NRC Holding Meeting on Radioactive Material

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is conducting an enhanced participatory rulemaking on alternatives for controlling the disposition of solid materials that originate in restricted or impacted areas of NRC-licensed facilities, and that have no, or very small amounts of, radioactivity resulting from licensed operations.

The NRC is seeking stakeholder participation and involvement in identifying alternatives and their environmental impacts that should be considered as part of the rulemaking. Considerable information collection effort has been conducted in this area and the Commission is building on existing information to focus on potential solutions. To assist in this process, the NRC is holding a workshop to solicit new input with a focus on the feasibility of alternatives identified in this notice that would limit where solid material can go.

The NRC has not made a decision on the scope or details of a regulation and is continuing to develop a solid technical basis for the rulemaking.

The NRC is requesting that any interested party submit comments by June 30, 2003. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practicable to do so, but the Commission is able to assure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.

In addition to providing opportunity for written (and electronic) comments, a workshop to solicit comments on alternatives, with a focus on the feasibility of alternatives identified in this notice that would limit where solid materials can go, will be held on May 21-22, 2003 from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. in the NRC Auditorium, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md.

To read the Federal Register Notice Click Here

Public Citizen, one of the groups opposed to the concept, claims that the NRC “appears to be forging ahead to allow massive quantities of nuclear wastes to be "released," thus allowing them to go into unlicensed landfills, incinerators and even consumer products.

More than 100 organizations in the United States and internationally have stated their opposition to such practices, however, and have signed on to a "Statement Opposing Radioactive 'Recycling' and Deregulation of Nuclear Wastes."

"The NRC's proposed rulemaking is being conducted merely to accommodate the nuclear industry, which would like to make the 'release' of nuclear trash easier, cheaper and more clearly legal than it is currently," said Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program. "These materials, which are not labeled or tracked in any way, could end up in any variety of products, from bicycles and toys to cookware and bedsprings. The NRC needs to make the protection of public health and safety its top priority, not saving money for the nuclear industry at the public's expense."