What is Commercial Low-Level Radioactive waste?
Commercial low-level radioactive waste is material that is contaminated with radioactivity. In 1995, there were 187 potential generators of such waste in the Midwest Compact region (including nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities, research institutions, government agencies, and industries) of which 49 actually shipped waste that was received at commercial disposal. The number of generators shipping waste for disposal during any given year is subject to some variation. The reasons for this variation can include the following: changes in product line or services offered, substitution of different radioactive or nonradioactive materials, periodic maintenance, equipment replacement, decontamination and dismantlement activities, and temporary storage of waste pending collection of amounts sufficient for economical shipment. The waste can consist of clothing, wipe rags, lab equipment and glassware, luminous dials, hand tools, sealed radiation sources (e.g,. measurement devices), filt
