Implementation of an economical waste monitor for quantification of gamma emitting radionuclides in university research waste streams

In recent years, the nature of the radioactive waste at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has changed to include more novel accelerator produced isotopes, longer lived contaminants, and isotopes with very restrictive disposal limits such as Ac-227. Existing methods of conservative estimation and generous decay times had become impractical, as overestimating the concentrations could lead to storing large volumes of waste for decades. A single detector waste monitor, MHOS 9700 HWM-S (ELSE Nuclear), was purchased to streamline the quantification and final disposal of gamma emitter waste streams. This presentation gives an overview of the USask experience implementing an updated waste management system to take full advantage of the available technology.