Radioactive Waste Disposal: NORM Disposal

• What Is “NORM”?
• Why Should We Care about NORM Wastes?
• Who Regulates NORM in Texas?
• Commercial Disposal of NORM Waste
• Related TCEQ Application Forms

What Is NORM?

NORM stands for “naturally occurring radioactive material”—in other words, a substance that naturally contains one or more radioactive isotopes, also called radionuclides.

NORM waste typically is produced by an industrial, mining, or manufacturing process that concentrates one or more naturally occurring radionuclides. NORM is generally catagorized as being either "discrete" or "diffuse":

• Discrete NORM usually is a small amount of waste material that can contain relatively high concentrations of NORM. Examples of discrete NORM would include:
  • radium-painted watchdials
  • aircraft instrument panels and
  • some sludges and scales generated during petrochemical refining and manufacturing.
• Diffuse NORM is typically much lower in concentration but occurs in higher volumes of waste which need to be properly handled. Examples of diffuse NORM include:
  • Fly ash is a fine, lightweight ash produced when coal is burned for fuel. Coal is composed of mostly carbon and carbon-containing compounds but also naturally contains uranium, thorium, and other radioisotopes. Because these radioisotopes are not volatile, burning away the carbon leads to higher levels of them in the fly ash. But not all coal contains the same level of these radioisotopes, so the level of radioactivity in the fly ash depends on the source of the coal as well as on the concentration effect of burning the coal.
  • Phosphogypsum results from the processing of phosphate ore into phosphoric acid for fertilizer. Phosphate ore naturally contains uranium and radium. These radionuclides are more concentrated in phosphogypsum because they are largely left behind when the phosphate is made into phosphoric acid.
  • Bulk wastes from mining uranium ores using underground mining, in-situ leaching, or surface excavation methods. These bulk wastes contain varying concentrations of NORM, typically including radionuclides of radium, uranium, and thorium.

Why Should We Care about NORM Wastes?

In general, NORM wastes contain radionuclides found in nature, such as radium, thorium, or uranium. Once these radionuclides become concentrated through human activity, they can become radioactive hazards through potential ingestion or by direct exposure from radiation emitted by the material. Some NORMs are heavy metals and are themselves toxic, for example, uranium. Radium-226 is of particular concern because it decays to the radioactive gas, radon. Radon has been shown, at high concentrations, to increase the risk of cancer to the lungs of persons who regularly breath the gas.

Who Regulates NORM in Texas?

NORM was not subject to regulatory control under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, or the Low Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act due to exclusions in the law. Because of this, NORM was subject primarily to individual state radiation control regulations. Section 651(e) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 gives NRC jurisdiction over discrete sources of NORM by redefining the definition of source material.

In Texas, NORM is regulated under the Texas Radiation Control Act (TRCA) as follows:

• The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), Radiation Control has jurisdiction over the use, treatment, and storage of NORM (TDSHS NORM Licensing Web Page) ).
• The Railroad Commission of Texas  has jurisdiction over the handling and disposal of NORM wastes produced during the exploration and production of oil and gas ( RRC rules for NORM ).
• The TCEQ has jurisdiction over the disposal of other NORM wastes.

Exemptions for NORM waste due to low radioanuclide concentrations are promulgated by the TCEQ under 30 TAC 336.5. This rule allows the TCEQ to use the exemption allowances provided in the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) rules listed under 25 TAC §289.259  for NORM. If you are licensed for radioactive material under a DSHS license, contact DSHS  for exemptions of this material. Exempted NORM is regulated solely as a solid waste under the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Commercial Disposal of NORM Waste

Under TCEQ rules, only NORM wastes generated during the treatment of public drinking water may be commercially disposed of in Texas. The method of disposal must be by injection into a Class I injection well. To do this a person will need to receive a radioactive material disposal license and an underground injection well permit as discussed under TCEQ regulations 30 TAC Subchapter K and 30 TAC Chapter 331, respectively. To obtain these authorizations an applicant must complete and submit both an application for a License to Authorize Commercial Disposal of NORM Waste and a Permit Application Form/Instructions for a Class I Injection Well.

Related TCEQ Application Forms

• Application for License to Authorize Commercial Disposal of NORM Waste, in PDF (Help with or Word (Help with Downloading Files.)
• Permit Application Form/Instructions for a Class I Injection Well (PDF file. Help with PDF.)

Contact us if you have any questions.