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Low Specific Activity (LSA)

Low Specific Activity (LSA) material means radioactive material with limited specific activity which is nonfissile or is excepted under 10 CFR 71.15, and which satisfies the descriptions and limits set forth below. Shielding materials surrounding the LSA material may not be considered in determining the estimated average specific activity of the package contents. LSA material must be in one of three groups:

(1) LSA--I.

(i) Uranium and thorium ores, concentrates of uranium and thorium ores, and other ores containing naturally occurring radioactive radionuclides which are not intended to be processed for the use of these radionuclides;

(ii) Solid unirradiated natural uranium or depleted uranium or natural thorium or their solid or liquid compounds or mixtures;

(iii) Radioactive material for which the A2 value is unlimited; or

(iv) Other radioactive material in which the activity is distributed throughout and the estimated average specific activity does not exceed 30 times the value for exempt material activity concentration determined in accordance with 10 CFR Part 71 Appendix A.

(2) LSA--II.

(i) Water with tritium concentration up to 0.8 TBq/liter (20.0 Ci/liter); or

(ii) Other material in which the activity is distributed throughout and the average specific activity does not exceed 10-4A2/g for solids and gases, and 10-5A2/g for liquids.

(3) LSA--III. Solids (e.g., consolidated wastes, activated materials), excluding powders, that satisfy the requirements of 10 CFR 71.77, in which:

(i) The radioactive material is distributed throughout a solid or a collection of solid objects, or is essentially uniformly distributed in a solid compact binding agent (such as concrete, bitumen, ceramic, etc.);

(ii) The radioactive material is relatively insoluble, or it is intrinsically contained in a relatively insoluble material, so that even under loss of packaging, the loss of radioactive material per package by leaching, when placed in water for 7 days, would not exceed 0.1 A2; and

(iii) The estimated average specific activity of the solid does not exceed 2 x 10-3A2/g.



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Tuesday, June 05, 2007