Radioactive Waste Minimization Program Plan

Radioactive Waste Minimization (WM) Program Plan

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Purpose:

To reduce to a minimum the amount of radioactive waste that the Augusta University produces.

Requirement:

Because of the rapidly escalating costs of radioactive waste disposal and the limited budget allocated for this disposal, the Augusta University Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) has mandated that this program be designed and implemented as soon as possible.

Objective:

To reduce the amount of radioactive waste generated at Augusta University by seventy percent while, at the same time, preventing any adverse effect to the medical and research studies currently using radioactive material by:\

• seeking appropriate alternatives to radioactive isotopes used in research
• ordering only the amounts of radioactive materials needed
• properly segregating radioactive waste to allow more efficient waste management
• seeking alternative methods of radioactive waste disposal that do not require shipping to a commercial nuclear waste burial site

Radiation Safety Committee:

• reviews and monitors waste minimization (WM) efforts
• supports the goals of WM
• ensures that the safe use of radioactive material and regulatory compliance are not compromised

Radiation Safety Officer:

• manages WM program
• tracks and documents the effectiveness of the WM program
• reports to management and to the RSC the effectiveness of the WM program
• solicits WM techniques from other institutions
• provides WM training
• incorporates WM considerations into the user authorization process (Sublicense)

Principal Authorized User:

• implements WM techniques in his/her respective work area
• communicates WM techniques that he/she develops

Training:

WM training will be provided by the Radiation Safety Officer and incorporated into the following courses:

• contained in six-hour initial instruction for Principal Authorized Users
• contained in one-hour annual refresher training for Principal Authorized Users
• one-hour WM training for radiation safety technologists
  special, tailored courses as required

Enforcement:

Waste reduction is not a Federal or state compliance issue although there are regulatory implications regardless of the method of disposing of radioactive waste. The Augusta University Enforcement Policy is primarily designed to ensure regulatory compliance but, in cases of flagrant violations of good practice relative to WM, it may also be used to ensure good WM practice.