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Introduction
Pages 3-10

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From page 3...
... These practices have been followed and improved since the 1980s when costs of managing LLRW increased dramatically and disposal sites began to close. Biomedical researchers in particular are facing increasing disposal charges.
From page 4...
... has never been at issue with respect to LLRW, but access to existing capacity at manageable costs has been. This report of the Committee on the Impact of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Policy on Biomedical Research in the United States, was commissioned to assess impacts of future access to the current LLRW-disposal capacity on biomedical research.
From page 5...
... Background to LLRW-Management Policy Radioactive materials contribute in important ways to biomedical research, medical diagnosis and therapy, and industrial and academic activities. For example, radioactive materials are used in biomedical research for the analysis of physiologic and biochemical processes, gene sequencing, enzyme reactions, and pharmacokinetic and cellular process studies.
From page 6...
... Biomedical LLRW includes residual unused radioactive materials, laboratory solutions containing radioactive materials, counting vials, and animal carcasses containing injected matenals; gloves, swipes, and other items that are used dunng injection in a hospital or clinic; and filters, centrifuge tubes, pipettes, and laboratory trash used during research involving radioactive materials. LLRW generated in biomedical research is typically of small volume and low radioactive content compared with that generated in the nuclear-power industry, but there are exceptions.
From page 7...
... Radioactive Waste Generated by Medical and Biomedical Research Institutions in the United Statesa Medical Generators Academic Generators Volume, ft3 Activity, Ci | Volume, ft3 Activity, Ci 27,698.03 23.21 41,799.84 107.23 33,963.24 24.31 58,565.76 68.46 24,[706' S6 ib 49,372.54 2,282.73 34,730.20 149.32 66,101.42 1,946.44 22,792.13 59.45 48,555.10 1,096.04 28 62220 70 0~ 48,047.94 472.13 26,341.24 397.77 1 M,248.45 1,724.27 4,953.30 2I 08 11,850.83 110.25 5,011 77 454 91 17,793.55 420.97 1,923.78 6.13 1 7,537.68 47.72 . 2~a~ 14,191.24 60.80 1,280.56 10.40 7,44ti`15 Gl 04 1,456.31 9.98 1 4,904.79 132.12 970.01 4.93 1 10,110.92 43.42 147.14 2.79 1 5,MO.70 46.06 _ 1986 , 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 aData from http://mims.inel.gov/web/owa/eentvpe.report.
From page 8...
... This situation is an example of a number of potential problems in disposal that cannot be analyzed at present because too many variables are unknown. Other such potential issues include the possible loss of public confidence if there should be a fire or other untoward event at a disposal site, public reaction to a large increase in radioactive materials that are being stored for decay in research institutions, changes in reimbursement rates for medical procedures that use radioactive materials, or upper limits on the cost for disposal of LLRW that makes either research or medical use of these materials economically impractical.
From page 9...
... PET scans permit assessment of metabolic functions and are useful in various medical situations, including brain and heart disorders and the need to detect early metastases. Procedures involving PET scans use radionuclides with half-lives of less than 2 hours, such as TO (oxygen-15)
From page 10...
... B Biomedical Research Radioactive waste Tom biomedical research is dominated by comparatively shortlived radionuclides, but some long-lived radionuclides, mainly 3H and \4C, are commonly used in laboratories.


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