Ground-water protection, low-level waste, and below regulatory concern: What`s the connection?
- Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States). Office of Radiation Programs
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a responsibility to protect ground water and drinking water under a wide variety of statutes. Each statute establishes different but specific requirements for EPA and applies to diverse environmental contaminants. Radionuclides are but one of the many contaminants subject to this regulatory matrix. Low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and below regulatory concern (BRC) are but two of many activities falling into this regulatory structure. The nation`s ground water serves as a major source of drinking water, supports sensitive ecosystems, and supplies the needs of agriculture and industry. Ground water can prove enormously expensive to clean up. EPA policy for protecting ground water has evolved considerably over the last ten years. The overall goal is to prevent adverse effects to human health, both now and in the future, and to protect the integrity of the nation`s ground-water resources. The Agency uses the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) under the Safe Drinking Water Act as reference points for protection in both prevention and remediation activities. What`s the connection? Both low-level waste management and disposal activities and the implementation of below regulatory concern related to low-level waste disposal have the potential for contaminating ground water. EPA is proposing to use the MCLs as reference points for low-level waste disposal and BRC disposal in order to define limits to the environmental contamination of ground water that is, or may be, used for drinking water.
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls, ID (United States). National Low-Level Waste Management Program
- OSTI ID:
- 332772
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-911114-PROC.; ON: DE98050432; TRN: IM9916%%74
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 13. annual DOE low-level waste management conference, Atlanta, GA (United States), 19-21 Nov 1991; Other Information: PBD: [1991]; Related Information: Is Part Of Thirteenth annual U.S. DOE low-level radioactive waste management conference: Proceedings; PB: 443 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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