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During the period from July 1,
1997, to June 30, 1999,
actions taken by or related to
the Commission and its member
states include the following:
Commission Funds
Expenses Related to
Office Closing in Ohio
During FY 98, the Commission
continued to fund Ohio
expenses associated with closing
of the Ohio Authority
office.
On June 26,1997, the
Commission approved an
Authority funding phaseout
budget of $310,669.00 for the
period from July 1, 1997, to
September 30, 1997. Funding
for the phase-out period came
from the Commission’s Rebate
Fund.
The approved FY 97 budget for
the low-level radioactive waste
portion of the Ohio
Department of Health’s
Agreement State Program,
which was charged with licensing
the regional disposal facility,
was $494,040.00. On June
26, l997, the Commission
approved a Department funding
phase-out budget of
$123,830.00 for the period
from July 1, 1997 to
September 30,1997. Funding
for the phase-out period also
came from the Commission’s
Rebate Fund.
The office was closed in a
timely manner and the
accounts have been audited.
At the end of FY 99, the State
of Ohio owes the Commission
approximately $88,000.00 for
overpayments to the Authority
based on estimates which
proved to be higher than actual
expenses. Payment of this
amount is awaiting legislative
action in the Ohio state budget
process.
Figure 1
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), filters and filter resins, consumer
products (e.g., smoke detectors), internal reactor parts, and
demolition debris. Most of this waste (Class A) has low concentrations
of radionuclides, although a very small amount (Class B
and Class C) has higher concentrations and different management
requirements.
Low level radioactive waste shipped to commercial disposal facilities
does not include spent fuel from nuclear reactors, atomic
weapons production waste, or uranium mine and mill residues.
Nor does it include liquid waste, or waste that is explosive,
pyrophoric, or chemically hazardous. |
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