BRC, Waste

[scribner@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu]

                   Ohio University Electronic Communication


   Date:  18-Oct-1995 10:03am EST

     To:  Remote Addressee                     ( _MX%"radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu" )

   From:  Leroy Scribner                             Dept:  Environmental Health and Safety
          SCRIBNER                                 Tel No:  614-593-1666

Subject:  BRC, Waste


    My interest in BRC is for laboratory type waste that has a specific 
    activity in the neighborhood of .001 uCi/gm. or less. Much like that 
    associated with the scintillation cocktail and animal carcasses.  
    
    I once got a verbal interpretation from Bob Burgan of the NRC that the 
    exemption for the animal carcasses and scintillation cocktail also 
    applied to any absorbent paper, pipette tips and other that were 
    associated with that operation.  In other words if you pulled the wipe 
    out of a scintillation vial, that would be included in the exemption.  
    A more recent interpretation from NRC indicated this was not so, the 
    wipe would not be included in the exemption and must be disposed of as 
    low level waste.  I know have several drums of lab waste, paper, tips, 
    gloves and the like that are well below the .05 limit contaminated with 
    C-14 or H-3.   
    
    I don't believe that waste with such low specific activity should be 
    given special attention especially at the price of $2500 a 55 gal. 
    drum. I also believe that other isotopes should be included to the 
    list, like Ca-45. 
    
    Does anyone have a method or means to legally clear such waste and 
    dispose of it as municipal waste.  This is only my opinion, any help 
    would be appreciated!!



Received:  18-Oct-1995 10:04am