Characterization of Greater-Than-Class C sealed sources. Volume 1, Sealed sources held by specific licensees
Sealed sources are small, relatively high-activity radioactive sources typically encapsulated in a metallic container. The activities can range from less than 1 mCi to over 1,000 Ci. They are used in a variety of industries and are commonly available. Many of the sources will be classified as Greater-Than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC LLW) for the purpose of waste disposal. The US Department of Energy is responsible for disposing of this class of low-level radioactive waste. To better understand the scope of the GTCC LLW situation regarding sealed sources and to provide data to a model that projects future quantities of GTCC material, data from a comprehensive 1991 US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) survey and a related 1992 survey of Agreement States were analyzed to estimate the number, volume, and activity of Potential GTCC sealed sources currently available from specific licensees. Potential GTCC sealed sources are sources that exceed the limits stated in 10 CFR 61 when isotope concentrations are averaged over the volume of the capsule. Based on the surveys, the estimated number of existing Potential GTCC sealed sources held by specific licensees is 89,000, with an unpackaged volume of 0.93 m{sup 3} and an activity of 2,300,000 Ci. However, current disposal practices allow concentration averaging over the disposal container, substantially reducing the number of sealed sources which will actually be classified as GTCC LLW.
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-76ID01570
- OSTI ID:
- 33147
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/LLW-163-Vol.1; ON: DE95008609; TRN: 95:008968
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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