RWMAC's Advice to Ministers on The Problems of "Small Users" of Radioactive Materials

Contents

Foreword by Professor Charles Curtis

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. Structure of the report

3. Background to the study

Small Users and their activities
Radioactive sources
Radioactive wastes and their management
Regulation of accumulation, storage and disposal of radioactive wastes

4. Previous RWMAC reports on Small User issues

Overview
RWMAC's 1991 study
RWMAC's 1996 study

5. Recent developments affecting Small Users

Landfill disposal
Incinerators
Role of the Food Standards Agency/MAFF
Resources

6. The 1999-2000 Small User study

The form of the study
The RWMAC survey
Meetings with Small Users

7. Study findings

Legislation: the Radioactive Substances Act 1993
Legislation: the RSA93 Exemption Orders
Regulation: application forms and associated guidance
Regulation: training and expertise of inspectors
Regulation: consistency of regulatory approach
Regulation: other concerns stated by Small Users
Regulation: dose estimation
Regulation: timings for determining registrations and authorisations
Disposal: the technetium-99m clinical waste issues
Disposal: availability of disposal routes
Disposal: spent sealed radioactive sources (SSRSs)
Sources of advice for Small Users

8. Recommendations

Principal recommendations
Other observations and recommendations

9. References

Annex 1: RWMAC Small User Working Group Membership
Annex 2: Recommendations of the 1996 RWMAC Report
Annex 3: The 1999-2000 Survey Questionnaire
Annex 4: Summary of Survey Findings
Annex 5: GLOSSARY