Society News Archive

12 September 2005

The Health Physics Society (HPS) has issued a position statement titled "Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Needs A Complete and Coordinated Overhaul." This position statement is a complete revision of its previous position statement on low-level radioactive waste, which had been issued in 1999. The position statement is accompanied by a document providing "Background Information" on the revised position.

The position statement calls for a complete overhaul of the framework for managing low-level radioactive waste. The statement contains three specific positions and five specific recommendations, including a call to amend or replace the 1980 Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act, as amended in 1985.

Position statements of the HPS are made by the Scientific & Public Issues Committee. This position statement is based on previous HPS congressional testimony and correspondence with the Environmental Protection Agency and Government Accountability Office. The testimony and correspondence had been prepared by the Legislation & Regulation Committee. The issuance of this position statement makes the positions and recommendations of the previous testimony and correspondence official positions of the Society.