Re: Radioactive/EPA Hazardou

["Sharyn Baker" <Sharyn.Baker@UCHSC.edu>]

                      RE>Radioactive/EPA Hazardous Liquid Waste    3/6/97

Hello,
In Colorado such "mixed waste" is subject to RCRA regulation. We have, and
continue to make, a diligent effort to discourage the generation of mixed
waste to the point of requiring written authorization from the faculty
Committee on Ionizing Radiation before one is allowed to generate mixed waste.
 We also tend to make the generating lab hold on to it for much longer time
periods, a practice which we do not like. It is of course most problematic
when it will not sufficiently decay in less than 90 days to allow for disposal
as other types of waste. Then it must be shipped as Rad mixed waste to a
licensed disposal facility, both becasue it is expensive and sometimes can be
difficult to find a home for it. So the trick for now is discouragement! 

I believe the EPA is thinking about changes in the regulations for academic
generators, including longer authorized storage times to help with this same
kind of dilemma, but the  Colorado State Health Department would also have to
adopt any such changes to allow us to follow such amendments since they are
the governing agency in Colorado.

Sharyn Baker
Instructor, Health and Safety Division
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Denver, Colorado
email: sharyn.baker@uchsc.edu

--------------------------------------
Date: 3/6/97 8:12 AM
To: Sharyn Baker
From: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
Good Morning RadSafers,

Over the last few years we have been striving to never create radioactive/EPA
hazardous waste (mixed waste). It is becoming increasingly difficult to do
research without creating some small amounts of mixed waste. We are wondering
what to do with hazardous waste contaminated with short-lived isotopes (125I,
32P) which we would normally place in decay-in-storage.

Does anyone out there know how the EPA regards mixed waste stored for decay
for
more than 90 days? Has the EPA published any notices regarding how their
inspectors will cite mixed waste held for decay?

Carol Lentz
Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research
lentzc@aa.wl.com


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Subject: Radioactive/EPA Hazardous Liquid Waste
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