Re: Short lived waste

[Michael Kay <makay@teleport.com>]

Contact your licensing agent (agreement state or NRC) and ask what periods
they will allow for storage for decay. Some will allow the time for all of the
listed ones if there is a proper storage facility, but you have up to one year
in any case. For microcurie quantities (that is the unit used in my clients
licenses by our state licensing agency) this is the cheapest method there is.
After decay of the radionuclides, the waste is no longer radioactive or mixed.
If it is not classified as hazardous, it can be disposed of as regular waste.
Stock solutions can be held as usable inventory with proper recordkeeping as
long as the material can be used by a researcher. The time limit for storage
for decay begins when the material is declared waste.

Michael A. Kay, ScD, CHMM
Advisory Information Only, Contact Your Licensing Agency for Exact Rules and
Regulations.

sxx@po.cwru.edu wrote:

> All Radsafers:
>
> Would someone offer me some information about what is the best way to deal
> with short lived radioactive waste (32P, 35S, 125I,...)  in University
> setting?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Shirley



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