Classification and Characterization of Hazardous, Radioactive, and Mixed Wastes - Stabilization and Solidification of Hazardous, Radioactive, and Mixed Wastes - page 42

The LLW identification process is related to the types of radionuclides. 20 For
classification determined by long-lived radionuclides, if radioactive waste contains
only the radionuclides listed in Table 3.4, classification can be determined as (1)
Class A if the concentration does not exceed 0.1 times the value in Table 3.4; (2)
Class C if the concentration is greater than 0.1 times the value in Table 3.4 but does
not exceed the value in Table 3.4; (3) if the concentration is greater than the value
in Table 3.4, the waste is not acceptable for near-surface disposal.
For classification is determined by short-lived radionuclides, if radioactive waste
does not contain any of the radionuclides listed in Table 3.4, classification shall be
determined based on the concentrations shown in Table 3.5. The classification can
be determined as (1) Class A if radioactive waste does not contain any nuclides
listed in either Table 3.4 or Table 3.5; (2) Class A if the concentration does not
exceed the value in Column 1; (3) Class B if the concentration exceeds the value
in Column 1, but does not exceed the value in Column 2; (4) Class C if the
concentration exceeds the value in Column 2, but does not exceed the value in
Column 3; (5) if the concentration exceeds the value in Column 3, the waste is not
generally acceptable for near-surface disposal.
If radioactive waste contains a mixture of radionuclides, some of which are listed
in Table 3.4, and some of which are listed in Table 3.5, classification shall be
determined as follows: (1) if the concentration of a nuclide listed in Table 3.4 does
not exceed 0.1 times the value listed in Table 3.4, the class shall be that determined
by the concentration of nuclides listed in Table 3.5; (2) if the concentration of a
nuclide exceeds 0.1 times the value listed in Table 3.4 but does not exceed the value

TABLE 3.4
Radionuclides and Concentrations for LLW
Classification (1)

Concentration
(Ci/m 3 ) Radionuclide

C-14 8

C-14 in activated metal 80

Ni-59 in activated metal 220

Nb-94 in activated metal 0.2

Tc-99 3

I-129 0.08

Alpha-emitting transuranic nuclides
with half-life greater than 5 years

100 *

Pu-241 3,500 *

Cm-242 20,000 *

Source: 10 CFR 61.55
* = Units are nanoCuries per gram (nCi/g)