This Rule, 391-3-17-.03, establishes standards for protection against ionizing radiation resulting from activities conducted pursuant to licenses issued by the Director. The requirements in this Rule are designed to control the receipt, possession, use, transfer, and disposal of sources of radiation by any licensee so that the total dose to an individual, including doses resulting from all sources of radiation other than background radiation, does not exceed the standards for protection against radiation prescribed in this Rule. However, nothing in this Rule shall be construed as limiting actions that may be necessary to protect health and safety.
This Rule applies to persons licensed by the Director on or after January 1, 1994, to receive, possess, use, transfer, or dispose of sources of radiation. The limits in this Rule do not apply to doses due to background radiation, to exposure of patients to radiation for the purpose of medical diagnosis or therapy, or to voluntary participation in medical research programs.
The definitions set forth for certain terms under 391-3-17-.01 are applicable to those terms as used in this Rule, unless the term is otherwise defined herein. As used in this Rule:
ORGAN DOSE WEIGHTING FACTORS
Organ or Tissue | wT |
Gonads | 0.25 |
Breast | 0.15 |
Red bone marrow | 0.12 |
Lung | 0.12 |
Thyroid | 0.03 |
Bone surfaces | 0.03 |
Remainder | 0.30a |
Whole Body | 1.00b |
a 0.30 results from 0.06 for each of five "remainder" organs, excluding the skin and the lens of the eye, that receive the highest doses.
b For the purpose of weighting the external whole body dose, for adding it to the internal dose, a single weighting factor, wT = 1.0, has been specified. The use of other weighting factors for external exposure will be approved on a case-by-case basis until such time as specific guidance is issued.
Table 1
Radionuclide | Concentration (Curies/cubic meter) |
C-14 | 8 |
C-14 in activated metal | 80 |
Ni-59 in activated metal | 220 |
Nb-94 in activated metal | 0.2 |
Tc-99 | 3 |
I-129 | 0.08 |
Alpha-emitting transuranic radionuclides with half-life greater than five years | 100 (a) |
Pu-241 | 3,500 (a) |
Cm-242 | 20,000 (a) |
Ra-226 | 100 (a) |
(a) Units are in nanocuries per gram.
Table 2
Radionuclide | Concentration (Curies/ cubic meter) Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 | ||
Total of all radionuclides with less than five year half-life | 700 | (b) | (b) |
H-3 | 40 | (b) | (b) |
Co-60 | 700 | (b) | (b) |
Ni-63 | 3.5 | 70 | 700 |
Ni-63 in activated metal | 35 | 700 | 7000 |
Sr-90 | 0.04 | 150 | 7000 |
Cs-137 | 1 | 44 | 4600 |
(b) There are no limits established for these radionuclides in Class B or C wastes. Practical considerations such as the effects of external radiation and internal heat generation on transportation, handling, and disposal will limit the concentrations for these wastes. These wastes shall be Class B unless the concentrations of other radionuclides in Table 2 determine the waste to be Class C independent of these radionuclides.
For guidance in completing these forms, refer to the instructions that accompany the forms. Copies of manifests required by this Rule may be legible carbon copies, photocopies, or computer printouts that reproduce the data in the format of the uniform manifest. NRC Forms 541 and 541A and 542 and 542A or equivalent forms and the accompanying instructions, in hard copy, may be obtained from Radioactive Materials Program, 4244 International Parkway, Suite 120, Atlanta, Georgia 30354, or current address.
This Rule includes information requirements of the Department of Transportation, as codified in 49 CFR Part 172. Information on hazardous, medical, or other waste, required to meet EPA regulations, as codified in 40 CFR Parts 259, 261 or elsewhere, is not addressed in this Rule, and must be provided on the required EPA forms. However, the required EPA forms must accompany the Uniform Low-Level Radioactive Waste Manifest required by this Rule.
Table 3: Nationally Tracked Source Thresholds
Radioactive Material | Category 1 (TBq) | Category 1 (Ci) | Category 2 (TBq) | Category 2 (Ci) |
Actinium-227 | 20 | 540 | 0.2 | 5.4 |
Americium-241 | 60 | 1,600 | 0.6 | 16 |
Americium-241/Beryllium | 60 | 1,600 | 0.6 | 16 |
Californium-252 | 20 | 540 | 0.2 | 5.4 |
Cobalt-60 | 30 | 810 | 0.3 | 8.1 |
Curium-244 | 50 | 1,400 | 0.5 | 14 |
Cesium-137 | 100 | 2,700 | 1 | 27 |
Gadolinium-153 | 1,000 | 27,000 | 10 | 270 |
Iridium-192 | 80 | 2,200 | 0.8 | 22 |
Plutonium-238 | 60 | 1,600 | 0.6 | 16 |
Plutonium-238/Beryllium | 60 | 1,600 | 0.6 | 16 |
Polonium-210 | 60 | 1,600 | 0.6 | 16 |
Promethium-147 | 40,000 | 1,100,000 | 400 | 11,000 |
Radium-226 | 40 | 1,100 | 0.4 | 11 |
Selenium-75 | 200 | 5,400 | 2 | 54 |
Strontium-90 | 1,000 | 27,000 | 10 | 270 |
Thorium-228 | 20 | 540 | 0.2 | 5.4 |
Thorium-229 | 20 | 540 | 0.2 | 5.4 |
Thulium-170 | 20,000 | 540,000 | 200 | 5,400 |
Ytterbium-169 | 300 | 8,100 | 3 | 81 |
The Terabecquerel (TBq) values are the regulatory standard. The Curie (Ci) values specified are obtained by converting from the TBq value. The Curie values are provided for practical usefulness only and are rounded after conversion.
Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-3-17-.03
O.C.G.A. § 31-13-1 et seq., as amended.