Radioactive Material
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Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc.

[Updated 06/29/05]

Radioactive material, both that which occurs naturally in the environment and that which is man-made in a reactor or accelerator, is used in industry and medicine for a myriad of functions.  It can be used to diagnose and treat diseases in humans and animals, detect flaws in structures, airplanes, and pipelines, gauge the levels of materials in tanks, and sterilize medical supplies, to name a few.  Some of the uses and information on is regulation are shown in the websites listed below.

Radioactive material use is regulated at the federal and state levels of government. Although these materials are carefully regulated, occasionally radioactive sources are lost or stolen and may wind up in scrap yards or simply become “orphaned.”  A description of the problem and initiatives being taken to lessen the impact of orphan sources are given in the websites.

 In addition to man-made and some naturally occurring radioactive material that has a deliberate use, some naturally occurring radioactive material, known as diffuse NORM, occurs incidentally to some industrial processes, such as oil and gas production, mining and extraction of minerals, and water treatment for the removal of such radioactive material from drinking water.

The use of radioactive material may produce radioactive waste.  Although nuclear reactors produce both high-level and low-level radioactive waste, most of the other uses of radioactive material produce some waste products that must be properly disposed of.  Information on radioactive waste disposal is provided in the websites below.

The cleanup of areas and equipment contaminated with radioactive material may leave minute amounts of radioactivity on the area or equipment being cleaned.  Federal agencies are currently in the process of researching and developing standards for clearance of certain materials for future use and to allow lands cleaned up to be used for other activities.

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Radioactive Material

The area of Radioactive Material is subdivided into categories of interest and those that radiation control programs are frequently asked about by the public.  Each area contains websites that give good general information about the issues and other links for additional information.

Agency/Page Title

Web Address

Keyword

Radiographic Accessories Limited

                   http://www.radac.demon.co.uk

Radiographic Products
American Soc. For Nondestructive Testing

http://www.asnt.org

 Industrial radiography, non-destructive testing
EPA - Radioactive Waste Disposal: An Environmental Perspective

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/radwaste/snf_hlw.htm

 High Level Radioactive Waste
 

 

High-Level Radioactive Waste

High-Level Radioactive Waste is highly radioactive waste that may contain fission products, traces of uranium and plutonium and other transuranic elements.  It results from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel.  National efforts are being made to find a permanent disposal facility for this waste.
NEI - Nuclear Energy Institute

  http://www.nei.org 

Nuclear Waste Disposal
EPA - Radioactive Waste Disposal: an Environmental Perspective

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/radwaste/index.html

 Radioactive Waste

 

Low-Level Radioactive Waste

Low-Level Radioactive Waste is radioactive waste that is not classified as high-level waste, transuranic waste, spent fuel, or uranium or thorium byproduct material.  It can vary in half-life and activity level, although most of the wastes are generally short-lived and have low radioactivity.  Low-level wastes must be disposed in specially designed and regulated facilities.
Uranium Information Centre Ltd.

     http://www.uic.com.au/wast.htm

 Radioactive Waste
Wastelink:  Your Guide to Radioactive Waste on the Internet


          http://www.radwaste.org/
Radioactive Waste
EPA - Radioactive Waste Disposal: an Environmental Perspective

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/radwaste/index.html

 Radioactive Waste

 

Orphan Source
Orphan Sources are those radioactive sources that become lost or abandoned and may wind up in non-nuclear facilities, such as scrap yards, steel mills, and municipal waste facilities.  The CRCPD and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency are making efforts to reduce the number of orphan sources and to assist the public in recognizing and properly managing them.
IAEA - International Catalogue of Sealed Radioactive Sources And Devices http://www.iaea.org/OurWork/ST/NE/NEFW/wts_l8_01_SOURCE.html

Link updated 6/29/05		 Radioactive Sources

 

Food Irradiation
Food Irradiation is a technology using radiation from radiation machines or sealed radioactive sources to keep foodstuffs contamination free and extend their shelf life. It kills microbes in meats, milk, vegetables, and fruits. The World Health Organization has declared its use under Good Manufacturing Practices as safe and nutritionally adequate.
IAEA - Facts About Food Irradiation

    http://www-tc.iaea.org/tcweb/publications/factsheets/FoodIrradiation.pdf

Link updated 6/29/05

 Food Irradiation
CDC- Frequently Asked Questions About Food Irradiation

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/
 foodirradiation.htm

 Food Irradiation

Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors, Inc.
A Partnership Dedicated to Radiation Protection
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