What are EPA and other government agencies doing about technetium-99?
EPA has issued a variety of regulations that limit the release of radionuclides, including Tc-99, to the environment. These regulations address the following potential sources: • airborne and liquid releases from the nuclear fuel cycle • airborne emissions from a variety of industrial and governmental facilities • allowable radioactive releases from radioactive waste disposal systems. Most recently, EPA finalized public health and environmental radiation protection standards for the potential high level waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Because of the large quantity of spent nuclear fuel and defense high-level waste, Tc-99 is one of the more important radionuclides considered. The standards limit the radiation exposures of individuals and concentrations in ground water from the release of Tc-99 and other radionuclides in the vicinity of Yucca Mountain.
