Radioactive wastes: a proposal to its classification

On the basis of the quantities and the characteristics of the stored radioactive wastes in Cuba and the IAEA system of wastes classification, the concentration activities that would be used as limits for those categories are evaluated. This approach suggests a limit of 10 TBq/m3 for short lived liquid wastes of Low and Intermediate Level (less than 30 years) and 5 TBq/m3 for long lived liquid wastes (more than 30 years). For solid wastes the suggested limits are ten times lower. Taking into account the small quantities of arising wastes and to make easy its segregation, collection and disposal, a low level waste sub-classification in three new categories, whether or not they may be direct discharged, is suggested. As lower classification limit, while not specific exemption levels are established in the country, the use of an ALImin fraction is emphasized, meanwhile the total discharged activity will be no greater than 10 MBq or 100 MBq when the discharge occurs over the whole year. (authors). 6 refs., 5 tabs