Exempt waste, disposal technology

Technical requirements on treatment and disposal of spent fuel, high-level waste, and transuranic waste established under AEA should be largely unaffected by the presence of waste classified as hazardous under RCRA Some of these wastes meet technology-based treatment standards for hazardous chemical waste established by EPA (e.gvitrified high-level waste is an acceptable waste form under RCRA). Alternatively, a finding that disposal of the radioactive component of the waste complies with applicable environmental standards established by EPA under AEA can serve to exempt the disposal facility from prohibitions on disposal of restricted hazardous chemical wastes under RCRA [e.g., disposal of mixed transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)]. 

To address the limitations of the waste classification system described above, new recommendations on waste classification were developed (IAEA, 1994). A particular aim of the new system was to associate waste classes with intended disposal technologies (options), at least to some degree. The recommended classification system includes the following three major classes of waste exempt waste, low- and intermediate-level waste, and high-level waste. These waste classes and the associated disposal options are summarized in Table 4.2 and described as follows. 

California and Minnesota have placed restrictions on the disposal of fluorescent light tubes, which contain from 40—50 mg of mercury per tube, depending on size. After batteries, fluorescent lamps are the second largest contributor of mercury in soHd waste streams in the United States (3,14). A California law classifies the disposal of 25 or more fluorescent lamp tubes as hazardous waste. In Minnesota, all waste lamps generated from commercial sources are considered hazardous waste. Private homes are, however, exempt from the law (14). Other states have proposed similar regulations. Several companies have developed technologies for recovering mercury from spent lamps (14). 

Based on these principles, the hazardous waste classification system recommended by NCRP includes three classes of waste exempt, low-hazard, and high-hazard waste. Each waste class is defined in relation to the type of disposal system (technology) that is expected to be generally acceptable in protecting public health as follows ... 

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