VOLUME REDUCTION OPTIONS FOR
INSTITUTIONAL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
Harry A. Bryson, Engineer
Bechtel Corporation
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
Dennis W. Weeter, Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee 37916
T. W. Oakes, Manager
B. M. Eisenhower, Project Manager
Environmental Compliance
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
INTRODUCTION
The treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) of low-level radioactive wastes generated by biomedical research activities presents unique problems to the waste generator at the present time due to the
overlap of Federal regulations (sometimes contradictory) which govern the individual constituents.
This type of waste is typically a mixture of very low level radioactive waste, hazardous chemical
wastes, and biotic (infectious) waste. This type of waste may be referred to in the literature as institutional radioactive waste, radioactive mixed waste, commingled waste, or co-contaminated waste. The
abbreviation BRW (biological research radioactive waste) will be used in this paper to more accurately describe this waste since the other terms are more general and may be used to describe a variety
of wastes with different chemical, physical, and radiological characteristics.
This paper presents the principal findings of a study [1] of BRW performed for the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory (ORNL) by the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) Department of Civil Engineering. One objective of this study was the investigation into, and recommendation of, viable waste
management options for the BRW generated by the ORNL Biology Division. The principal hazard
characteristics from a practical standpoint were the chemical and infectious ones. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) regulations were rather clear for these waste characteristics. However, the
wastes were also radioactive, and so requirements of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (as applicable) must also be met. The result was that the
recommendations should be in agreement with all applicable Federal requirements, a condition not
easily met.
All existing TSD methods commonly employed for institutional radioactive waste were evaluated.
During FY83, there were on the order of 200 personnel working in the Biology Division laboratory
groups, conducting 35-40 experiments, and utilizing 27 waste collection stations. These stations usually had separate containers for the Liquid, Dry, and Scintillation Counting Wastes. Modification of
waste generation and collection activities was considered, but was found to be inappropriate with
respect to the primary study recommendations due to the number, diversity, and transitory nature of
the individual research projects. Suitable TSD recommendations had to be capable of coping with any
waste forms generated. The methods presented in this paper have the capability and flexibility to satisfy this condition.
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