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Disposal of Waste with Very Low Radioactivity (VLLW)

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Abstract

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recognized Very Low Level Waste (VLLW) as a category that provides both practical and economic benefits, see [1]. The criteria for national and international low active and very low radioactive (LLW) disposal classifications are described in the EPRI Final Report [2]. This report provides the technical basis for a waste category of very low level waste that applies to any existing low level waste classification system. The generic VLLW category is defined in terms of individual radionuclide specific activity limits, see Chap. 2, Fig. 2.1. From the individual radionuclide-specific activity limits, an effective dose limit of no greater than 50 µSv/a (5 mrem/a) to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) is given in the final EPRI report. The U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C; [3] has been developed in the USA for the disposal of this waste in accordance with the EPRI report.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Corresponds to one population risk per year of 5.0E−07, see [4].

  2. 2.

    De Minimis criterion.

  3. 3.

    Corresponds to one population risk per year of 5.0E−05, see [4].

  4. 4.

    Limit value in underground disposal.

  5. 5.

    AVV § 3 Danger of waste (1) The types of waste in the waste list whose waste codes are marked with an asterisk (*) are classified as dangerous in the sense of § 48 of the Closed Substance Cycle Waste Management Act (KrWG).

  6. 6.

    Category 19: Waste from waste treatment plants, public wastewater treatment plants and the treatment of water for human and industrial use.

  7. 7.

    Kinds of waste marked with an asterisk (*) in the list of waste are hazardous waste within the meaning of § 48 of the Recycling Management Act, and are not listed therein.

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Lersow, M., Waggitt, P. (2020). Disposal of Waste with Very Low Radioactivity (VLLW). In: Disposal of All Forms of Radioactive Waste and Residues. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-32910-5_4

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