Interstate low-level radioactive waste compacts: related regulatory and economic issues for institutional waste generators

Unlike some nuclear utilities and fuel cycle facilities, many medical research facilities, research universities, and industries that are important to the economy and public welfare do not have the capacity and capability to handle all of their low-level radioactive waste (LLW) at their sites. Now that the January 1, 1986, deadline for reduced access to the three regions with commercial LLW disposal sites is near, the question of whether the recently established compact system is capable of developing new, regional disposal capacity poses a major challenge to the nuclear industry. The economic and political impacts of the current situation could fall hardest on these non-fuel cycle generators