Protecting People and the EnvironmentUNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
SSINS No: 6835
IN 83-48
UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
OFFICE OF INSPECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
July 14, 1983
Information Notice No. 83-48: GASEOUS EFFLUENT RELEASES OF RADIOACTIVE
IODINE-125 AND IODINE-131 IN EXCESS OF
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LIMITS
Addressees:
NRC licensed byproduct material licensees, including all medical
institutions, academic institutions, radiopharmaceutical suppliers, and
industrial research and development facilities.
Purpose:
The intent of this information notice is to alert licensees to a potentially
generic problem that has been identified with regard to failure to conduct
adequate surveys to determine the amounts of radioiodine released in
effluents to unrestricted areas and to remind licensees of existing
regulations. No new requirements are being imposed or implied. It is
expected that recipients will review the information notice for
applicability to their facilities.
Description of Circumstances:
Many licensees use radioiodine isotopes for pharmaceutical preparation and
research. It has come to the attention of the NRC that several of those
users do not have provisions for adequately evaluating amounts of
radioiodine gases in effluents released to unrestricted areas. It was found
through the NRC's inspection program that several licensees had been
releasing iodine-125 and iodine-131 to the atmosphere in effluent streams
that exceeded or had the potential for exceeding the NRC's limits for such
releases set forth in Title 10, Part 20, Appendix B of the NRC's Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 20). This Information Notice is to inform
NRC licensees of the need to conduct surveys of releases of radioactive
materials, as required by 10 CFR 20.201(a), "Surveys," to demonstrate
compliance with the provision of 10 CFR Part 20 including 10 CFR 20.106,
"Radioactivity in effluents to unrestricted areas."
Discussion:
During the first half of 1982, inspections by the NRC staff at certain
licensees' facilities that perform iodinations using iodine-125 and-131
revealed that some of the licensees inspected had not been conducting
adequate surveys to determine the amounts of radioiodine released to
unrestricted areas. In one case, it was found that a licensee had been
releasing radioiodine in excess of the NRC's limits by a factor of
approximately two for at least one year. Because the licensee had been
performing evaluations using the same amount of material on a routine
periodic basis, he most likely exceeded the limits each year for the
previous seven-year period.
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IN 83-48
July 14, 1983
Page 2 of 2
NRC licensees who release radioactive material to unrestricted areas are
required to conduct surveys to ensure compliance with 10 CFR 20.106. A
survey is defined as an evaluation of the radiation hazards incident to the
production, use, release, disposal or presence of radioactive materials or
other sources of radiation under a specific set of conditions. When
appropriate, such evaluation should include a physical measurement of
concentrations of radioactive materials released. For users of very small
amounts of radioiodine, an evaluation without physical measurements may be
appropriate using conservative assumptions.
No written response to this information notice is required. If you need
additional information regarding this matter, contact the Ad
