 Regulated under the Atomic Energy Act ◦ Low concentrations of source, byproduct and special nuclear material ◦ Accelerator produced material ◦ Generally exempted materials, products & devices (e.g. smoke detectors, luminous dials, etc.)  Not Regulated under the Atomic Energy Act ◦ Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) except radium & certain other discrete sources ◦ Technologically-enhanced NORM (TENORM) ◦ Pre-UMTRCA uranium and thorium ore processing waste (FUSRAP)

Waste Specific:  NRC Decommissioning Plan approval  NRC General Exemption  NRC/Agreement State license condition/amendment  NRC/Agreement State approval letter  NRC/Agreement State specific exemption* Disposal Facility-Specific:  State law or regulation  RCRA permit condition/amendment *Policy Note: A 10 CFR alternate disposal authorization is not an exemption. However, NRC policy is to issue an exemption concurrently.

 Select RCRA Subtitle-C Sites are viable options for LARW  Characteristics similar to Part 61 LLRW sites (‘hybrid’ sites) ◦ Remote location with limited population ◦ Meet performance assessment criteria ◦ Desert environment with low annual rainfall ◦ Deep depth to groundwater Not all RCRA sites meet these criteria

RCRA Hazardous Waste Cell Design

 Site-specific radiological performance assessment (RESRAD)  Operating Procedures  Emergency Response Plan  Rad Training, Occupational Monitoring, and Personnel Dosimetry  Environmental Monitoring  Closure/Post-closure Financial Assurance

“Hybrid” RCRA Site: Grand View, ID (US Ecology) Avg 700,000 tons disposed over last 5 years Avg 700,000 tons disposed over last 5 years ~50% radioactive material ~50% radioactive material Majority FUSRAP & EPA CERCLA waste Majority FUSRAP & EPA CERCLA waste NRC/AS exempt waste volumes increasing NRC/AS exempt waste volumes increasing

Generator Requests Alternate Disposal Authorization & Exemption NRC/AS Conducts Technical Review USE Submits Safety Assessment to ID IDEQ Reviews Requests More Info Concurs Rejects NRC/AS Approves Rejects

General:  NORM up to 1,500 pCi/g  Source material <0.05% by weight  Accelerator produced material <10 mrem/hr  Generally exempt items & devices With Specific Exemption:  Source, Byproduct & SNM <3,000 pCi/g, and  NRC/Agreement State exemption based on “less than a few millirem” projected dose per Safety Analysis

Andrews, TX Site Robstown, TX Site

All NORM isotopes except radium <150 pCi/gm or less Radium <30 pCi/g Uranium & thorium <0.05% by weight Exempt byproduct material with state approval Specific Licensed Material: “300-day rule” Mixed hazardous & radioactive material acceptable * Applies to both Andrews (WCS) & Robstown (US Ecology) sites

Permittee evaluates waste per TAC Rejects Submits concurrence request to TCEQ: Reference applicable exemption rule Physical description- composition, weight, etc. Isotope concentrations Generator & waste location Must be exempt in state of origin TCEQ Reviews Rejects Requests information TCEQ Issues Written Concurrence For Disposal

 Safety Light Corporation, Bloomsburg PA  NRC/PADEP licensed, EPA Superfund Site  Cleanup conducted by USACE  ~1,600 cy of soil & debris  50 pCi/g 137 Cs, 180 pCi/g 90 Sr, 50 pCi/g 226 Ra  PADEP exemption granted in Nov 2008  Shipments made via IMC to ID RCRA Site

 BASF (Former Englehard Chemical Co.), Plainville, MA  Formerly licensed by AEA (term. in 1963)  123 tons of Natural, Depleted, and Low Enriched Uranium (~4%)  Approval letter granted by MDPH (Feb 2010)  Idaho concurrence  Disposed at Idaho RCRA site

 PG&E, Humboldt Bay NPP  Undergoing decommissioning  ~200,000 ft 3 of soil & debris from Units 1&2  5 pCi/g 137 Cs, 5 pCi/g 60 Co, 1 pCi/g 14 C, more  NRC issued EA with FONSI and exemption in Nov 2010  Shipments ongoing to ID RCRA Site

 Former Molycorp source material processing operation in Washington, PA: NRC licensed  ~100,000 cy of soil and slag from production of ferro-alloys (Nb amd Mo)  232 Th ~50 pCi/g, 238 U ~15 pCi/g, 226 Ra ~5 pCi/g  Classified as unimportant quantity of source material (<.05% by weight)  Disposed at Idaho RCRA site

“The Committee should work with the staff to consider and provide advice on what NRC can do to assist in providing greater disposal options for low-level radioactive waste, e.g. use of appropriate Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C hazardous waste facilities.” U.S. NRC Staff Requirements Memo - 1/16/07

Questions ??