Radioactive waste is managed at UMB in compliance
with appropriate federal and Maryland regulations. Furthermore,
all policies related to radiation safety shall apply to the
radioactive waste management operation.
Due to the specific requirements of storage
and disposal, various radionuclides and waste forms must
be segregated as described in the Radioactive Waste Disposal
Policy.
There are four methods of radioactive waste
disposal at UMB as follows:
Decay in Storage: This method utilizes
the of storage of waste long enough to assure the radioactive
materials have decayed below an activity level which is allowed
for the waste to be disposed of as non-radioactive. The waste
is stored in specifically designated facilities and is periodically
checked. Radionuclides with a half-life of 89 days or less
are usually stored for decay and subsequently disposed as
biomedical or other waste.
Incineration: Certain wastes, most
notably those containing 3H and 14C
are incinerated. In this case an environmental monitoring
program assures the safe operation of the incinerator.
Sewer Disposal: Waste containing certain
radionuclides may be disposed of via the sanitary sewer.
In every case, authorization from EHS is required prior to
disposal of radioactive liquids via the sanitary sewer. Details
on the chemical and physical form of waste along with the
quantity of radionuclides that may be disposed to the sanitary
sewer are available from EHS.
Burial: Waste containing certain radionuclides may
be disposed of only in a licensed disposal facility. Because
there are no licensed disposal sites in Maryland, this waste
is shipped to a licensed facility out of state.
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