A review of waste management definitions

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Waste Definitions

• A review of waste management definitions
  activities

Date 12th February 2008
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Regulations

• Radioactive Waste defined in Radioactive
  Substances Act as waste which consists wholly or
  partly of
• (a) a substance or article which, if it were not
  waste, would be radioactive material, or
• (b) a substance or article which has been
  contaminated in the course of the production,
  keeping or use of radioactive material, or by
  contact with or proximity to other waste falling
  within paragraph (a) or this paragraph
• The Substances of Low Activity Exemption order
  (SoLA) introduced a threshold below which waste
  could be classified as exempt from the
  requirements of the Radioactive Substances Act
• A solid, substantially insoluble in water, the
  activity of which does not exceed 0.4 Bq/g
• Within the UK radioactive wastes are grouped into
  High, Intermediate and Low Level Wastes

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Low Level Waste Policy

• February 2006 DEFRA consultation Policy for the
  Long Term Management of Solid Low Level
  Radioactive Waste in the United Kingdom
• March 2007 policy document issued
• Formalised the definition of Low Level Waste,
  superseding Cm2919 definition
• Introduced sub categories Low High Volume VLLW

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Key Policy Aims

• Non prescriptive, high level frameworkeach LLW
  management may need its own approach
• Require waste management plans
• Use of a risk informed approach
• Minimise waste arisings
• Consider all practicable options
• Presumption towards early solutions
• Proximity principle transport of wastes
• Consultation public involvement
• Import export of LLW

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Definitions

• Low Level Waste defined by the LLW Policy as
  radioactive waste having a radioactive content
  not exceeding 4 GBq/te (4000 Bq/g) of alpha or 12
  GBq/te (12000 Bq/g) of beta/gamma activity.
• Sub categories Low Volume VLLW High Volume
  VLLW, HVVLLW up to 4 Bq/g (40 Bq/g if only H3
  contamination)
• HVLA Wastes No legal definition generic term
  used to describe wastes with activities up to the
  limit for on site disposal cells ie 37 Bq/g

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Definitions Disposal Routes
LLW usually disposed of to the repository near
Drigg
LLW
HVLA maximum on site disposal limit 37 Bq/g
VLLW disposal to specified landfill
VLLW
Substances of Low Activity this material is
exempt from specific regulatory control
SoLA
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VLLW LLW Activities In Perspective
4000 Bq/g
LLW
40 Bq/g
VLLW (H3)
4 Bq/g
VLLW
SoLA max 0.4 Bq/g
50x magnification
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Questions?