Radioactive Waste Disposal Procedures

1. Segregate by half life: Materials with a half live of less than 90 days must be kept separate from materials with a half life greater than 90 days. Material with a half life of less than 90 days is decayed in storage for 10 half lives then sent to the county landfill. Material with a greater than 90 day half life is sent off site for burial and is expensive. Please make every effort to minimize generation of material that must be sent off site.
   
   
2. Dry solids: Place in labeled metal step-cans. Metal step cans must be lined with thick clear plastic bags. Use a cardboard box or other means to contain glass or sharp material. Call EHS at 7994 or e-mail dedwards when the step can is full so that the contents can be placed in the decay chamber.
   
   
3. Liquids: Collect liquids in labeled plastic or glass bottles with screw caps of less than 1 gallon size. Call EHS at 7794 or e-mail dedwards when a bottle or bottles needs to be placed into the decay chamber.
   
   
4. Multi-hazard Waste: Radioactive materials with a greater than 90 day half life that are also chemically or biologically hazardous (i.e. mercury, carcinogens, animals, sharps, heavy metals) require special handling and disposal. Multi-hazardous waste is extremely expensive and in some cases impossible to dispose of. The RSO and/or EHS must be notified BEFORE multi-hazardous waste is generated.

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