ML20151A895
| ML20151A895 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/10/1980 |
| From: | Cunningham R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| FRN-45FR67018, RULE-PR-20 45FR67018, NUDOCS 8011070324 | |
| Download: ML20151A895 (4) | |
Text
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,# So UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3 . %f' ,'j, y . f, WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 W % . .v j/i October 10, 1980 TO ALL MATERIAL LICENSEES AND ADDRESSEES The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering amending its regulations to permit licensees greater leeway in disposing of liquid scintillation media and animal carcasses containing tracer levels of hydrogen-3 (tritium) or carbon-14. Most licensees presently dispose of these items by sending them to a radioactive waste burial ground or by obtaining special authori-zation from NRC for incineration or onsite burial. A copy of the proposed regulations is enclosed.
Under the proposed regulations, the licensee may dispose of specified concentrations of these materials without regard to their radioactivity.
The NRC is also considering amending its regulations to raise the annual limits for disposal of hydrogen-3 and carbon-14 by release to the sanitary sewerage system. The proposed rule changes would conserve waste burial capacity that is already in short supply.
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments and suggestions for consideration on the proposed amendments to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Attention: Docketing and Service Branch. Please refer to Docket No. PR 20 (45 FR 67018) . Comments received af ter Novenbar 24, 1980, will be considered if it is practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given except as to comments filed on or before that date.
Ri(hard E. Cunningham, Director Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety
Enclosure:
Federal Register Notice l
IlllS DOCUMENT CONTas POOR QUAury PAqs e 80110703 N R
c- ..
67018 Federal Register / Vol. 45. No.197 / Wednesday,0ctober 8.1980 / Proposed Rules NUCt. EAR REGULATORY radioactive wastes. These wastes are approximately 9% of the total volume of COMMISSION usually shipped to radioactive waste radioactive waste shipped to bunal burial grounds although certain water grounds that is not related to nuclear 10 CFR Part 20 soluble or dispersible wastes are power generation and its supporting fuel released into sanitary sewerage cycle.
Standards for Protection Against systems. Two of the most commonly There are other hydrogen 3 and Radiation used radioisotopes in biomedical carbon 14 waste streams in the research research (and to a lesser extent in laboratory that do not result in liquid A:ewcY: Nuclear Regulatory medical procedures) are hydrogen 3 and scintillation vials and animal carcasses:
Conunission. carbon 14.The concentrations of these for example, the solutions and attendant Action: Proposed rule. radionuclides in biomedical waste are material used to prepare the research minute. generally less than 0.03 samples. These materials also contain
SUMMARY
- The NRC is considenng tracer leWs o@ ogen 4 ad cah microcunes pu gram.
emending its regulaticns to permit Liquid scmt:Dation media anri animal 14.
licensees greater leeway in disposing of carcasses, both containing tracer Under present NRC regulations, liquid scmtillation media and animal quantities ef hydrogen 3 or carbon 14. hydrogen 3 and carbon 14 wastes that carcasses contaimag tracer levels of constitute the largest volume of are readily soluble or dispersible in hydrogen 3 (tntium) or carbon 14. Most radioactive biomedical waste, water can be disposed of by release to licensees presently dispose of these Liquid scmtillation counting has the sanitary sewerage system. The items by sending them to a radioactive become a widespread technique for annuallimit for release to the sanitary waste burial ground or by obtaming detecting radioactivity in biological sewerage system is found in 10 CFR special authorization from NCR for samples such as blood or urme. 20.303 and is Umited to a total ofI curie incmeration or on site burial. Under the Typically, a fraction of a milliliter of the of all radionuclides per year for each proposed regulations, the licensee may biological sample centaining tracer licensee. This proposed rule would raise dispose of specified concentrations of levels of hydrogen 3 or carbon 14 is the Umit for hydrogen 3 to 5 curies per ,
these matenals without regard *o their combined with 20 milliliters or less of an year and the limit for carbon 14 to 1 l radioactivity. The NRC la also organic solvent. primanly toluene, in a curie per year. This change would result considenng amending its regulations to small vial to make a liquid scintillation in a negligible addition to the level of raise the annual limits for disposal of medium. The vialis placed in a liquid these radioisotopes already present in j hydrogen 3 and carbon 14 by release to scintillation counter, and the biological the natural environment.
I the sanitary sewerage system.The sample is assayed. The vials are'used There are alternatives for disposal of l proposed rule changes would conserve once and then coHected and shipped to liquid scintination media and animal l waste burial capacity that is already in a radioactive waste burial ground. carcasses containing hydrogen.3 and i short supply. Research laboratones and hospitals carbon-14 other than consignment to a l eart: Comment period expires throughout the country presently use radioactive waste burial ground. Liquid November 24.1980. between M and 139 rmulon vials per scintillation media can be evaporated.
year, which represents between 200.000 distilled. burned, or buried on a Note.-Comments received after the exptration date will be considered if it is and 400.000 gallons ofliquid scmtiUation licensee's site if an appropnate location practical to do so, but assurance of media. Disposal of this waste in is available. Animal carcasses can be consideranen cannot be given except as to radioactive waste burial grounds incinerated in a pathogen incinerator. ;
comments filed on or before that date. requires approximately 400.Cv0 cubic Currently none of these alternatives to j ACORessES: Interested persons are feet of space at a cost of over $13 million radioactive waste burial are readily l per year for packing materials, available. Generally, liquid scmtiUation l invited to submit wntten comments and media and animal carcasses with any transport, and disposal (this does not l suggestions for consideration on the include the cost of licensee labor or added hydrogen 3 or carbon 14 are proposed amendments to the Secretary overdead). I.iquid scintiUation media are being handled as radioactive waste and of the Commission. U.S. Nuclear approximately 43% of the total volume consigned to a radioactive waste bunal Regulatory Commission. Washington, of radioactive waste shipped to bunal ground under NRC's regulations D.C. 20355. attention: Docketing and grounds that is not related to nuclear (il 30.41 and 20.301) and similar Serwce Branch. Copies of the power generation and its supporting fuel Agreement State regulations.
preliminary value/ impact analysis and The state agencies that control the cycle.
of comments received may be examined Animals are used in research mainly existing radioactive waste bunal at the Commission's Public Document f r the development and testing of new grounds do not want to accept liqmd Room at 1717 H Street NW.. drugs. Virtuauy every chemical ' scintillation media or animai carcasses, Washington, D. C. Single copies of the e mp und that is considered for use as Liquid scintillation media are flammable preliminary value/ impact analysis are a human or vetennary drug is first and are suspected of ! caching available from John R. Cook at the tagged with a hydrogen 3 or carbon 14 radioactive chemicals out of the bunal phone number and address listed below, tracer and injected mto research trenches. Also. some of the shipping i nn MTHaR INFORMATION CONTACT ammals to study how the chemical containers arnve at the burial grounds
! John R. Cook. Office of Nuclear Matenal compound behaves. These research leaking. Liquid scintillation media are Safety and Safeguards. U.S. Nuclear animals include mice, rats, dogs, chemically toxic and are suspected of Resulatory Commission. Washmgton, monkeys, swine, and sheep. The animal being carcinogenic and thus pose a -
D.C. 20555 (Telephone: 301-427-4:40). carcasses containmg trace quantities of waste hazard unrelated to their SUPP1.1MENTARY INFORMATIONt hydrogen-3 and carbon 14 are usually radioactive character. Animal carcasses Radionuclide tracers are used shipped to radioactive waste burial decompose and can be a pathogen extensively in biomedical research and grounds. Animal carcasses annually hazard. Sometimes the ammal carcasses for the diagnosis of diseases in humans. require about 80 thousand cubic feet of will cause their containers to burst One of the end products of these bunal space at a cost of almost $3 dunng shipment. The voids formed in research and medical activities is m1Uion per year. Animal carcasses are the burial trenches by the decaymg
Fed:ral Register / Vol. 45. No.197 / Wednesday October 8,1980 / Proposed Rules 67019 .
animal carcasses are also believed to rulemaking is very small, and because hydrogen 3 and carbon 14 is appropriate contnbute to migration of chemicals by calculations employing conservative because it would not pose an increasing rain water percolation in the assumptions indicate the dose to any unreasonable risk to the public. In trenches. exposed individual ls likely to be much addition, the shipment of this waste to The three radioactive waste burial less than 1 millirem per year, the radioactive waste burial grounds is grounds in the U.S. are located in Commission believes that the costly and consumes valuable burial Barnwell. South Carolina: Beatty, rulemaking would have 'ittle adverse space that could be made available for Nevada: and Richland. Washington. The impact from a radiological health more hazardous radioactive waste.
Richland. Washington and Beatty, standpoint. The Commission has decided that a 45 Nevada sites accept both liquid The rule would essentially remove day comment period for this rulemaking scinullation media and animal any NRC restrictions on the disposal of is appropriate because the potential carcasses. The Barnwell. South Carolina liquid scintillation media and animal radiologicalimpacts are small and there site does not accept liquid scintFlation carcasses. it would no longer be is a shortage of available burial ground media but does accept animal ekteasses, necessary for NRC licensees to ship capacity.
At all three sites, the state regulatery these materials. which could pose a Under the Atomic Energy Act of1954.
bodies are attempting to reduce the chemical and biological hazard, up t as amended, the Energy Reorganization volume of incoming waste to prolong thousands of miles across the country Act of 1974, as amended. and sec~ tion site use. for disposalin a radioactive waste 553 of Title 5 of the United States Code.
During a temporary state-impo, sed ' burial ground. NRC Agreement States notice is hereby given that adoption of embargo in mid 1979, some hospitals could make similar amendments to their the following amendments to 10 CFR and research institutions across the regulations in order to extend the Part 20 is contemplated.
country apparently came withm days of benefit of this action to theirlicensees. 1. In 120.301, paragraph (c) is revised curtailing operations involving liquid The preliminary value/ impact analysis prepared by the NRC staff to to read as follows:
scintillation counting and animal research bfore the radioactive waste support the proposed rule concludes that i 20.301 Genered requirement.
bunal grounds in Richland. Washington this rule chqnge is the best solution to . . . . .
and Beatty. Nevada resumed accepting the problem of disposal of liquid (c) As provided in i 20.303 or 100.304, liquid scmtillation vials and animal scintillation media and animal carcasses carcasses. contaming tracer amounts of hydrogen 3 applicable respectively to the disposal and carbon 14. The preliminary value/ of licensed material by release into The Rule impact analysis indicated that the action sanitary sewerage systems or burialin This rulemaking would allow NRC is non substantial and insignificant from soil, or in i 20.306 for disposal of licensees to dispose ofliquid the standpoint of environmentalimpact. specific wastes, or in i 20.106 scmtillation media and animal carcasses If also adopted by the Agreement States, (Radioactivity in effluents to containing less than 0.05 microcuttes of this action would save hospitals and unrestncted areas).
hydrogen 3 or carbon 14 per gram research institutions l'n excess of $13 2. In i 20.303, paragraph (d) is' revised without regard to their radioactivity, million annually ($16'million for the cost to read as follows:
This regulation would not relieve of packaging materials, transportation, i 20.303 Dupoeal by rolesse into senttery licensees from complytng with other and disposal, minus the $3 million
- "*"'Y'"***
applicable regulations of Federal. state. estimated for non radioactive waste * * * *
- and local government agencies disposal). Also. it would save almost regarding the disposal of non- one half million cubic feet of radioactive (d) The gross quantity of licensed and radioactive matenals. Scintillation waste burial capacity annually, or half other radioactive material, excluding media are toxic and flanmableiand of that used for radioactive waste not hydronn 3 and carbon 14, released into animal carcasses are sometimes related to nuclear power generation and the sewerage system by the licensee .
pathogenic. These characteristics. which its supporting fuel cycle, does not exceed one curie per year.The are a more important public health In summary, the proposed quantattee of hydrogen 3 and carbon 14 . ,
problem than their radioactivity, may amendrnents concerning the disposal of released into the sanitary sewerage I require them to be disposed of under tracer levels of hydrogen 3 and carbon- system may not exceed 5 curies per yea.r l applicable Federal. state, and locallaws 14 in liquid scintillation media and for hydrogen 3 and 1 curie per year for goveming chemical and biological animal carcasses would be appropriate carbon 14. Excreta from individuals hazards. This rulemaking would also because:(a) the proposed amendments undergoing medical diagnosis or therapy allow the disposal by release to a would not pose an unreasonable nsk to with radioactive matenal snall be sanitary sewerage systerm of up to 5 the common defense and securtty and to exempt from any limitations contained curies of hydrogen 3 and 1 curie of the health and safety of the p tblic:(b) in this section, carbon 14 per year, in addition to the disposal of these wastes in radioactive presently allowed 1 curie per year for all waste burial ounds is expensive and 3. $ 20.305 la revised to read as radionuclides. Neither the rulemaking without benekt commensurate with Ithe II "8 allowing disposal of liquid scmtillation expense: (c) the flammability of liquid i 20.30s Treatment or disposei by media and animal carcasses without scmt111ation media (orgame solvents) incinwatson.
regard to their radioactivity nor that and the decomposition of ammal No licensee shall treat or dispose of raismg the limit for disposal of carcasses cause a significant problem in licensed matenal by incineration except hydrogen 3 and carbon 14 to samtary transporting these wastes to bunal for materials listed under 6 20.306 or as sawerage authonzed disposal of liquids grounds; and (d) these wastes consume specifically approved by the scmttilation media (e g., toluene linto the a sigmficant portion of radioactive Commission pursuant to il 20.106(b) santtary sewerage system, waste bunal capabity which is in short and 20*30"
Because the amount of hydrogen 3 supply.
and carbon 14 that could be released to Similarfy. the amendment raising the 4. A new I 20.300 is added to read as the environment as a result of this~ ilmit for samtary sewerage disposal of follows:
l . .
87020- Federal Register / Vol. 45. No.197 / Wednesday. October 8.1980 / Proposed Rules 120.3os otoposai M speeme westee.
(a) Any licensee may dispose of the following licensed matenal without rsgard to its radioactivity:
(1) 0.05 microcuries or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon.14. per gram of mIdium, used for liquid scintdlation counting; and (2) 0 05 :nicrocuttes or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon.14 per gram of animal tissue averaged over the weight of the entire animal: provided however, tissue may not be disposed of under this section in a msnner that would permit its use either as food for humans or as animal feed.
(b) Nothing in this section, however, relieves the licensee of maintaining etcords showing the receipt, transfer, and disposal of such byproduct material as specified in i 30.51 of this chapter.
~
(Sec. 81.181b. Pub. L 83-to3. 88 Stat. cS. 948.
as amended (42 U.S.C. 2111. 2r.01) Sec. 201.
Pub. L 93-438,88 Stat.1242 (42 U.S.C 58411)
Dai d at Washington. DC, this 2d day of l
l October.1980.
I For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
l Samuel J. Chilk.
l S1cretary of the Commission.
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