Use of Risk to Resolve Conflicts in Accessing Hazards at Mixed-Waste Sites

Conference · Mon Aug 26 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5381078

Rechard, R. P. ^[1]; Chu, M S. Y. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Two main issues contribute to the assessment of health hazard from mixed waste: the scientific methods to assess these materials and the legislative and regulatory control of these materials. This paper is primarily concerned with the scientific method of assessing hazards from mixed waste (i.e., carcinogenic chemicals, noncarcinogenic chemicals, and radioactive material). This paper discusses SRS, a Site Ranking System, and its use of risk concepts to avoid introducing new inconsistencies when ranking mixed-waste sites. SRS ranks each site by scoring factors that influence the human health risk. The factors are (1) the potentially exposed population, (2) the average amount of exposure to the waste, and (3) the toxicity of the waste. The relative risk of a release is measured as the product of these three factors. The third factor, toxicity, is indexed with a single score, but because methods of measuring toxicity differ for carcinogenic chemicals, noncarcinogenic chemicals, and radionuclides, comparison can be difficult; hence, this paper also summarizes the logic and assumptions used to make toxicity comparisons in SRS. As may be expected, results from a ranking scheme based on risk are different from results generated by the original Hazard Ranking System (HRS), used by the Environmental Protection Agency. This paper briefly discusses these differences for five Superfund sites (no mixed waste). The legislative and regulatory control of these materials to protect human health is also discussed.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5381078
• Report Number(s): SAND--91-0587C; CONF-910849--3; ON: DE91017314
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
560150 -- Radiation Effects on Animals
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CARCINOGENS
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DOSES
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
LAWS
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MATERIALS
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
POLLUTION LAWS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
REGULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SUPERFUND
TOXICITY
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES