Ebook: Disposition Dilemma

Statutory responsibility for the protection of health and safety related to civilian nuclear facilities rests with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC). The basic standard for protection against radiation is 10 CFR Part 20, which was first issued in final form by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1957 and was subject to a major revision that was finalized in 1991. Part 20 includes limits on quantities or amounts of radionuclides released in gaseous and liquid effluents below which the effluent would not be subject to further regulatory control, but it does not contain similar regulatory limits applicable to slightly radioactive solid material (SRSM). Absent such limits, the USNRC does have guidance documents regarding how slightly radioactive solid materials are cleared from regulatory control (a practice that licensees make use of routinely), and Section 2002 of Part 20 allows licensees to apply to the USNRC and its agreement states for clearance of solid materials on a case-bv-case basis where the guidance documents do not apply. This policy issue could become increasingly important in the future as the eventual decommissioning of nuclear power plants generates large amounts of SRSM.