Re: Re[2]: NRC Licensing of Am-241

[David Scherer <scherer@uiuc.edu>]

At 09:20 AM 10/25/96 -0500, you wrote:
>     Wes
>     
>     At one time that is what I believed.  However, If this were the case, 
>     then we could establish our "free release" program to screen for 
>     radioactivity levels that correspond to the exempt quantity limits (or 
>     1/10th to be conservative and allow personnel to leave the RCA with 
>     "less than exempt quantities" on thier person or belongings.
>     

This does not follow.  There is a difference between transferring exempt
quantities to someone who knowingly accepts that material and "free
release," where the future user is told the object or site is clean.

>     We (the nuclear power industry) have been specifically told by the NRC 
>     that the release limits for contamination is zero (with reasonable 
>     detection limits).  For liquids, the target (regulated) MDAs are 
>     typically 1E-8 uCi/cc, 3 to four orders of magnitude below the exempt 
>     concentration limits!!!
>     
>     There have been many a landfill purchased because of contamination 
>     from levels less that the exempt concentration and quantity limits.
>     

Was the landfill purchased under NRC order or was it the simplest way to
avoid a fight with the owners?

Regards,
Dave Scherer
scherer@uiuc.edu