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RADIATION SAFETY TRAINING MANUAL

CHAPTER 9
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL

CHAPTER 9 Table Of Contents

A. CATEGORIES OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

1. DRY SOLID WASTE
2. LIQUID EFFLUENT
3. AQUEOUS LIQUIDS
4. LIQUID BULK ORGANIC
5. LIQUID SCINTILLATION VIALS
6. BIOLOGICAL WASTE (RADIOACTIVE)
7. CLINICAL WASTE (NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY)
Figure 9.1 Radioactive Waste Disposal Form
8. BETA PLATES
9. BACTEC VIALS
10. URANIUM COMPOUNDS (URANYL ACETATE, URANYL NITRATE)
11. SHARPS

B. RADIOACTIVE DECAY

C. STORAGE CONSIDERATIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE

D. CLASSIFICATION

E. DOCUMENTATION

F. SCHEDULING OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE PICK-UPS

G. DOSE RATE LIMITS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE PACKAGES

H. BILLING

Radioactive Waste is defined as any material that has come in contact with radioactivity and may be contaminated. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Radioactive Waste Management Program concentrates on source reduction and volume reduction. Source reduction can be achieved in the laboratory by using non-radioactive labeling methods whenever possible. Volume reduction can be achieved by both laboratory personnel before the waste is collected, and by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) personnel after the waste is collected. Since disposal fees are directly related to the volume of waste disposed, volume reduction is an effective method of reducing costs. Laboratory personnel should implement the following volume reduction procedures:

• Limit the areas where radioactive materials are used to a minimum. The larger the area the larger the volume of waste materials generated, such as absorbent paper. Using smaller areas also limits the opportunity for cross contamination of other materials.
  
• Survey materials being disposed, such as absorbent paper or pipettes, with a proper radiation detector prior to disposal, and, if uncontaminated, dispose as non-radioactive waste.
  
• The use of a proper survey meter is paramount (e.g. ³H cannot be detected with a survey meter; the efficiency of most detectors for ¹⁴C or ³⁵S is less than 5%).
  
• Reduce the volume of liquid used (e.g., from washes) to the minimum needed for proper conduct of the experiment.
  
• Try to maintain separate work areas for different radioisotopes.
  
• EH&S personnel use consolidation, compaction, and other techniques to further reduce the volume of waste.

A. CATEGORIES OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Radioactive waste must be segregated into the following general categories:

• Dry solid.
  
• Aqueous liquid.
  
• Liquid bulk organic solutions.
  
• Liquid scintillation vials.
  
• Biological materials.
  
• Clinical waste (from nuclear medicine and radiation oncology).
  
• Other miscellaneous categories, such as: bactec vials, beta plates, uranium compounds, contaminated equipment and articles, and sealed sources.

The definition of each category of waste and the specific packaging requirements are given below.

1. DRY SOLID WASTE

 

Dry waste is defined as any solid waste, generally composed of paper, plastic, gloves, i.e., general laboratory trash, containing less than 0.5 percent by volume of free standing liquid. Dry waste shall not contain any of the following:

 

a. Biological material, including sharps.

b. Lead.

c. Scintillation vials.

d. Liquids.

e. Any other waste category.

Dry waste must be packaged in 4-mil yellow transparent plastic waste bags marked with the "Caution Radioactive Materials" and trefoil radioactive symbol. These bags may be purchased from the UCSF storehouse. Bags must be securely closed with tape and the UCSF Radioactive Waste Tag (See Documentation, Section E) must be attached to each bag.

 

Dry waste must also be segregated into one of four categories based on the radioisotope or half-life of the radioactive material:

 

• ³²P only
• ³⁵S only
• < 90 day half-life (e.g. ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ⁵¹Cr)
• > 90 day half-life (e.g. ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁵⁷Co)

 

Note: Cost reductions are made by proper segregation of waste. Every attempt should be made to segregate all categories of waste by INDIVIDUAL isotope. Large, dry waste items (e.g., equipment, trash cans) require special arrangements with EH&S for pick-up.

 

2. LIQUID EFFLUENT

 

UCSF policy prohibits the disposal of radioactive material via the sanitary sewer. The exceptions are:

a. Excreta directly discharged into the sewer from patients who have been administered radioactive materials for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.

b. Radioactive material remaining in secondary washes or their equivalent.

3. AQUEOUS LIQUIDS

 

Aqueous radioactive liquids are those in which the solvent and solute are both water-based. These wastes must be neutralized to a pH of approximately 7 and contained in plastic transparent narrow-necked containers with secure screw tops. Containers should not be larger than one-gallon and glass and metal containers are not acceptable. One-gallon jugs which meet these criteria are available from the UCSF storehouse.

 

Aqueous liquid waste must also be segregated by the radioisotope or half-life of the radioactive material:

 

• ³²P only
• < 90 day half-life (e.g. ³⁵S, ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ⁵¹Cr)
• > 90 day half-life (e.g. ³H, ¹⁴C, ⁵⁷Co)

 

Every attempt should be made to segregate all categories of waste by INDIVIDUAL isotope.

 

The UCSF Radioactive Waste Tag must be attached to each container. To allow for reuse, it is preferable that no markings or tape be placed on the container. Containers must not be leaking and the outer surfaces must be free of contamination. Leaking containers will not be picked-up by EH&S. The contents of the container should be limited to aqueous liquids; no foreign items such as pipette tips are allowed.

 

DO NOT ABSORB AQUEOUS LIQUIDS.

4. LIQUID BULK ORGANIC

 

These are free standing liquid radioactive waste that contains organic compounds such as xylene, toluene, acetone, phenol, etc. The waste must be packaged in one-gallon plastic or glass transparent containers with a screw top and narrow neck. Clear or amber bottles which originally contained other chemicals may be used for this purpose if the original labels have been removed and the empty container triple-rinsed before being used to collect waste.

 

Liquid Bulk Organic solutions are considered for regulatory purposes as Mixed Waste. That is, the waste not only exhibits the properties of radioactivity, but also other hazardous properties such as ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity or reactivity.

 

The UCSF Radioactive Waste Tag must be attached to each container. In addition, the UCSF EH&S Chemical Waste Removal Form must be completed and accompany the waste pick-up. (See Documentation, Section E). Containers must not be leaking and the outer surfaces must be free of contamination. Leaking or contaminated containers will not be picked-up by EH&S. The contents of the container should be limited to organic liquids; no foreign items such as pipette tips are allowed.

DO NOT ABSORB ORGANIC LIQUIDS.

5. LIQUID SCINTILLATION VIALS

 

Liquid Scintillation vial waste consists of glass or plastic containers of less than 25-ml capacity that contain or have contained liquid scintillation media. Unused liquid scintillation vials or vials which have been used for other purposes must be handled as radioactive liquid scintillation vial waste. This latter requirement is due to the recognition by commercial waste handlers and regulatory personnel of these vials as normally containing radioactive material.

Scintillation vials are divided into three specific categories:

a. Exempt Vials - contain only ¹⁴C and/or ³H with total activity concentration not exceeding 1.85 KBq per milliliter (0.05 microcuries/ml).

b. Regulated Vials - may contain ¹⁴C, ³H, ¹⁹⁵Au, ⁴⁵Ca, ¹⁰⁹Cd, ¹⁴¹Ce, ³⁶Cl, ⁵⁷Co, ⁵¹Cr, ⁶⁴Cu, ⁵⁹Fe, ⁶⁷Ga, ¹⁵³Gd, ⁶⁸Ge, ²⁰³Hg, ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ¹¹¹In, ²²Na, ³²P, ³³P, ⁸⁶Ru, ³⁵S, ⁴⁶Sc, ⁷⁵Se, ¹¹⁹Sn, ¹¹³Sn, ⁹⁹Tc, ⁶⁵Zn with a total activity concentration not exceeding 1.85 KBq per milliliter (0.05 microcuries/ml).

c. Special Vials - exceed the maximum permissible total activity concentrations for Exempt Vials and Regulated Vials and may contain isotopes not permitted in Exempt Vials or Regulated Vials.

Glass and plastic liquid scintillation vials should be segregated whenever possible to facilitate processing by EH&S. When possible, scintillation vials should be packaged in the original trays for subsequent pick-up by EH&S. Write on the trays the category of scintillation waste, e.g., "Exempt", "Regulated", or "Special". It is not necessary to label the tray with radioactive tape nor is it necessary to attach a Radioactive Waste Tag to the tray(s).

 

If the original trays are not available, the waste vials must be double bagged in the 4-mil yellow transparent plastic waste bags marked with the "Caution Radioactive Materials" and trefoil radioactive symbol. Each bag must have a Radioactive Waste Tag attached with the proper category written on the tag, e.g., "Exempt", "Regulated", or "Special". Contaminated trays/bags and leaking bags will not be picked-up by EH&S.

 

Special Vials require the completion of a supplementary form, the EH&S Chemical Waste Removal Form, that must accompany the Radioactive Waste Disposal Form. See Figure 9.1 for a sample Radioactive Waste Disposal Form.

 

Vials must not contain stock solutions of radioisotopes; biological specimens, or foreign objects. All lids must be securely fastened to prevent leakage.

 

6. BIOLOGICAL WASTE (RADIOACTIVE)

 

Radioactive waste that contains biologic, pathogenic, or infectious material which must be segregated into general categories: carcass and non-carcass. Carcass waste consists only of animal carcasses and/or large carcass parts. Non- carcass waste may consist of the following:

a. Human or animal specimen cultures.

b. Cultures and stocks of infectious agents.

c. Waste from the production of bacteria, viruses, spores, live and attenuated vaccines, and culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate and mix cultures.

d. Microbiological specimens.

e. Human surgery specimens or tissues removed at surgery or autopsy.

f. Material containing fluid blood or blood products.

g. Material containing excreta, exudate, or secretions from humans or animals.

h. Sharps (items or materials that can cut or pierce; examples include needles, blades, teeth, etc.).

i. Test tubes, capillary tubes, general tubing which have come in contact with such materials.

In addition, radioactive biological waste must be segregated by radioisotopes as follows:

 

• ³H and/or ¹⁴C
• ³²P only
• <90 days half-life, e.g., ¹²⁵I, ⁵¹Cr
• >90 days half-life

Every attempt should be made to segregate all categories of waste by INDIVIDUAL isotope.

 

Carcass waste containing ¹⁴C and/or ³H with a total concentration not exceeding 1.85 KBq per gram (0.05 microcuries/g) of tissue averaged over the weight of the entire carcass or carcass part may be classified as "deminimus". Biological material must be double-bagged in 4-mil red plastic waste bags and labeled with radioactive label tape.

 

Proper bags are available from the UCSF Storehouse. Bags must be securely closed with tape and the UCSF Radioactive Waste Tag must be attached to each bag.

 

Sharps contaminated with radioactivity must placed in a sharps container labeled with the "Caution Radioactive Materials" and trefoil radioactive symbol. Pipettes can be placed in hard sided containers that have a UCSF Radioactive Waste Tag attached.

 

Pick-up of radioactive biological waste:

Radioactive biological waste is not picked up by EH&S personnel. Laboratory personnel must deliver the waste to the approved radioactive biological waste storage cooler. You must make arrangements to meet an EH&S technician at the cooler.

i. At the Parnassus Campus, laboratory personnel must deliver radioactive biological waste to the Health Sciences Building Animal Tower cooler. Call 476-1771 to make arrangements for an EH&S Technician to meet you at the cooler.

ii. At the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) Campus, laboratory personnel must deliver radioactive biological waste to the SFGH Radiation Safety Office. Call 476-9550 to make arrangements.

iii. For all other locations, call the EH&S office at your location or call 476-1771.

7. CLINICAL WASTE (NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY)

 

May contain isotopes with half-lives not to exceed 8 days. Dry waste must be packaged in one cubic foot cardboard boxes. Sharps must be packaged in one cubic foot plastic sharps containers.

 

The EH&S Technician will meet you at your waste collection area and will measure the exposure rate at the surface of each waste container. The Clinical Technician should then determine the activity amount for each package and enter the data on the Radioactive Waste Disposal Form. The EH&S Technician will mark the package. EH&S Technicians may request that the waste be stored in the clinical waste collection area for an additional period of time to decay in order to decrease the exposure rate from the package.

Figure 9.1 Radioactive Waste Disposal Form

UCSF EH&S - RADIATION SAFETY PROGRAM

RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL FORM

DATE: ________________________________ P.I. ______________________________________________________

BLDG: ________________________________ ROOM # _____________________RUA # _______________________

ISOTOPE

Vol = VOLUME Act = ACTIVITY (mCi)

REDUCE DISPOSAL COSTS. SEGREGATE ALL WASTE TYPES BY ISOTOPE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

³H or ¹⁴C Vials only <0.05 uCi/ml, ³H or ¹⁴C Carcass only <0.05 uCi/g.

For Liq. Bulk Org. List: Solvents ______________ (>10% of volume).

Miscellaneous: bactec vials, beta plates, uranyl acetate, lead, non-carcass bio, etc.

SIGNATURES: ________________________________________ ____________________________________

Lab Personnel EH&S

White Copy - EH&S Yellow Copy - Laboratory

8. BETA PLATES

 

Beta plates are plastic sheets that contain scintillation media; they must be double bagged in 4-mil transparent yellow radioactive waste bags. The concentration of radioactive material in Beta plates must not exceed 1.85 KBq per milliliter (0.05 microcuries/ml).

 

9. BACTEC VIALS

 

Bacteria culture in an aqueous liquid medium, sealed in a vial of less than 40-ml capacity and containing not more than 148 KBq (4 microcuries). These vials must be autoclaved prior to disposal. Package the vials in their original container if possible or double bag.

 

10. URANIUM COMPOUNDS (URANYL ACETATE, URANYL NITRATE)

 

Dry uranyl compounds should be packaged in 4-mil transparent yellow radioactive waste bags. Uranyl compounds in solution must be packaged in airtight plastic liquid containers and accompanied by an EH&S Chemical Waste Removal Form.

 

11. SHARPS

 

Sharps are items or material that can cut or pierce. Examples are syringes, needles, blades, broken glass, pipettes, slides, teeth, etc. All sharps, including syringes with or without needles, must be placed in rigid puncture proof sharps containers complete with lids.

 

Sharps contaminated with biological or infectious material must be classified as radioactive biological waste. The package must be an approved hard-sided plastic sharps container that displays the universal biohazard symbol. Broken glass may be placed in hard-sided cardboard glass disposal boxes.

 

Infectious pipettes may be placed into cardboard pipette disposal sleeves that display the universal biohazard symbol. The sleeves may then be placed into 4-ml red plastic waste bags labeled with radioactive tape.

 

Sharps that are not contaminated with infectious material may be classified as dry waste. All markings, labeling, or coloring that would indicate the presence of biological or infectious material, e.g., the universal biohazard symbol, red or orange color, on any sharps waste packaging must be removed or obliterated.

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