25 Pa. Code § 281.221 - Radiation monitoring and response
(a) An operator of a commercial composting
facility that will receive sewage sludge or unseparated municipal waste, or
both, shall implement the action plan approved under §
281.119 (relating to radiation
protection action plan).
(b) An
operator of a commercial composting facility that will receive sewage sludge or
unseparated municipal waste, or both, shall monitor incoming waste in
accordance with the Department's "Guidance Document on Radioactivity
Monitoring at Solid Waste Processing and Disposal Facilities,"
Document Number 250-3100-001 or in a manner at least as protective of the
environment, facility staff and public health and safety. Monitoring shall meet
the requirements of this section and the facility's approved radiation
protection action plan.
(c)
Radiation detector elements shall be as close as practical to the waste load
and in an appropriate geometry to monitor the waste. The radiation monitoring
system shall be set to alarm at a level no higher than 10 microroentgen per
hour (µR/hr) above the average background at the facility when any of the
radiation detector elements is exposed to a Cesium-137 gamma radiation field.
Radiation detector elements shall be shielded to maintain the average
background below 10 µR/hr. If capable of energy discrimination, the
radiation monitoring system shall be set to detect gamma rays of a 50
kiloelectron volt (keV) energy and higher.
(d) An operator shall have portable radiation
monitors capable of determining the radiation dose rate and presence of
contamination on a vehicle that has caused an alarm. Upon a confirmed
exceedance of the alarm level in subsection (c), a radiological survey of the
vehicle shall be performed.
(e) An
operator shall notify the Department immediately and isolate the vehicle when
radiation dose rates of 20 µSv/hr (2 mrem/hr) or greater are detected in
the cab of a vehicle, 500 µSv/hr (50 mrem/hr) or greater are detected
from any other surface, or contamination is detected on the outside of the
vehicle.
(f) Monitoring equipment
shall be calibrated at a frequency specified by the manufacturer, but not less
than once a year.
(g) If
radioactive material is detected at a composting facility, the vehicle
containing the radioactive material may not leave the facility without written
Department approval and an authorized United States Department of
Transportation exemption form.
Notes
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