What to Do With Radioactive Waste

 

Disposal to the Sewer System

Liquid radioactive wastes should be released to the sewer system if it meets the following criteria:
Small quantities of radio nuclides that are readily soluble or dispersible in water, and contain no toxic or hazardous substances, may be released to the sewer without prior approval of the RSO provided that no more than 0.1 millicurie of all nuclides combined may be released by any one responsible user in any one week, and that the release is recorded on the "RADIOISOTOPE DISPOSITION RECORD" (RPR 13C) or on a "DISPOSAL LOG" (RPR 13D) for subsequent summarization on the DISPOSITION RECORD. Any sink to be used for sewage disposal of radioactive materials must be approved by the RSO and shall be identified with a "CAUTION RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" label on the drain trap as well as on the top of the sink.

Liquid Waste Collection and Segregation

Any radioactive liquid wastes that cannot be released to the sanitary sewer system under the criteria specified above are to be segregated and collected for disposal by the RSO. Separate containers are to be provided for materials which would be incompatible if placed in the same container, e.g. aqueous solutions and organic solvents, as well as for nuclides with different half-lives.

Liquid waste containers are to be unbreakable, e.g. plastic jugs or metal cans, and are to be placed in a secondary container of sufficient volume to collect all of the liquid in the event of a leak in the primary container.

Aqueous wastes must be neutralized to prevent violent chemical reactions when the wastes are transferred.  Organic solvents and other hazardous materials must be clearly and completely identified to permit safe handling and disposal.  No solid objects are to be placed in any liquid waste container and the materials must be sufficiently fluid to be poured from the container, even after storage for decay.

Liquid Scintillation Media and Vials

Users are required to use non-hazardous, nontoxic (NHNT) LS media to the maximum extent that is compatible with research requirements. The use of flammable or otherwise hazardous LS media must be justified in writing and approved by the Radiation Safety Committee.

Used vials are to be segregated, according to the LS medium and the radionuclides they contain, into one of the following categories:

1 Vials containing only "NHNT" media, regardless of nuclides.

2 Flammable solvent containing only H-3 and/or C-14.

3 Flammable solvent containing only H-3, C-14 and/or short-lived nuclides, (half-lives <120 days) should be further segregated by nuclides.

4 Flammable solvent containing long-lived nuclides other than H-3 or C-14.

Used vials containing LS media should be placed in their original containers for collection. Standard vials should be returned to their cardboard trays and cartons; mini-vials should be placed in plastic bags of approximately the same capacity as the original bags.

"RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL" labels should be obliterated or removed from all vials, trays, bags and boxes of vials before they are transferred to the RSO for disposal. The "RADIOACTIVE WASTE TAG" (RPR 13E) should be the only label indicating that the package contains radioactive material.

Vials are to be securely capped; cartons are to be securely taped and labeled to indicate the top, e.g. "this side up".