Ohio Agencies Seek to Regulate Low-Level Radioactive Wastes from Drilling

Date: February 11, 2013

Source: News Room

Three Ohio governmental agencies are proposing legislation that would restrict the handling of low-level radioactive wastes from natural gas drilling. The 50-page proposed legislation, from the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, "provides for greater oversight and coordination" to oversee the safe disposal in Ohio landfills of drilling muds, earthen materials, sometimes contaminated with oil-based substances, according to an agency fact sheet.

Under existing rules, most drilling wastes, even those with low levels of naturally occurring radiation and classified as "naturally occurring radioactive material" (NORM) are exempt from federal and state regulations and can be disposed of at the well site unless they are contaminated with oil-based materials, in which case they must be shipped to a landfill. The new rules would set limits on radiation levels and require those with higher-than-allowed levels, called "technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material" (TENORM), to either be shipped to regulated low-level radiation landfills or in some cases to be blended clean soil to reduce radiation to levels permissible in Ohio landfills.

The proposed legislation would authorize the EPA director to create additional rules to deal with handling the low-level radioactive wastes in landfills. That might include analysis of leachate or landfill liquids and groundwater.

To learn more, visit EPA's website addressing oil and gas drilling wastes: www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/tenorm/oilandgas.html.

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