Table 8.1. Waste Types(a) - doe-std-1128-98

DOE-STD-1128-98

Waste Types(a)

Table 8.1.

High-level waste (HLW) is the material that remains following the

HLW

reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and irradiated targets from reactors.

The HLW is highly radioactive and generates heat on its own. Some of

its elements will remain radioactive for thousands of years. Because of

this, HLW must be managed very carefully and all handling must be

performed from behind heavy protective shielding.

Low-level waste (LLW) is any radioactive waste that is not HLW, spent

LLW

nuclear fuel, TRU waste, or uranium mill tailings. The LLW is typically

contaminated with small amounts of radioactivity dispensed in large

amounts of material. The LLW is generated in every process involving

radioactive materials in the DOE including decontamination and

decommissioning projects.

Mixed waste (MW) is waste that contains both radioactive and

hazardous wastes. Any of the types of radioactive waste described can

be a mixed waste if it contains any hazardous wastes. In fact, all of

DOE's HLW is mixed waste because of the chemicals used to reprocess

the fuel that resulted in the generation of the material or because it is

suspected to contain hazardous materials.

Transuranic (TRU) waste refers to waste materials containing elements

TRU

with atomic numbers greater than 92. These elements are generally

alpha-emitting radionuclides that decay slowly. The TRU waste contains

a concentration of these elements greater than 100 nCi/g. The TRU

waste is not as intensely radioactive as HLW. The TRU waste also

decays slowly, requiring long-term isolation.

Sanitary waste is waste that is neither hazardous nor radioactive.

Sanitary Waste

Because of its quantity, concentration, and physical, chemical, or

Hazardous

infectious characteristics, hazardous waste may cause or significantly

Waste

contribute to an increase in mortality, or an increase in serious

irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness; it may pose a potential

hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated,

stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.

8-2