Do you know where your radioactive waste goes when it is shipped offsite for disposal? Low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) generated in the U.S. that cannot be decayed to background levels onsite, often needs to be shipped offsite to a licensed waste facility for proper land disposal. There are currently four actively licensed LLRW disposal facilities operating in the U.S. located in South Carolina, Washington, Utah, and Texas.
Commercial sources of radioactive waste can be generated by operations such as utilities, private industries (e.g., energy companies, equipment manufacturers), medical laboratories, decommissioning projects, or research operations including laboratories handling licensed radioactive materials. In research labs, this LLRW can be produced by disposing of contaminated consumables like filters or plastics, contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE), and/or decayed sealed sources.
While all radiation programs aim to minimize the generation of radioactive waste or to decay onsite as much short-lived radionuclide waste as possible, there are still cases where low levels of radioactive waste must be shipped offsite with a licensed waste vendor. These wastes are classified into one of four categories (Class A, Class B, Class C, and High Volume, Low Activity (HVLA)) based on the types and quantities of radionuclides present [federal 10 CFR 61.55 and MA 105 CMR 120.299 and 345 CMR 1.13].
Good laboratory practices and a strong waste minimization plan can reduce the amount of waste generated by companies handling radioactive materials. This not only reduces their financial costs but helps the environment by reducing the overall volume of radioactive waste produced, which is both costly and difficult to safely dispose of.
The Massachusetts Division of Radiation Control (DRC) tracks the amount of low-level radioactive waste produced in the state each year. Since Massachusetts does not operate an LLRW disposal facility within the state, organizations that generate LLRW, and cannot store or decay that waste onsite, must pay to ship it out-of-state.
All companies with an active Massachusetts Radioactive Material (RAM) license must submit an LLRW survey annually. In the survey, they must report information about the LLRW generated in the previous year, including the types of radionuclides in the LLRW, the volume generated, and the class (A, B, C, HVLA). They must also provide an updated waste minimization plan if there have been any changes. There is a fee associated with the survey that supports the Massachusetts Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Fund.
In April 2026, the DRC launched a new online form for the submission of LLRW surveys. This new electronic system aims to streamline the review and approval process. Radiation Safety Officers (RSOs), or the contact person listed on the license, should have received an email from the DRC on April 1, 2026 with instructions for how to log into the online system. License holders will have to create an account, or log into their existing account, with the Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health (BCEH) eLicensing System to submit the LLRW form. The annual fee must also be paid electronically by credit card or ACH payment at the time of submission. The annual LLRW survey reporting on waste produced in the previous year is due June 1, 2026.
For more information on completing and submitting your LLRW survey and/or additional guidance on managing your radiation safety program, please contact us!
This blog was written by Olivia Moody, Ph.D., a Quality, Research, & Training Specialist at Safety Partners.
