Proper management and disposition of mixed radioactive and hazardous waste continues to be one of the major environmental problems facing the world today. Dual regulation by the Atomic Energy Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), including land disposal restriction, continues to impose significant challenges upon the mixed waste community and the regulators, and has stimulated involvement from an interested and concerned public.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was created as an independent agency by Congress in 1974 to enable the nation to safely use radioactive materials for beneficial civilian purposes while ensuring that people and the environment are protected. The NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants and other uses of nuclear materials, such as in nuclear medicine, through licensing, inspection and enforcement of its requirements.

As part of an amendment to RCRA in October 1992, Congress, through the Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCA), sought to provide added impetus to a solution for mixed waste. This Act led to the development of site treatment plans for mixed waste by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and consent orders (or their equivalent) with appropriate regulatory agencies.

The management of nuclear and mixed waste has become an area of increased concern and regulation. Locus Technologies has an experienced staff of engineers and scientists who offer decommissioning, decontamination, and low- and high-level nuclear waste disposal design services.

Locus provides environmental and geotechnical services for nuclear waste disposal facilities planning, assessment, analysis, licensing, and design. We bring to nuclear projects training and expertise in nuclear engineering, environmental sciences and related disciplines, including geology, hydrogeology, geochemistry, hydrology, chemistry, mining, geo-technical, civil engineering, and computer modeling.

Locus' analytical data management system EIM has a module to manage radionuclides.