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Louisiana State University Radiation Safety Office: Radioactive Waste Handling, Storage and Disposal

The document provides guidance on handling, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste. It outlines approved containers for storage and rules for segregating different types of waste. It also describes legal methods for disposal including decay storage, dumping to sewer, incineration, shipping to disposal sites, and disposing of low-level waste as normal.

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28 views

Louisiana State University Radiation Safety Office: Radioactive Waste Handling, Storage and Disposal

The document provides guidance on handling, storing, and disposing of radioactive waste. It outlines approved containers for storage and rules for segregating different types of waste. It also describes legal methods for disposal including decay storage, dumping to sewer, incineration, shipping to disposal sites, and disposing of low-level waste as normal.

Uploaded by

subhash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Louisiana State University

Radiation Safety Office

Module 7
RADIOACTIVE WASTE HANDLING,
STORAGE AND DISPOSAL

1
Storage of Radioactive Waste

• Store waste in only approved bags and containers.

• Bags (item #12788 or 11237), Boxes (item #17775) and Carboys


(item# 65863W) are available from Lab Safety Supply
(www.labsafety.com)

• Do NOT use anything that can be mistaken for a


ordinary trash container

2
WASTE CONTAINERS

3
WASTE CONTAINERS

This is a
Violation.

4
Storage of Radioactive Waste

• Do not mix aqueous and organic liquid waste.

• Do not mix liquid and dry waste, i.e., do not dispose


of such items as pipette tips in liquid waste nor vials
with liquid in dry waste

• Segregate dry waste by half-lives equal to or less


than 100 days and that with half-lives greater than
100 days.
5
Storage of Radioactive Waste

• Do not mix scintillation vials that contain different


radionuclides.

• Do not use coke bottles, milk bottles, etc. for


liquid waste.

6
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

• Hold for Decay


• Dump to Sanitary Sewer
• Incineration
• Ship to Disposal Site
• Dispose of as if not radioactive

7
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

Hold for Decay

– You can store waste in the laboratory if the


half-life is no greater than 36 days.

– The Radiation Safety Office can hold waste


with half-lives up to 100 days.

8
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste
Dump to Sanitary Sewer

– Must be water soluble or a readily dispersible


biological material in water.
– Concentration is limited by regulations - check
with the Radiation Safety Office.
– Must obtain permission from the Radiation
Safety Office prior to dumping

9
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

Incineration

– Preferred method of disposing of combustibles.

– Generator pays for the disposal cost.

10
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

Ship to an approved disposal site

– Sealed sources in gauges, detectors or counters


and check sources are sent to approved disposal
site for disposal

– Generator pays for the disposal cost.

11
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

Dispose of as if it not Radioactive

– Scintillation Cocktail containing no more than


0.05 microcuries per ml of H-3 or C-14 may be
discarded as if it is not radioactive. If
chemicals are disposed of properly, the
radioactivity will not pose a problem.

12
Legal Methods of Disposing of
Radioactive Waste

Dispose of as if it not Radioactive (cont.)

– Animal Tissue containing no more than 0.05


microcuries per ml of H-3, or C-14 may be
discarded as if it is not radioactive. If animal
tissue is disposed of properly, the radioactivity
will not pose a problem.

13
Waste Disposal Tag

•Every waste bottle, bag or box must have a


completed waste disposal tag attached, with
isotope, activity, volume, date, PI and lab #
•For dry waste, estimate volume in cubic feet
•For liquid waste, estimate volume in liters
•Waste will not be picked up without a completed
waste tag

14

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