oxidizer as definied in 49 CFR 173.151.

49 CFR 173.151:  Exemptions for flammable solids.

This is from the 1993 CFR, but my understanding is that it hasn't been
fixed.  I'm sure they mean that if it is an oxidizer under HM-181, it is
D001 under RCRA.

Uranyl nitrate solution is listed as radioactive and corrosive (go figure),
uranyl nitrate solid is radioactive and oxidizer, thorium nitrate solid is
radioactive and oxidizer.

Therefore, according to this brief examination, solid thorium and uranyl
nitrates are D001 (ignitable) and radioactive if more than .05% w/w U or Th.

In addition, if the pH of any solution is greater than 12 or less than 2,
it's corrosive (D002).

Hope this helps.

John



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