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Radioactive Waste
Find the locations of low-level waste disposal, high-level waste disposal, and uranium recovery facilities.
Regulated Waste
- Low-level waste (LLW) includes radioactively contaminated protective clothing, tools, filters, rags, medical tubes, and many other items
- High-level waste (HLW) is "irradiated" or used nuclear reactor fuel
- Uranium mill tailings are the residues remaining after the processing of natural ore to extract uranium and thorium
NRC does not regulate all sources of radioactivity; see Who Regulates Radioactive Materials and Radiation Exposure for details.
For general information, see the How We Regulate page. For details, see the following:
Regulation of some activities associated with radioactive waste is covered under either the Nuclear Materials or Nuclear Reactors regulatory programs. For example, regulation of uranium mill waste is covered under the Nuclear Materials program. (See Uranium Recovery.)
Responsibilities
The Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards has overall responsibility for NRCs
radioactive waste regulation program and NRC's Regional Offices (Region
I - Northeast, Region
II - Southeast, Region
III - Midwest, and Region
IV - West/Southwest) implement these programs in the states for
which they are responsible. Regulation of low-level waste disposal
is regulated by both the NRC and Agreement
States. Waste regulation is also supported by a Radioactive
Waste Safety Research program and by independent advice from the
Advisory Committee
on Nuclear Waste.
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