WebJunction

Issue Context

The management of radioactive waste has raised many environmental questions to which the United States federal government – a primary producer and regulator of nuclear waste -- is compelled to provide answers.  Consequently, federal government agencies produce an important body of information resources addressing various legal, regulatory, and scientific aspects of the radioactive waste puzzle.

Librarians assisting end users seeking government information pertaining to radioactive waste will quickly find that many federal, state, and international agencies are involved in some way in overseeing or investigating nuclear waste disposition.  This section of the Training Non-Depository Librarians summarizes the major issues associated with nuclear waste and suggests approaches librarians might take to assist library patrons seeking government publications pertaining to nuclear waste disposal.

Web Sites

Laws and Regulations

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/laws/index.html

This section of the EPA website lists laws, executive orders, regulations, presidential decision directives, homeland security presidential directives, and federal plans as they pertain to the protection of people and the environment from harmful radiation.

Environmental Protection Agency Radiation Protection Web-site

http://www.epa.gov/radiation/index.html

There are three major sections to this part of the EPA website.  The first is a collection of general radiation topics from understanding the basics of radiation to cleaning up radioactive sites.  Next is the information section, containing links to various publications like fact sheets and reports, a glossary of radiation terms, and a frequently asked questions section.  The third section is a list of links to different EPA sponsored radiation programs such as WIPP Oversight and SunWise.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission High Level Waste Disposal We-site

http://www.nrc.gov/waste/hlw-disposal.html

Along with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for regulating the disposal of     radioactive waste under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982.  This site gives information on what the NRC regulates.

Department of Energy, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov/

This extensive site from the Department of Energy offers information on license application, the engineering and design on the Yucca Mountain repository, and current locations of nuclear waste throughout the country.  Additionally, there is a “youth zone” for K-12 education in nuclear waste and Yucca Mountain and an information library containing fact sheets, reports, and an audiovisual gallery.

Sample exercises

http://www.project2061.org/publications/rsl/online/GUIDE/CH2/HRADIO.PDF

This exercise explores the estimated risk of storing nuclear waste temporarily in a high population area versus the risk involved in transporting radioactive materials across the country to the Yucca Mountain facility in Nevada.