Open AccessRCRA designation of discarded americium/beryllium sealed sources
Author(s) -
N.P. Kirner
Publication year - 1994
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/41267
Subject(s) - hazardous waste , americium , waste management , beryllium , resource conservation and recovery act , radioactive waste , environmental science , business , plutonium , engineering , radiochemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry
Many sealed sources containing americium and beryllium are used throughout construction, industry, and research, and will eventually require disposal. For planning purposes it is necessary to determine whether these sources, when disposed, constitute a mixed waste, i.e., a waste containing hazardous constituents regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and radioactive constituents regulated under the Atomic Energy Act. Waste designation criteria contained in 40 CFR 261 are evaluated in detail in this report. It is determined that discarded americium/beryllium sealed sources do not contain any wastes listed in Subpart D of 40 CFR 261, nor do the discarded sources exhibit any hazardous characteristics. Therefore, it is concluded that discarded americium/beryllium sealed sources are not a mixed waste under regulations established by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Hazardous waste regulatory programs delegated to States, however, may have regulations that differ from those of the Federal government