ASTM C1571-03

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation:C1571–03
Standard Guide for
Characterization of Radioactive and/or Hazardous Wastes
for Thermal Treatment
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C1571; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope level wastes, transuranic (TRU) wastes, hazardous wastes,
mixed (hazardous and radioactive) wastes, heavy metal con-
1.1 This guide identifies methods to determine the physical
taminated wastes, and naturally occurring or accelerator pro-
and chemical characteristics of radioactive and/or hazardous
duced radioactive material (NARM or NORM) wastes. These
wastes before a waste is processed at high temperatures, for
wastes can be in the physical form of wet sludges, dried
example,vitrificationintoahomogeneousglass,glass-ceramic,
sludges, spent waste water filter aids, waste water filter cakes,
or ceramic waste form.This includes waste forms produced by
incinerator ashes (wet or dry), incinerator blowdown (wet or
ex-situ vitrification (ESV), in-situ vitrification (ISV), slagging,
dry), wastewaters, asbestos, resins, zeolites, soils, unset or
plasma-arc, hot-isostatic pressing (HIP) and/or cold-pressing
unsatisfactory cementitious wastes forms in need of remedia-
and sintering technologies. Note that this guide does not
tion, lead paint wastes, etc. and combinations of the above.
specifically address high temperature waste treatment by in-
This guide may not be applicable to piping, duct work, rubble,
cineration but several of the analyses described in this guide
debris waste or wastes containing these components.
may be useful diagnostic methods to determine incinerator
1.3 This guide references applicable test methods that can
off-gas composition and concentrations.
be used to characterize hazardous wastes, radioactive wastes,
The characterization of the waste(s) recommended in this
and heavy metal contaminated process wastes, waste forms,
guide can be used to (1) choose and develop the appropriate
NARM or NORM wastes, and soils.
thermal treatment methodology, (2) determine if waste pre-
1.4 These test methods must be performed in accordance
treatment is needed prior to thermal treatment, (3) aid in
with all quality assurance requirements for acceptance of the
development of thermal treatment process control, (4) develop
data.
surrogate waste formulations, (5) perform treatability studies,
1.5 This standard may involve hazardous materials, opera-
(6) determine processing regions (envelopes) of acceptable
tions, and equipment. This standard does not purport to
waste form composition, (7) perform pilot scale testing with
address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its
actualorsurrogatewaste,and/or(8)determinethecomposition
use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to
and concentrations of off-gas species for regulatory compli-
establish appropriate safety and health practices and deter-
ance.
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
The analyses discussed in this standard can be performed by
a variety of techniques depending on equipment availability.
2. Referenced Documents
For example, Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry (GC/
2.1 ASTM Standards:
MS) can be used to measure the amount and type of off-gas
C92 Test Methods for SieveAnalysis and Water Content of
species present. However, this standard assumes that such
Refractory Materials
sophisticated equipment is unavailable for radioactive or haz-
C146 Test Methods for Chemical Analysis of Glass Sand
ardous waste service due to potential contamination of the
C162 Terminology of Glass and Glass Products
equipment. The analyses recommended are, therefore, the
C169 Test Methods for Chemical Analysis of Soda-Lime
simplest and least costly analyses that can be performed and
and Borosilicate Glass
still be considered adequate
C242 Terminology of Ceramic Whitewares and Related
1.2 This guide is applicable to radioactive and/or hazardous
2 Products
wastes including but not limited to, high-level wastes, low-
C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear Fuel
Low level waste (LLW) is used as a generic term that includes low level liquid
Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.07 on Waste Materials.
waste (LLLW), low level radioactive waste (LLRW) and low activity waste (LAW).
Current edition approved July 10, 2003. Published September 2003. DOI:
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
10.1520/C1571-03.
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Highlevelwaste(HLW)isusedasagenerictermthatincludeshighlevelliquid
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
waste (HLLW) and high level radioactive waste (HRW).
the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
C1571–03
C1109 Practice for Analysis of Aqueous Leachates from 3.1.4 debris waste—solid material exceeding a 60mm par-
Nuclear Waste Materials Using Inductively Coupled ticle size that is intended for disposal and that is: a manufac-
Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy tured object; or plant or animal matter; or natural geologic
material.
C1111 Test Method for Determining Elements in Waste
3.1.5 devitrification—crystallization of glass. C162
Streams by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission
3.1.6 drying—removal by evaporation, of uncombined wa-
Spectroscopy
ter or other volatile substances from a ceramic raw material or
C1168 Practice for Preparation and Dissolution of Pluto-
product, usually expedited by low-temperature heating. C242
nium Materials for Analysis
3.1.7 geologic mill tailings—common rock leftover from
C1317 Practice for Dissolution of Silicate orAcid-Resistant
mining or oil well drilling operations that may contain hazard-
Matrix Samples
ous or radioactive constituents, can include natural occurring
C1463 Practices for Dissolving Glass Containing Radioac-
radioactive material (NORM).
tive and Mixed Waste for Chemical and Radiochemical
3.1.8 glass ceramic—solid material, partly crystalline and
Analysis
partly glass. C162
D1129 Terminology Relating to Water
3.1.9 hazardous waste—(a) in a broad sense, any substance
D4327 Test Method for Anions in Water by Chemically
or mixture of substances having properties capable of produc-
Suppressed Ion Chromatography
ing adverse effects on the health or safety of a human (see also
RCRA hazardous waste); (b) any waste that is “listed” in
2.2 Other Documents:
40CFR Parts 261.31-261.33 or exhibits one or more of the
US EPA Standard SW846, Test Methods for Evaluating
characteristics identified in 40CFR Parts 261.20–261.24, is a
Solid Waste
mixture of hazardous and nonhazardous waste, or is deter-
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40CFR
mined to be hazardous waste by the generator.
240-271, November 21, 1976
3.1.10 heavy metal contaminated waste—a common haz-
DOE Methods for Evaluating Environmental and Waste
ardouswaste;candamageorganismsatlowconcentrationsand
Management Samples, March, 1993, DOE.EM-0089T,
tends to accumulate in the food chain. Examples are lead,
Rev. 1
chromium, cadmium, and mercury.
Radioanalytical Technology for 10 CFR Part 61 and Other
3.1.11 high-level liquid waste (HLLW)—the radioactive
Selected Radionuclides, Literature Review, C. W. Tho-
aqueous waste resulting from the operation of the first cycle
mas, V. W. Thomas, and D. E. Robertson, PNNL-9444,
extraction system, or equivalent concentrated wastes from
March, 1996
subsequent extraction cycles, or equivalent wastes from a
processnotusingsolventextraction,inafacilityforprocessing
3. Terminology
irradiated reactor fuels.
3.1.12 high-level radioactive waste (HLRW or HLW)—(a)
3.1 Definitions:
the highly radioactive material resulting from the reprocessing
3.1.1 analysis (physical or chemical)—the determination of
of spent nuclear fuel, including liquid waste produced directly
physical or chemical properties or composition of a material.
inreprocessingandanysolidmaterialderivedfromsuchliquid
C859
waste that contains fission products (U.S. Code Title 42,
3.1.2 byproduct material—the tailings or wastes produced
Section 10101); (b) liquid wastes resulting from the operation
by the extraction or concentration of uranium or thorium from
of the first cycle solvent extraction system, or equivalent, and
any ore processsed primarily for its source material content,
the concentrated wastes from subsequent extraction cycles, or
including discrete surface wastes, resulting from uranium
equivalent, in a facility for reprocessing irradiated reactor fuel.
solution extraction processes. Underground ore bodies de-
3.1.13 homogeneous glass—(1) an inorganic product of
pleted by such solution extraction operations do not constitute
fusion that has cooled to a rigid condition without crystallizing
“byproduct material.” 10 CFR Part 40
(see Terminology C162); (2) a noncrystalline solid or an
amorphous solid.
NOTE 1—A supplementary definition can be found in 10 CFR Part 20;
any radioactive material (except special nuclear material) yielded in, or
3.1.14 incidental waste—wastes that are not classified as
made radioactive by, exposure to the process of producing or utilizing
HLW. NRC has defined three criteria that must be met for a
special nuclear material.
waste to be called incidental waste: (1) wastes that have been
processed (or will be further processed) to remove key radio-
3.1.3 calcine—to fire or heat a granular or particulate solid
nuclides to the maximum extent that is technically and eco-
atlessthan,fusiontemperaturebutsufficienttoremovemostof
nomically practical; (2) wastes that will be incorporated in a
its chemically combined volatile matter (for example, H O,
solid physical form at a concentration that does not exceed the
CO ) and otherwise to develop the desired properties for use.
applicable concentrations for Class C low-level waste; and (3)
wastes that are to be managed pursuant of the Atomic Energy
Withdrawn.Thelastapprovedverionofthishistoricalstandardisreferencedon
www.astm.org.
6 7
Perkins, W. W., (Ed.), Ceramic Glossary, The American Ceramic Society, Code of Federal Regulations Title 40, Volume 19, Part 268.
1984. Varshneya, A. K., “Fundamentals of Inorganic Glasses,” Academic Press,
Boston, MA, 1994.
C1571–03
Act,sothatsafetyrequirementscomparabletotheperformance to the Atomic Energy Act (AEA) of 1954; The “radioactive
objectives set out in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C are satisfied. component”refersonlytotheactualradionuclidesdispersedor
suspended in the waste substance.
3.1.15 infrared incinerator—any enclosed device that uses
3.1.22 mixed waste glass—a glass comprised of glass form-
electric powered resistance heaters as a source of radiant heat
ing additives and hazardous waste that contains radioactive
followed by an afterburner using controlled flame combustion
constituents.
and which is not listed as an industrial furnace EPA 40
3.1.23 natural accelerator produced radioactive materials
CFR 260.10
(NARM)—radioactive materials not covered under the Atomic
3.1.16 incineration—(1) controlled flame combustion and
EnergyAct of 1954 that are naturally occurring or produced by
neither meets the criteria for classification as a boiler, sludge
an accelerator. Accelerators are used in sub-atomic particle
dryer, or carbon regeneration unit, nor is listed as an industrial
physics research. These materials have been traditionally
furnace; or (2) meets the definition of infrared incinerator or
regulatedbyStates.NARMwastewithmorethan2nCi/gof
plasma arc incinerator EPA 40 CFR 260.10
Ra or equivalent is commonly referred to as discrete NARM
3.1.17 Joule heating—heating of glass by passing an elec-
waste; below this threshold, the waste is referred to as diffuse
tric current through it, the powerful stirring effect of the
NARM waste. NARM waste is not covered under the Atomic
convection currents created by electric heating causes unifor-
EnergyAct, it is not a form of LLW, and it is not regulated by
mity of temperature throughout the body of glass and makes it
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
physically homogeneous.
3.1.24 naturally occurring radioactive materials
3.1.18 loss-on-heating (LOH)—the percent loss in weight
(NORM)—NORM refers to materials not covered under the
ofamaterialataconstanttemperature$105°C,andforatime
Atomic Energy Act whose radioactivity has been enhanced
long enough, to achieve constant weight, expressed as a
(radionuclide concentrations are either increased or redistrib-
percent of the initial weight of the dry material; The fractional
uted where they are more likely to cause exposure to man)
or percentage weight loss of a material on heating in air from
usually by mineral extraction or processing activities. Ex-
an initial defined state (usually, dried) to a specified tempera-
amples are exploration and production wastes from the oil and
ture, such as 1000°C, and holding there for a specified period,
natural gas industry and phosphate slag piles from the phos-
such as 1 hour. Fixed procedures are designed, usually, such
phate mining industry. This term is not used to describe or
that LOH represents the loss of combined H O, CO , certain
2 2
discuss the natural radioactivity of rocks and soils, or back-
other volatile inorganics, and combustible organic matter.
ground radiation, but instead refers to materials whose radio-
3.1.19 low-activity waste—the low-activity portion of
activity is technologically enhanced by controllable practices.
HLLW that is separated from the HLLW so that it can be
Note this definition is sometimes called technically enhanced
classified as LLW and be disposed of as “incidental waste.”
NORM or TENORM.
3.1.20 low-level radioactive waste (LLRW or LLW)—(a)
3.1.25 plasma arc incinerator—anyencloseddeviceusinga
LLRW is waste that satisfies the definition of LLRW in the
high intensity electrical discharge or arc as a source of heat
Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985; radioac-
followed by an afterburner using controlled flame combustion
tive material that is not high-level radioactive waste, spent
and which is not listed as an industrial furnace. EPA 40
nuclear fuel, or byproduct material as given in the Atomic
CFR 260.10
Energy Act of 1954; (b) Low level wastes are also not
3.1.26 radioactive—of or exhibiting radioactivity; a ma-
transuranic wastes as g
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