Detecting Sources of Ionizing Radiation in the Waste Stream

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Needham
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ionizing Radiation ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Industrial Process ◽  
Control Program ◽  
The United States ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Radioactive Material

Why is the detection of radioactive sources important to the solid waste industry?: Radioactive material is used extensively in the United States in research, medicine, education, and industry for the benefit of society (e.g. smoke detectors, industrial process gauges, medical diagnosis/treatment). Generally speaking, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and state governments regulate the use and disposal of radioactive materials. Licensed radioactive waste disposal facilities receive the bulk of the waste generated in the United States with exceptions for low-level waste (e.g. medical patient waste) that may be disposed of as municipal waste. According to the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc (CRCPD)., there has been an increasing number of incidence involving the detection of prohibited radioactive wastes at solid waste management facilities. While the CRCPD acknowledges that the increased incidence may be partially attributed to the growing number of solid waste facilities that have detection systems, undetected sources of ionizing radiation can harm the environment, have a negative impact on employee health and safety, and result in significant remedial actions. Implementing an effective detection/response plan can aid in the proper management of radioactive waste and serve to minimize the potential for negative outcomes.

Engineered Components for Spent Fuel Radioactive Waste Isolation Systems—are They Technically Justified?

1981 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. Burkholder
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Release Rate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Radionuclide Transport ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Isolation System ◽  
Waste Forms ◽  
Isolation Systems

In response to draft radioactive waste disposal standards, R&D programs have been initiated in the United States which are aimed at developing and ultimately using radionuclide transport-delaying (e.g., long-lived waste containers) and radionuclide transport-controlling (e.g., very low release rate waste forms) engineered components as part of the isolation system. Before these programs proceed significantly, it seems prudent to evaluate the technical justification for development and use of sophisticated engineered components in radioactive waste isolation.

An Overview of US EPA’s Current Radioactive Waste Management and General Radiation Protection Efforts

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Thomas Peake ◽  
Daniel Schultheisz ◽  
Loren W. Setlow ◽  
Brian Littleton ◽  
Reid Rosnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Radiation Protection ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Fuel Cycle ◽  
The United States ◽  
Uranium Mining ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Environmental Standards

The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Radiation Protection Division is the portion of EPA (or the Agency) that develops environmental standards for radioactive waste disposal in the United States. One current issue of concern is the disposal of low activity radioactive waste (LAW), including wastes that would be produced by a radiological dispersal device (RDD), for which current disposal options may be either inconsistent with the hazard presented by the material or logistically problematic. Another major issue is related to the resurgence in uranium mining. Over the past several years, demand for uranium for nuclear power plant fuel has increased as has the price. The increase in price has made uranium mining potentially profitable in the US. EPA is reviewing its relevant regulations, developed primarily in the 1980s, for potential revisions. For example, in-situ leaching (also known as in-situ recovery) is now the technology of choice where applicable, yet our current environmental standards are focused on conventional uranium milling. EPA has two actions in process, one related to the Clean Air Act, the other related to revising the environmental standards that implement the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA). Separately, but related, EPA has developed over the last several years uranium mining documents that address technologically enhanced natural occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) from abandoned uranium mines, and wastes generated by active uranium extraction facilities. Lastly, in 1977 EPA developed environmental standards that address nuclear energy, fuel fabrication, reprocessing, and other aspects of the uranium fuel cycle. In light of the increased interest in nuclear power and the potential implementation of advanced fuel cycle technologies, the Agency is now reviewing the standards to determine their continued applicability for the twenty-first century.

Injuries and Occupational Safety

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dawn N. Castillo ◽  
Timothy J. Pizatella ◽  
Nancy A. Stout
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ionizing Radiation ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Occupational Injury ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Mechanical Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hierarchical Approach ◽  
Safety Hazards ◽  
Injury Control

This chapter describes occupational injuries and their prevention. It describes in detail the causes of injuries and epidemiology of injuries. Occupational injuries are caused by acute exposure in the workplace to safety hazards, such as mechanical energy, electricity, chemicals, and ionizing radiation, or from the sudden lack of essential agents, such as oxygen or heat. This chapter describes the nature and the magnitude of occupational injuries in the United States. It provides data on risk of injuries in different occupations and industries. Finally, it discusses prevention of injuries, using a hierarchical approach to occupational injury control.

scholarly journals Asymmetric dynamics between uncertainty and unemployment flows in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Ahmed ◽  
Mark Granberg ◽  
Victor Troster ◽  
Gazi Salah Uddin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Business Cycle ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Large Uncertainty ◽  
Monthly Data ◽  
Uncertainty Measures ◽  
Linear And Nonlinear ◽  
The Business Cycle ◽  
The U.S

AbstractThis paper examines how different uncertainty measures affect the unemployment level, inflow, and outflow in the U.S. across all states of the business cycle. We employ linear and nonlinear causality-in-quantile tests to capture a complete picture of the effect of uncertainty on U.S. unemployment. To verify whether there are any common effects across different uncertainty measures, we use monthly data on four uncertainty measures and on U.S. unemployment from January 1997 to August 2018. Our results corroborate the general predictions from a search and matching framework of how uncertainty affects unemployment and its flows. Fluctuations in uncertainty generate increases (upper-quantile changes) in the unemployment level and in the inflow. Conversely, shocks to uncertainty have a negative impact on U.S. unemployment outflow. Therefore, the effect of uncertainty is asymmetric depending on the states (quantiles) of U.S. unemployment and on the adopted unemployment measure. Our findings suggest state-contingent policies to stabilize the unemployment level when large uncertainty shocks occur.

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