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Radioactive waste management in the department of nuclear medicine
VENCLÍK, Zdeněk
Radioactive waste management in the department of nuclear medicine is a complex process in which it is necessary to obey a number of lawful orders. These are based on physical and chemical properties of the radionuclide sources. At present these regulations particularly include Act No. 18/1997 Coll., on Peaceful utilisation of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation (the Atomic Act) and amendment to and alteration of some related acts in the wording and implementing Decree No. 307/2002 Coll., on Radiation Protection (which repeals Decree No. 184/1997 Coll.) in the wording of Decree No. 499/2005 Coll., which amends the Decree of the Czech National Council for nuclear safety No. 307/2002 Coll., on Radiation Protection. This legislation regulates the management of radioactive waste as a whole and deals with specific radionuclides in the annexes. It is necessary to comply with legislation whether the radioactive waste is generated in the actual production of radionuclides or during their diagnostic and therapeutic applications. All production and application processes give rise to certain materials contaminated with radionuclide sources but without the possibility of their further use. These contaminated and unusable materials are called radioactive waste. Radioactive waste arising from operation of nuclear medicine is basically divided into solid, liquid and gaseous. Solid radioactive waste is collected in refrigerators and lead safe deposits, depending on whether the waste is infectious or not. Liquid waste goes through the process of dilution in most cases, when there is a decrease of the volume activity limits and subsequent discharge to sewer. Gaseous waste is a negligible component of radioactive waste produced at nuclear medicine departments, so it is not often dealt with in more detail. No matter what kind of waste, the process of its disposal has a common goal of reducing its activity below specified limits (clearance levels), so that the waste can be without greater risk moved or released and disposed of as other, non-radioactive waste.
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