ML19351A562
| ML19351A562 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/07/1989 |
| From: | Lohaus P NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Hadak A HOUGHTON COLLEGE, HOUGHTON, NY |
| References | |
| REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 8912190324 | |
| Download: ML19351A562 (3) | |
Text
i LLMM 89-136 DEC - 7 1989 i)4s. ' Anty Hodak Houghton College CPO Box 939 Houghton, New York 14744
Dear Ms. Hodak:
I have briefly looked at the available literature to try to answer your-question, "when and how the term ' low-level radioactive waste' came into use?"
h I am not sure when the term was first used, but as early as 1959 it was already being used by the U.S. Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy l-in a manner indicating that the term was not new.
" Low-level waste" is used to describe wastes not covered by the definitions of other wastes, particularly "high-level waste," which denotes the highly radioactive waste derived from reprocessing spent reactor fuel. High-level waste must be isolated from the biosphere in deep geologic repositories and is subject to a separate set of regulatory requirements.
" Low-level waste" is l
currently defined as radioactive waste that is not high-level waste, spent fuel from licensed reactors, nor waste from the processing of uranium or thorium ore l'
into a feedstock for reactor fuel.
Low-level waste must be disposed of to meet a comprehensive set of requirements to assure protection of humans and the environment for the centuries that isolation is required.
For your information, I have enclosed a copy of our brochure, " Regulating the Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste," describing the principal features of our 10 CFR Part 61 regulation.
Sincerely, (SIGNED) PAULH.LOHAUS Paul H. Lohaus, Chief i
Operations Branch Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning, hMSS
Enclosure:
As stated DISTRIBUTION:
(LLWM 89-136)
- Central F11e 1409d Y~,;
RLBangart PLohaus JJSurmeier JLepre LLOB r/f JGreeves MBell MDunkelman RMacDougall
[
PDR Yes: /'T~/
PDR No: /
/
Reason: Proprietary /
/
or CF Only /
/
ACNW Yes:
/
No:
X/
SUBJECT ABSTRAC :
Response t tizen A Hodak of NY State
- SeePreviod currence OFC :LLOB*
- LLOB*
- LLO NAME:MDunkelman/jl:RMacDougal1 :PLohaus en DATE:11/30/89
- 11/30/89
- 12///89 0FFICIAL RECORD COPY
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8912190324 W1207 f(g/gggd ew
/LL 89-136
'Ms. Aray Hodak Houghton College CP0 Box 939
- Houghton, New York 14744
Dear Ms. Hodak:
I have riefly looked at the available literature to try to answer your questic as to "when and how the tenn ' low-level radioactive waste' came into l
use".
I am not sure when the term was first used, but as early as 1959 it was already being used by the U.S. Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy in a q
manner indicating that the term was not new.
" Low-level waste" may have come into use to describe'the remainder of wastes not covered by the definitions of other wastes, particularly."high-level waste," which denotes the highly radioactive waste \\ rom the re)rocessing of. spent reactor fuel. High-level f
waste must be isolated from tie biosphere for millenia in deep geologic repositories, and isssubject to a separate set of regulatory requirements.
l
" Low-level waste" is currently defined as. radioactive waste that is not l
i high-level waste, spentsfuel from licensed reactors, or waste from the processingofuraniumorg\\horium ore _into a feedstock for reactor fuel.
This is not to suggest, however, that low-level waste is' innocuous as a hazard to public health or the environment. Most low-level waste is not required to be disposed of in a geologic \\ repository, but its disposal must meet a comprehensive set of requirements to assure adequate protection of humans and the environment for the centur'ies that isolation is required. For your information, I have enclosed a copy of our brochure, " Regulating the Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste,"\\ describing the principal features of our 10 CFR Part 61 regulation.
\\
\\
Sincerely,
\\\\
Paul HA Lohaus, Chief Operations Branch Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Deconsni sioning, HMSS
Enclosure:
As stated N
DISTRIBUTION:
(LLWM89-136)
\\
Central File f409.33
\\
RLBangart PLohaus JJSurmeier JLepre LLOB r/f JGreeves MBell MDunkelman RMacDbugall PDR Yes: /~T"/
PDR No: /~/
Reason: Proprietary /.
/
or C Only /
/
ACNW Yes: L/
No: Q/
SUBJECT ABSTRACT:
Response to Citizen Arqy Hodak of NY State sn nt 0FC :LLOB LLOB
- LLOB p
NAME:MDunkelman[jl:RMacDougall :PLohaus DATE:11/sf/89
- 11/pp/89
- 11/ /89
- 11/ /89 :11/ /89
- 11/ /89 :
OFFICIAL. RECORD COP.Y
LLWM'89-136-
=.
- ..*.Ms. Anty Hodak-Houghton College CP0 Box 939 Houghton, New York 14744 i
Dear Ms. Hodak:
L have.briefly looked at the available literature to try to answer your gbestion, "when and how the term ' low-level radioactive waste' came into use?"
I hg not sure when the term was first used, but as early as 1959 it was already being used by the U.S. Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy in a manner indicating that the term was not new.
4
\\
" Low-level waste" is used to describe the remainder of wastes not covered by the definitions of other wastes, particularly "high-level waste," which denotes the highly radioactive waste from the reprocessing spent reactor fuel.
High-level waste must be isolated from the biosphere in deep geologic repositories an'd is subject to a separate set of regulatory requirements.
" Low-level waste"gis currently defined as radioactive waste that is not high-level waste, spent fuel from licensed reactors, nor waste from the processing of uranism or thorium ore into a feedstock for reactor fuel.
Low-level waste must e isposed of to meet a comprehensive set of requirements to assure protection of mans and the environment for the centuries that isolation is required. Fog your information, I have enclosed a copy of our brochure, " Regulating the Digposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste," describing the principal features of our 10 CFR Part 61 regulation.
Sincerely, Paul 1. Lohaus, Chief l
Opera ons Branch Division of Low-Level Waste H agement and Dec issioning, NMSS
Enclosure:
As stated DISTRIBUTION:
(LLWM89-136) t l
Central File #409.33 L
RLBangart PLohaus JJSurmeier JLepre LLOB r/f s
L JGreeves MBell MDunkelman RMacD gall PDR Yes: /X/
L PDR No: /
_/
Reason: Proprietary /
/
or CF On
/
/
/
No: /_T_/
g C'ResponsetoCitizenAmyHodakofNYState ACNW Yes:
N~
SUBJECT ABSTRACT:
- See Previous Concurrence i
0FC :LLOB*
- LLOB*
- LLOB
)
NAME:MDunkelman/jl:RMacDougall :PLohaus DATE:11/30/89
- 11/30/89
- 12/ /89 :
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY l
- -.