Waste services
Radioactive and mixed waste
Where RCRA and NRC requirements overlap, and what we can and cannot take.
Mixed waste is both radioactive and RCRA hazardous, regulated jointly by NRC or an Agreement State and by EPA. Greer handles characterization, low activity streams and routing to licensed facilities, but does not accept material above specific activity thresholds.
Source: 40 CFR 266 Subpart N, and 10 CFR Part 20What falls in this category
- Scintillation fluids containing carbon-14 or tritium
- Laboratory waste combining radioisotopes with hazardous solvents
- Contaminated debris from research and medical facilities
- Depleted uranium bearing waste from industrial applications
- Mixed waste from decommissioning projects
NORM and technologically enhanced NORM from oil and gas operations are handled separately. See the NORM waste page.
The dual regulation problem
Mixed waste sits under two regulators with requirements that were not written to fit together. RCRA land disposal restrictions may require treatment that radiological controls complicate, and the set of facilities licensed and permitted for both is small.
That scarcity is what drives cost and lead time. Planning a mixed waste stream months ahead is not excessive caution, it reflects how few outlets exist.
What we do
- Characterization of both the radiological and hazardous components
- Waste code assignment for the RCRA fraction
- Identification of facilities licensed and permitted for the combination
- Coordination with your radiation safety officer and licensing requirements
- Transport arrangement under both DOT radioactive and hazardous waste rules
- Documentation covering both regulatory regimes
Common questions
What activity levels do you accept?
Low activity streams within defined thresholds. Higher activity material goes to specialist licensed handlers. The assessment is made from your characterization data before any commitment is given.
Can scintillation fluid be handled normally?
It depends on the isotope and the activity. Some carbon-14 and tritium scintillation fluid falls below thresholds and can be handled as ordinary hazardous waste. That determination comes from measurement, not assumption.
Who regulates mixed waste?
Both. NRC or an Agreement State regulates the radioactive component and EPA or the authorized state regulates the hazardous component. Compliance with one does not satisfy the other.
Related services
Not sure how this applies to your site?
Send a profile, an old manifest, or photographs of the drums. A technical professional will tell you where you stand.
This page summarizes federal requirements and is not legal advice. State programs can be more stringent than the federal baseline. Verify against current federal and state regulations before acting. Last reviewed September 2026.