Management and disposal strategies for low activity waste in the United States of America

The United States of America has no official legal definition for the term 'low activity waste' (LAW). Nevertheless, the management and disposal of radioactive waste that presents less of a radiation hazard than spent fuel, high level waste and the high end of the 'low level waste' category is receiving increasing attention in the USA. Safe, practical and cost-effective methods for the disposal of LAW are being studied and developed in response to a national need. This paper will describe the sources and amounts of this waste type in the USA, the US policies and laws that apply to it, factors that affect the amount of LAW that needs to be managed, and the current efforts to expand the options for its management and disposal. (author)