Waste Isolation Pilot Plant disposal phase supplemental environmental impact statement. Implementation plan Page: 2 of 107
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TRANSURANIC WASTE
Transuranic (TRU) waste is waste that contains alpha particle-emitting radionuclides with
atomic numbers greater than that of uranium (92), and half-lives greater than 20 years, in
concentrations greater than 100 nanocuries per gram of waste. Isotopes of neptunium,
plutonium, americium, curium, and californium are examples of such alpha-emitting
radionuclides. The half-lives of many of these radionuclides can be considerably longer
than 20 years. For instance, the half-life of weapons-grade plutonium is 24,000 years.
TRU waste is primarily generated by research and development activities, plutonium
recovery, weapons manufacturing, environmental restoration, and decontamination and
decommissioning projects. TRU waste has often been generated by processes that also
contaminate the waste with solvents, heavy metals, or other substances designated as
hazardous constituents under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Waste so
contaminated is classified as TRU mixed waste. Most TRU waste exists in solid form
such as protective clothing, paper trash, rags, glass, miscellaneous tools, and equipment
contaminated with TRU radionuclides.
In 1970, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, which was a predecessor to the
Department of Energy, concluded that waste containing relatively high concentrations of
long-lived alpha-emitting radionuclides should be stored in a manner that will prevent it
from reaching the accessible environment. Thus, all TRU waste generated since the early
1970s has been segregated from other waste types and placed in retrievable storage,
pending final disposal.
Packages of TRU waste are classified as either contact-handled (CH) or remote-handled
(RH) depending on the radiation level at the surface of the package at the time of
packaging. If the level is 200 mrem per hour or less, the package is classified as CH-
TRU waste. CH-TRU waste does not generally contain large quantities of elements that
produce highly penetrating radiation. CH-TRU waste emits primarily alpha particles and
low-energy photons of little penetrating power. More than 90 percent of TRU waste in
current storage is of this type.
If the radiation level exceeds 200 mrem per hour, the package of waste is classified as
RH-TRU waste. RH-TRU waste typically contains a considerable concentration of
elements that produce highly penetrating radiation.2< '~>, A.......'
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Waste Isolation Pilot Plant disposal phase supplemental environmental impact statement. Implementation plan, report, May 1, 1996; United States. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc685114/m1/2/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.