NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION ACT

(1995 No. 19)

Nigerian Radioactive Waste Management Regulations, 2006

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

Regulation

PART I – GENERAL 19. Release of specific waste.

20. Waste storage.
1. Interpretation.
21. Preparation for transportation of
2. Objective.
waste.
3. Scope.
22. Transportation.
4. Application.
23. Treatment.
5. Radioactive waste classification.
24. Conditioning.
PART II – RESPONSIBILITIES
AND ADMINISTRATIVE 25. Disposal of radioactive waste.
MEASURES 26. Quality Assurance.
6. Responsibilities. 27. Physical protection.
7. Licence applications. PART IV - REPORTING TO
THE AUTHORITY
8. Radioactive Waste Coordinator.
28. Reporting to the Authority
9. Return of sealed radioactive source
29. Emergency preparedness.
to supplier.
PART V: FINANCES
10. Transfer of spent sealed source to
another authorized user. 30. Finance.
11. Prohibition of importation of PART VI - VERIFICATION
radioactive waste. AND ENFORCEMENT

12. Public involvement. 31. Right of entry and inspection.

13. Licence for manufacture, import and 32. Offences and penalties.
distribution of consumer products 33. Appeals.
containing radioactive.
34. Citation.
PART III - WASTE
MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS SCHEDUULES
14. Segregation, collection and _____________
characterization. SCHEDULE 1
15. Container labelling. WASTE CLEARANCE
16. Discharge of radioactive substances ____________
to the environment. SCHEDULE 2
17. Discharge record and report. VALUES OF ALIMIN FOR CERTAIN
COMMON RADIONUCLIDES
18. Discharge of exempt waste.
____________

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S. I. of 2006

NUCLEAR SAFETY AND RADIATION PROTECTION ACT

(1995 No. 19)

Nigerian Radioactive Waste Management Regulations, 2006

Commencement:

In exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 47 of the Nuclear Safety

and Radiation Protection Act 1995 and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf,
THE NIGERIAN NUCLEAR REGULATORY AUTHORITY, with the approval of
the President, hereby makes the following Regulations –

PART I - GENERAL
1. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context indicates otherwise –

“the Act” means the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act 1995;

“the Authority” means the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority established

under Section 1 of the Act;

“Annual Limit on Intake” (ALI) means the intake of a given radionuclide in a

year by reference which would result in a committed dose equal to the relevant
dose limit. The ALI is expressed in units of activity. (According to NiBIRR an
effective dose of 20 mSv shall not be exceeded for occupationally exposed
workers and of 1 mSv for members of the public);

“authorization” means permission granted in a document by the Authority to a

legal person who has submitted an application to possess, produce, process,
manufacture, purchase, sell, import, export, handle, use, transform, transfer, trade,
assign, transport, store or dispose of radioactive material, nuclear material,
radioactive waste, prescribed substances or any apparatus emitting ionizing
radiation and the authorisation may take the form of a registration or a licence;

“characterization” means the determination of the physical chemical and

radiological properties of the waste to establish the need for further adjustment,
treatment, conditioning, or its suitability for further handling, processing, storage
or disposal;

“clearance levels” means a set of values, established by the Authority and

expressed in terms of activity concentrations and total activities, at or below
which sources of radiation can be released from regulatory control;

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“conditioning” means those operations that produce a waste package suitable for
handling, transportation, storage or disposal and shall include the conversion of
waste to a solid waste form, enclosure of the waste in containers and if necessary,
providing an over pack;

“Consumer product” means an appliance or device produced, made,

manufactured, refined or improved in which a small amount of radioactive
substance has been deliberately incorporated or induced, and which can be
supplied to members of the public;

“Container” means the vessel into which the waste form is placed for handling,
transportation, storage and eventual disposal. The waste container is a component
of the waste package.

―Critical group” means a group of persons which is reasonably homogeneous

and susceptible to exposure to a given radiation source and exposure pathway
which includes the group of persons receiving the highest effective dose or
equivalent dose, as applicable by the given exposure pathway from the given
source;

“The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities” (DRWMF)

means facilities for collection and transportation of all radioactive waste from the
waste generator’s establishments for treating, conditioning and storing the
radioactive waste requiring more than one year decay period to bring down the
activity level to below clearance levels;

“disposal” means the placement of waste in an approved, specified facility

including near surface or geological repository without the intention of retrieval
and includes the approved direct discharge of airborne or liquid effluents into the
environment with subsequent dispersion;

“dose rate” means, in relation to a place, the rate at which a person or part of a
person would receive a dose of ionizing radiation from external radiation, if he
were at that place being a dose rate at that place averaged over one minute;

“effective dose” means the quantity E, defined as a summation of the tissue

equivalent doses, each multiplied by the appropriate tissue Weighting factor:

E   WT HT
T

where HT is the equivalent dose in tissue T and WT is the tissue weighting factor
for tissue T. From the definition of equivalent dose, it follows that:

E  WT . W R . DT , R
T R

where WR is the radiation weighting factor for radiation R and DT,R the average
absorbed dose in the organ or tissue T. The unit of effective dose is J. kg-1,
termed the Sievert (Sv);

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“exempt waste” means any waste that is released from regulatory control in
accordance with clearance levels because the associated radiological hazards are
negligible. The designation should be in terms of activity concentration and total
activity and may include a specification of the type, chemical or physical from,
mass or volume of waste, and its potential use;

“ionizing radiation” means energy in the form of particles or electromagnetic

waves of a wavelength of 100 nanometers or less or a frequency of 3 x 1015 hertz
or more capable of producing ions directly or indirectly;

“legal person” means any organization, corporation, partnerships, firm,

association, trust, estate, public or private institution, group, political or
administrative entity or other persons designated in accordance with national
legislation, who or which has responsibility and authority for actions taken under
these regulations;

“licence” means an authorization granted by the Authority on the basis of a safety

assessment and accompanied by specific requirements and conditions to be
complied with by the licencee;

“licencee” means a person granted an authorization by the Authority on the basis

safety assessment and complied with specific requirements and conditions;

“limit” means the value of a quantity used in certain specified activities or

circumstances that must not be exceeded;

“monitoring” means the measurement of radiation or radionuclides for reasons

related to the assessment or control of exposure and the interpretation of such
measurements. Monitoring can be continuous and non-continuous;

“NiBIRR” means Nigeria Basic Ionizing Radiation Regulations 2003;

“notification” means a document submitted to the Authority by a legal person to

notify an intention to carry out a practice or any other action described in the
general obligations for practices;

“practice” means work involving –

(a) the production, processing, handling, use, holding, storage, transport or

disposal of radioactive substances; or

(b) the operation of any electrical equipment emitting ionizing radiation and
containing components operating at a potential difference of more than 5
kilovolts,

which can increase the exposure of individuals to radiation from an artificial

source, or from a radioactive substance containing naturally occurring
radionuclides, which are processed for their radioactive, fissile or fertile
properties;

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“quality assurance” means all those planned and systematic actions necessary to
provide adequate confidence that an item, process or service will satisfy given
requirements for quality, for example, those specified in the licence;

“radiation accident” means an accident where immediate action would be

required to prevent or reduce the exposure to ionizing radiation to employees, the
environment or any other persons;

“radioactive discharges” means radioactive substances source discharged as

gases, aerosols, liquids or solids to the environment, from a source within any
activity generally with the purpose of dilution and dispersion;

“radioactive substance” means any substance, which contains one or more

radionuclides whose activity cannot be disregarded for the purposes of radiation
protection;

“radioactive waste” means material, whatever its physical form, remaining from
practices or interventions and for which no further use is foreseen:

(a) that contains or is contaminated with radioactive substances and has an

activity or activity concentration higher than the level for exemption or
clearance from regulatory requirements, and

(b) exposure which is not excluded from these regulations;

“Radioactive Waste Management Fund” means the fund established by

government with contributions from waste generator to make provisions for long-
term management options of the various waste forms;

“radionuclide” means a nucleus (of an atom) that possesses properties of

spontaneous disintegration (radioactivity). Nucleus are distinguished by their
mass and atomic number;

“regulatory control” means any form of control applied to facilities or activities

by the Authority for reasons related to radiation protection or the safety or
security of radioactive sources;

“repository” means a nuclear facility where waste is placed for disposal and
future retrieval of waste from the repository is not intended;

“safety” means measures intended to minimise the likelihood of accidents with

radioactive sources and, should such an accident occur, to mitigate its
consequences;

“safety assessment” means a review of the aspects of design and operation of a

source which are relevant to the protection of persons, environment or the safety
of the source, including the analysis of the provisions for safety and protection
established in the design, operation of the source, the analysis of risks associated
with normal conditions and accident situations;

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“sealed source” means a source containing any radioactive substance whose
structure is such as to prevent, under normal conditions of use, any dispersion of
radioactive substances into the environment, but it does not include any
radioactive substance inside a nuclear reactor or any nuclear fuel element;

“security” means measures to prevent unauthorized access or damage to, loss,

theft or unauthorized transfer of radioactive sources;

“storage” means the placement of radioactive waste in a suitable facility where

isolation, environmental protection and human control (e.g. monitoring) are
provided with the intent that the waste will be retrieved for clearance, treatment,
conditioning and disposal at a later time.

“transport” means, in relation to radioactive substances, carriage by road or

through any public place whether on a conveyance or not, by rail, inland
waterway, sea or air. In the case of transport on a conveyance a substance shall be
deemed as being transported from the time that it is loaded onto the conveyance
for the purpose of transporting it until it is unloaded from that conveyance, but a
substance will not be considered as being transported if -

(a) it is transported by means of a pipeline or similar means; or

(b) it forms an integral part of a conveyance and is used in connection with the
operation of that conveyance;

“treatment” means the operations intended to benefit safety and economy by

changing the characteristics of waste. Three basic treatment objectives are:

(a) volume reduction;

(b) removal of radionuclides from the waste;

(c) change of composition,

after treatment, the waste may or may not be immobilised to achieve an

appropriate waste form.

“waste inventory” means a detailed, itemised record maintained by the operator

or Authority in accordance with these regulations, and may contain data such as
physical quantity, the activity of the waste, the radionuclide content, and other
characteristics.

“waste generator” means any person or organization engaged in activities which

generate radioactive waste.

“waste management” means all activities, administrative and operational, that

are involved in the handling, treatment, conditioning, storage, disposal and
transportation of waste.

“waste package” means the product of conditioning that includes the waste form
and any container(s) and internal barriers (e.g. absorbing materials and liner) as
5
 prepared in accordance with requirements for handling, transportation, storage
and /or disposal.

“waste form” means the waste in its physical and chemical form after treatment
and/or conditioning (resulting in a solid product) prior to packaging. The waste
form is a component of waste package.

2. Objective

These Regulations set up the basic technical and organizational requirements to

be complied with by waste generators and operators of waste management facilities in
order to ensure the protection of human health and the environment from the hazards
associated with radioactive waste within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

3. Scope

(1)The scope of these Regulations covers the requirements associated with such
steps in waste management as collection, segregation, characterisation, treatment,
conditioning, storage and preparation for transport of radioactive waste arising from
medical, industrial and research facilities where radioactive materials and sources of
ionizing radiation are produced, used or handled.

(2)These regulations shall not apply to Technologically Enhanced Naturally

Occurring Radioactive Materials (TE-NORM).

4. Application

(1)The application of these Regulations shall be in addition to the Nigeria Basic

Ionizing Radiation Regulations 2003 (NiBIRR) and the Nigeria Technologically
Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials Regulations and any other existing
ionizing radiation and nuclear regulations as well as any transport regulations in force.

(2)These Regulations shall apply to:

(a) all solid, liquid and gaseous waste with activity levels above the clearance
levels specified in Annex 1;

(b) all users of sources of ionizing radiation in medicine, industry, teaching,

research, agriculture, hydrology, geology and other field of human activity
whenever such uses are subject to registration or licensing under these
Radioactive Waste Management Regulations;

(c) operators of radioactive waste management facilities.

5. Radioactive waste classification

Radioactive waste shall be classified using the following categories:

(a) according to its physical form and composition:

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 (i) solid waste,

(ii) liquid aqueous waste,

(iii) liquid organic waste,

(iv) gaseous waste,

(v) sealed radiation sources,

(vi) biological waste (e.g. animal carcasses which might undergo

decomposition if not properly treated and stored),

(vii) medical waste (e.g. syringes, bed linen and contaminated clothing
from a hospital environment);

(b) according to the activity concentration and half lives of radionuclides

contained in the following category of radioactive waste:

Category I:
Low level radioactive waste (e.g. the activity is less than 10 MBq),
containing short lived radionuclides only (e.g. with half life less than 50
days) that will decay to clearance levels within one year after the time of
its generation.

Category II:
Low and intermediate level radioactive waste, containing the
radionuclides with half life <30 y and restricted long-lived radionuclide
concentrations and that is not expected to decay to clearance levels within
one year from the time of its generation (limitation of longer lived alpha
emitting radionuclides to 400 Bq/g individual waste packages and to an
overall average of 400 Bq/g per waste package).

Category III:
Low and intermediate level radioactive waste, containing the
radionuclides with half life >30 y, and concentration of alpha emitters
exceeding the limitations for Category II. This waste needs to be disposed
of in deep geologic facilities only.

Category IV:
High level radioactive waste, with thermal power above 2 kW/m3 and
concentration of alpha emitters exceeding the limitations for Category II
(e.g. spent-fuel from research reactors). This waste needs to be disposed of
in deep geologic facilities only.

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 PART II - RESPONSIBILITIES AND ADMINISTRATIVE
MEASURES

6. Responsibilities

(1) Primary responsibility for the safe management of radioactive waste rests with
the waste generator who shall take all necessary actions to ensure the safety of
radioactive waste unless the responsibility has been transferred to another person or
organization as approved by the Authority.

(2) The Authority is responsible for enforcement of compliance of the provisions

of these Regulations and all other relevant requirements by waste generators and the
operators of Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities as established under
these Regulations and the implementation of the licensing process for generation and
management of radioactive waste.

(3) The waste generator shall be responsible for on-site segregation, collection,
characterization and temporary storage of the radioactive waste arising from his activities
and discharge of exempt waste.

(4) All radioactive waste that is not expected to decay to clearance levels within
one year from the time of its generation shall be transferred from the waste generator to
the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities.

(5) Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities shall have the

responsibility to discharge exempt waste and to store conditioned radioactive waste until
a disposal facility is established and becomes operational and the waste has been
disposed of, or the waste has been transported abroad for further processing and disposal.

(6) No person or organization shall dispose of any radioactive waste unless the
disposal facility designed and constructed specifically for this purpose is available and
licensed.

(7) The Authority shall be responsible for:

(a) management of radioactive waste where the person that generates the
waste is incapable of appropriate management of the waste either
through—

(i) bankruptcy, or

(ii) revocation of licence, or

(iii) non existence of waste generator, or

(iv) as may be appropriately determined; and

(b) Recovering of the costs incurred from those responsible, where they are
identified.

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7. License application

(1) No person or organization shall generate or manage radioactive waste without

an appropriate license from the Authority.

(2) All proposals from applicants to generate radioactive waste shall specify the
following in a written application to the Authority:

(a) nature and purpose of the proposed facility and equipment that generates
radioactive waste;

(b) suggested operational procedures, taking into account reduction of

radioactive waste generation to the extent practicable;

(c) quantity, type and characteristics of radioactive waste to be generated;

(d) proposed destination for the radioactive waste;

(e) assessments of the safety and environmental impact of the facility under
normal and accident conditions;

(f) decommissioning procedures;

(g) availability of competent staff and provisions for its further training;

(h) systems for records keeping and reporting;

(i) proposed quality assurance programme;

(j) contingency plans in the event of an emergency;

(k) proposals for discharge and environmental monitoring as needed;

(l) such other details as the Authority may consider necessary.

(3) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility operator shall

specify the following in a written application for the license to the Authority:

(a) quantity, type and characteristics of the radioactive waste to be managed;

(b) suggested methods, facilities and equipment for management of

radioactive waste designed to minimize radioactive waste packages to be
disposed of;

(c) assessments of the safety and environmental impact of the facility under
normal and accident conditions;

(d) decommissioning procedures;

(e) availability of competent staff and provisions for its further training;
9
 (f) systems for record keeping and reporting;

(g) proposed quality assurance programme;

(h) contingency plans in the event of an emergency;

(i) proposals for discharge and environmental monitoring;

(j) supporting research and development proposals;

(k) insurance and liability coverage for the facilities operation;

(l) such other details as the Authority may consider necessary.

(4) An applicant shall pay such fees as prescribed by the Authority to cover the
cost of the licensing procedures.

(5) The licensee shall comply with all limits and conditions specified in the
license including the amounts and characteristics of waste which may be generated,
treated, conditioned and stored, and any specific radiation protection and physical
security measures.

(6) Any license issued under regulation 8 (1) and 8 (3) shall be:

(a) valid for such a period as the Authority may determine;

(b) renewable by the Authority if the licensee complies with the license
conditions;

(c) Subject to supervision or revocation as notified in writing if in the view of

the Authority, the licensee has failed to comply with the conditions of
issuing the license.

8. Radioactive Waste Coordinator

(1) Each waste generator shall appoint a technically competent person with the
appropriate independence and authority to be a Radioactive Waste Coordinator in order
to assist persons using radioactive materials in safe and efficient on-site radioactive waste
management.

(2) The Radioactive Waste Coordinator shall:

(a) establish, maintain and keep up-to-date inventory of radioactive materials

and generated waste;

(b) (b) make and maintain contact with all on-site persons using radioactive
materials and provide an authoritative point of advice and guidance;

10
 (c) liaise as needed with the Designated Radioactive Waste Management
Facility operator;

(d) establish and maintain a record keeping system in such a manner as to

facilitate identification, characterization, collection and storage of
radioactive materials that become waste;

(e) ensure that on-site transfer of radioactive materials and waste is carried
out in accordance with written safety procedures;

(f) ensure appropriate shielding, labeling, physical security and proper

conservation of waste packages;

(g) ensure that any discharge of effluents is made within clearance levels or
authorized limits;

(h) ensure the disposal of solid waste to a municipal landfills is below

clearance levels;

(i) report on accidents and inappropriate waste management practices to the

facility management; and

(j) Maintain up to date knowledge of the characteristics of the site sewage

system, local municipal landfills, available incinerators for non-
radioactive waste and other facilities relevant to the organization of waste
management practices.

9. Return of sealed radioactive source to supplier

(1) A person or organization that proposes to import or acquire a device

containing a sealed radioactive source shall require the supplier, to receive the source
back after its useful lifetime as a condition of any contract for the purchase or transfer.

(2) A copy of the contract shall be submitted to the Authority upon application to
import the device to which regulation 10 (1) applies.

(3) The owner of the device to which regulation 10 (1) applies shall be
responsible to return the spent sealed source to the supplier in accordance to the contract.

(4) Where the owner of the device to which sub-section 10 (1) applies fails to
return the spent sealed source it shall be appropriately stored or transferred to the
Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility for conditioning, storage and
disposal at the cost to the owner of the device.

(5) The Authority shall be responsible for management of the spent source where
the recipient is incapable (through bankruptcy or as appropriately determined) of
returning the source or the licence is revoked, or the recipient no longer exists and the
Authority shall request to recover the costs incurred from those responsible, where they
are known.

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10. Transfer of spent sealed source to another authorized user

(1) The transfer of a spent sealed source from one authorized user to another shall
be authorized as a radioactive waste management option for that source if:

(a) the initial licencee demonstrates that the integrity of the source can be
guaranteed;

(b) the recipient user satisfies the Authority of his ability to safely use the
source as required by the Nigeria Basic Ionizing Radiation Regulations;

(c) the recipient user satisfies the Authority of his ability to manage the waste
generated thereof, as required by these regulations.

(2) For the purpose of sub-paragraph (1) of this regulation, the initial licencee
shall make an assessment of the condition of the source at the point of transfer and make
such records, in addition to all previous records of the source, available to the Authority
as well as to the recipient user.

(3) The initial licencee shall retain all records pertaining to the source.

11. Prohibition of importation of radioactive waste

Under no condition, purpose or guise whatsoever, shall any person or

organization import a radioactive waste into any part of Nigeria.

12. Public involvement

The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities operator shall ensure

the public accessibility to the organizational policy and programme to improve
understanding of waste management issues.

13. Licence for manufacture, import and distribution of

consumer products containing radioactive substance

(1) A licencee shall be required to manufacture or import and distribute any

material or consumer product containing a radioactive source unless otherwise exempted
under the provisions of these regulations,

(2) An application for a licence to manufacture or import and distribute consumer

products or materials containing radioactive substance shall be approved if:

(a) the radioactive source is not contained in any food, beverage, cosmetic,
drug, or other commodity designed for ingestion or inhalation by, or
application to, a human being; and

(b) the applicant submits sufficient information relating to the design,

manufacture, prototype testing, quality control procedures, labelling or
marking, and conditions of handling, storage, use, and disposal of the
material or consumer product to demonstrate that the material or product
will meet the safety criteria set forth by the Authority.
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 (3) The information to be submitted to the Authority for the purpose of processing
the application for the licence shall include:

(a) a description of the material or consumer product and its intended use or
uses;

(b) the type, quantity, and concentration of the radioactive substance in each
material or product;

(c) the chemical and physical form of the radioactive substance in the material
or product, and changes in chemical and physical form that may occur
during the useful life of the material or product;

(d) analysis of the solubility in water and body fluids of the radioactive
substance in the material or product.

(e) the details of manufacture and design of the material or product relating to
containment and shielding of the radioactive source and other safety
features under normal and severe conditions of handling, storage, use,
reuse, and disposal of the material or product;

(f) the degree of access of human beings to the material or product during
normal handling, use, and disposal;

(g) the total quantity of radioactive substance expected to be distributed

annually in the material or product;

(h) the expected useful life of the material or product;

(i) the proposed method of labelling or marking each unit of the material or
product with identification of the manufacturer and/or initial transferor of
the product and the radionuclides and quantity of radioactive substance in
the material or product;

(j) the procedures for prototype testing of the material or product to

demonstrate the effectiveness of the containment, shielding, and other
safety features under both normal and severe conditions of handling,
storage, use, reuse, and disposal;

(k) the results of the prototype testing of the material or product, including
any change in the form of the radioactive substance contained in it, the
extent to which the radioactive substance may be released to the
environment, any change in radiation levels, and any other changes in
safety features;

(l) the estimated external radiation doses and dose commitments relevant to
the safety and the basis for such estimates;

13
 (m) the quality control procedures to be followed in the production of lots of
the material or product, and the quality control standards the material or
product will be required to meet; and

(n) any additional information, including experimental studies and tests,

required by the Authority to facilitate a determination of the radiation
safety of the material or product.

PART III - WASTE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS

14. Segregation, collection and characterisation

(1) The waste generator shall keep control on waste generation to the minimum
practicable.

(2) The waste generator shall segregate, collect and characterise waste as far as
practicable at the point of origin in accordance with the categories specified in regulation
7 in order to facilitate subsequent treatment, conditioning, storage and disposal.

(3) Each waste category after segregation shall be kept separately in a suitable
container.

(4) Sufficient number of containers shall be made available where radioactive

wastes are generated which shall:

(a) be easy to handle;

(b) be strong enough to withstand normal handling;

(c) not be affected by the waste content.

(5) Waste requiring treatment and conditioning shall be further segregated by the
waste generator as stipulated in the licence depending on the availability of treatment and
conditioning facilities at the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities.

15. Container labelling

(1) A licencee shall ensure that each container containing radioactive waste bears
a durable, clearly visible label bearing the radiation symbol which shall be legible for the
whole period of storage and must provide the following information:

(a) nature of the waste generated;

(b) date of waste generation;

(c) commencement date of storage;

(d) content of major radiologically significant radionuclides;

(e) external surface dose rate;

14
 (f) waste category;

(g) biological, chemical or other hazardous materials if they exist;

(h) name of a person responsible for the waste generation;

(i) identification;

(j) any particular information that may be required by the Authority.

(2) Each licencee shall, prior to removal of empty containers to unrestricted areas,
which after measuring have proved to be uncontaminated, remove or deface the label or
otherwise clearly indicate that the container no longer contains radioactive waste.

(3) A licencee shall remove labels from containers holding waste if the
concentration is below the clearance levels specified in Schedule 1 of these Regulations
prior to their disposal.

(a) the waste activity or concentration were confirmed to be below clearance

levels as prescribed by the Authority;

(b) discharge of liquid or gaseous effluents is within the limits authorized by

the Authority.

16. Discharge of radioactive substances to the environment

(1) A licencee shall ensure that radioactive waste shall not be discharged/released
into the environment unless:

(a) the waste activity or concentration are confirmed to be below clearance

levels as prescribed by the Authority; and

(b) discharge of liquid or gaseous effluents is within the limits authorized by

the Authority.

(2) A licencee, before initiating the discharge to the environment of any solid,
liquid or gaseous radioactive waste considered to be within discharge limits, shall as
appropriate:

(a) determine the characteristics and activity of the material to be discharged,

and the potential points and method of discharge;

(b) determine by an appropriate pre-operational model study, all significant

exposure pathways by which discharged radionuclide can deliver public
exposure;

(c) assess the doses to the critical groups due to the planned discharges;

15
 (d) submit this information to the Authority as an input to the establishment of
authorized limits and conditions for their implementation.

17. Discharge record and report

A licencee, during the operational stages of radioactive waste management shall:

(a) keep all radioactive discharges below authorized discharge limits;

(b) monitor the discharges of radionuclide with sufficient detail and accuracy
to demonstrate compliance with the authorized discharge limits and to
permit estimation of the exposure of critical groups;

(c) record and keep records of the monitoring results;

(d) report the monitoring results to the Authority at approved intervals;

(e) report promptly to the Authority any discharges exceeding the authorized
discharge limits in accordance with reporting criteria established by the
Authority.

18. Discharge of exempt waste

(1) The waste of Category I that is expected to decay below clearance levels
within one year from its generation, shall be safely stored on-site and after confirmation
by measuring or other means that the clearance levels specified in Schedule 1 of these
regulations have been reached, shall be appropriately discharged or released by the waste
generator or the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility Operator.

(2) A licensee may discharge the exempt liquid effluents into sanitary sewage
only if the material is readily soluble or is readily dispersible in water;

(3) A licensee may release the exempt solid into a municipal waste incinerator or
landfill.

(4) A licensee may discharge exempt solid waste into the atmosphere.

(5) Hazardous waste, contaminated with toxic compounds or infectious agents

which are covered by regulations dealing specifically with these hazardous characteristics
shall be discharged in consonance with the provisions of such regulations as well.

19. Release of specific waste

(1) A licensee may release the following material as if it were not radioactive:

(a) 0.05µCi ( 1.85kBq), or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon-14 per gram of

medium used for liquid scintillation counting; and

(b) 0.05µCi (1.85kBq) or less of hydrogen-3 or carbon – 14 per gram of

animal tissue, averaged over the weight of the entire animal.

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 (2) A licencee shall not dispose of tissue under regulation 20 (1) (b) of this section
in a manner that would permit its use either as food humans or as animal feed.

20. Waste storage

(1) A licencee shall provide for interim storage of radioactive waste prior to its
clearance, discharge or disposal.

(2) The interim storage facility shall be properly designed and constructed with at
least one physical barrier between the radioactive waste and other material in the store.

(3) The store shall be large enough to hold all generated and anticipated waste in
an orderly manner and keep different categories separated. In addition, the store designed
shall provide for;

(a) adequate shielding of the radioactive waste;

(b) prevention of deterioration of waste packages ;

(c) handling and ability to retrieve of waste packages;

(d) adequate ventilation of waste packages;

(e) conventional safety;

(f) physical protection.

(4) The radioactive waste store shall not be located close to any corrosive,
exposure or flammable material and shall be clearly and legibly marked with the
radiation symbol.

21. Preparation for transportation of waste

(1) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility shall be provided

full information on the radioactive waste sent to it prior to delivery.

(2) If incomplete or incorrect information is given, the Designated Radioactive

Waste Management Facility may, at the expense of the waste generator, make the
necessary investigation and report to the Authority for instructions regarding receiving
such waste and its further management.

(3) The radioactive waste to be transported to a Designated Radioactive Waste

Management Facility shall be prepared by the waste generator in accordance with the
requirements developed by the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility and
approved by the Authority.

(4) The Radioactive Waste Coordinator shall supervise the preparation of the
radioactive waste for the transportation and in particular check that adequate shielding,
labelling and documentation is provided.

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22. Transportation

(1) Transportation of radioactive waste within any installation shall be performed

by a licencee under separate operating instructions issued by the management and
approved by the Authority.

(2) The off-site transportation of radioactive waste shall be in accordance with the
Nigerian Regulations for the Transportation of Radioactive Sources.
(3) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility shall secure a licence
for transportation of radioactive waste from the Authority in addition to the licence from
any other appropriate authority.

(4) The Authority shall be notified at least 14 days in advance of any off-site
transfer of radioactive waste, and waste generator shall ensure that he receives an
acknowledgement receipt of the dispatched radioactive waste within 14 days.

(5) Any shipment, of which acknowledgement is not received within the specified
time shall be investigated by the sender and a report shall be prepared and submitted to
the Authority within one (1) week after completion of the investigation but not later than
twenty eight (28) days after the date of shipment.

23. Treatment

(1) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility shall treat the
radioactive waste received from the waste generator in order to reduce its volume and to
facilitate further conditioning.

(2) The treatment method shall be suitably selected for the radioactive waste
received depending on such factor as volume and type of the radioactive waste, the
discharge requirement for liquid effluent and additional conditioning requirements.

24. Conditioning

(1) The radioactive waste to be accepted for long term storage, transportation and
disposal shall be properly conditioned by the Designated Radioactive Waste Management
Facility.

(2) Waste packages produced by a conditioning process shall be fully

characterised with regard to important physical chemical, radiological, mechanical and
biological properties specified by the Authority.

(3) The waste packages to be transported off-site shall comply with the Nigerian
Regulations for the Transportation of Radioactive Sources and shall meet waste
acceptance requirements for disposal

(4) Radium sources shall be conditioned for storage by encapsulating the source
in a welded stainless tube, placing the tube in a lead shielding container followed by
emplacement of the container inside a 200 litre mild steel drum filled with the concrete.

18
 (5) Provision for the retrieval of the encapsulated radium sources from drums and
transportation to the disposal facility shall be made.

25. Disposal of radioactive waste

(1) Where the radioactive waste does not qualify for discharge or release to the
environment or for clearance in a reasonable period of time, it shall be disposed of in a
near surface repository to be established by government and licenced by the Authority.

(2) No person or organization shall dispose of radioactive waste in a repository

unless the requirements for acceptance of radioactive waste for disposal approved by the
Authority are satisfied.

(3) The responsibility for verification of compliance of radioactive waste

packages with the acceptance criteria rest with the disposing organization.

26. Quality assurance

(1) All licencees shall ensure that all radioactive waste management operations
are carried out in accordance with a suitable quality assurance programme commensurate
with the scope of activity and approved by the Authority.

(2) The quality assurance programme shall be designed to ensure that the facilities
and equipment are designed, constructed and operated in accordance with specified
requirements for safe operation, all regulations and conditions in a licence are complied
with, and the radioactive waste, packages produced meet the waste package acceptance
requirements.

(3) Each licencee shall develop and maintain an accurate documentation system to
cover all stages of radioactive waste management from its generation to disposal, and
quality assurance programme shall provide for controlled approval, receipts, retention,
distribution and disposition of all records important for safety in accordance with the
Authority requirements.

(4) Records, such as letters, drawings, specification, etc must include all pertinent
information, such as stamps, initials, and signatures, and licencee shall retain the records
until the Authority terminates each pertinent licence requiring the record.

(5) The licensee shall maintain adequate safeguard against tempering with and
loss of records.

(6) The effectiveness of the quality assurance programme shall be verified by the
independent audits to ensure that a radioactive waste management programme meets
specific requirements, is covered by procedures, and that implementation is adequate.

27. Physical protection

Waste generators and the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facilities

shall ensure adequate physical protection measures to prevent any unauthorized access to

19
the radioactive waste, and the Authority shall approve of such physical security
arrangements.

PART IV - REPORTING TO THE AUTHORITY

28. Reporting to the Authority

(1) A licencee shall prepare and maintain an inventory of existing and anticipated
radioactive waste containing radionuclide with half-lives above 50 days and an activity
greater than 10MBq.

(2) A record of the inventory shall be submitted to the Authority with a copy to
the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility annually and whenever any
significant changes in radioactive waste amount or characteristics occur.

(3) The inventory shall be based on the classification system specified in

Regulation 5, including information on important physical, chemical and radiological
characteristics in addition to the quantity of radioactive waste, and the radioactive waste
inventory shall be submitted in the format stipulated by the Authority.

(4) Each licencee shall report to the Authority forthwith after its occurrence
becomes known to him, any loss, stolen or missing radioactive waste and the
circumstances under which such an occurrence took place and within 30 days after such
occurrence, the licencee shall make a written report with a description of the radioactive
material involved, its probable disposition, the circumstance under which the loss
occurred, and actions that have been taken.

(5) Each licencee shall immediately report to the Authority any event involving
radioactive waste possessed by the licencee that may have caused or threatens to cause
the release of radioactive material, inside or outside of a restricted area, where an
individual could have received an intake in excess of one occupational annual limit on
intake as specified in Schedule 2 of these regulations.

(6) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility shall summit to the
Authority by the end of each year a report that specifies details of quantities and type of:

(a) the exempt waste disposal at a municipal landfill, discharged into the
public sewage system or to the atmosphere;

(b) the effluents discharge into the environment within authorized release
limits;

(c) the conditioned radioactive waste in storage;

(d) the conditioned radioactive waste dispatched to a disposal facility; and

(e) the spent radiation sources sent to supplier.

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29. Emergency preparedness

(1) A licensee shall establish written procedure and have equipment to:

(a) deal with any emergency involving radioactive waste at their facilities;
and

(b) inform the Authority without delay of any emergency in relation to

radioactive waste

(2) The Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility shall establish

written procedures and have equipment available to deal with emergencies, and the
Authority may advice and assist with any emergency at a waste generators facility
whether on request or not.

PART V - FINANCES

30. Finance

(1) The waste generator shall secure proper financing of management of

radioactive waste.

(2) The waste generator dispatching a radioactive waste to a Designated

Radioactive Waste Management Facility for treatment, conditioning and storage services
and further disposal may be charged for such services as determined by the management
of the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility

(3) The waste generator shall pay all prescribed contributions to the Radioactive
Waste Management Fund as may be determine from time to time

PART VI –VERIFICATION AND ENFORCEMENT

31. Right of Entry and Inspection

(1) Any person appointed by the Authority to be Inspector to control the safety of
radioactive waste management may enter at any time the premises of any licencee, or any
other premises where he has reason to suspect that radioactive waste is present.
Inspections, tests, and samples and photographs may be taken, equipment or other experts
brought in if there is reason to believe that the waste may endanger human health or
environment.

(2) The inspector may recommend to the Authority and/or to the management of
the facility that generates or process radioactive waste to shut down if he/she believes that
the safety is jeopardised.

(3) Each licencee shall assist the inspector in his duties by granting him access to
his facilities and records

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32. Offences and penalties

(1) Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations has
committed an offence

(2) Any one who commits an offence under this regulations shall be liable to the
penalties as established in the enforcement policy issued by the Authority

(3) The Authority shall impose penalties such as suspension or revocation of

authorization, imposing administrative fine or closure of facility or any combination of
these

(4) The person or body corporate who, being a holder of authorisation under this
regulations, who commits an offence shall be liable to prosecution in the court of law and
upon conviction be liable to pay fines up to N1,000,000 for an individual and up to
N10,000,000 for a corporate body or be given a jail term of up to ten years or both

33. Appeal

Any person or organization may appeal to the Board of the Authority against any
decision made by the Authority pursuant to these regulations.

34. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Nigerian Radioactive Waste Management

Regulations 2006.

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 SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE I

WASTE CLEARANCE

Waste may be released into the atmosphere, discharged into public sewer system,
incinerated in a municipal incinerator or sent for municipal landfill provided that the
conditions given in the paragraphs below are satisfied.

A.1. Gaseous waste

A. 1.1. Each waste generator or the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility
may discharge gaseous waste in quantities not exceeding 10 ALImin per year
directly into the atmosphere. Table A1 give the numerical values of ALImin for the
most frequently used radionuclides.

A.1.2 if the waste contains more than one radionuclide, the highest permitted activity
shall be calculated in accordance with the equation (1):
Ak
---------- < 10………………………………..(1)
ALI mink
Where Ak is the activity of radionuclide. ALImin. values are in Table AI for
radionuclide k

A.2. Liquid waste

A2. 1. Each waste generator or the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility
may discharge liquid waste into a local sewer if the total activity does not exceed
1 ALImin per month and 0.1 ALImin or 5MBq, which ever is less, per individual
discharge.

A.2.2. If the waste contains more than one radionuclide the highest permitted activity
shall be calculated in accordance with equation (1)
Ak
----------- < 1………………………………(2)
ALI mink
The total activity, however, must not exceed 100MBq per month.

A.3. Solid Waste

A.3.1 Each waste generator or the Designated Radioactive Waste Management Facility
may dispose in a local landfill the waste containing a total activity not greater than
1 ALImin per month. The maximum activity in waste package shall not exceed
0.1 ALImin or 5MBq.

A.3.2. If the waste contains more than one radionuclide the highest activity shall be
calculated in accordance with equation (1). For the activity in one individual
package, equation (3) shall apply:
23
 Ak
----------- < 0, 1…………………………………(3)
ALI m

A.3.3. The dose rate at the surface of the package to be sent to a municipal incinerator or
landfill shall not exceed 5µGy/h.

A.3.4 When a waste package is sent to a municipal incinerator or landfill, it shall carry
the following marking:

(a) ―this waste package is exempted from nuclear control according to the
Radiation Waste management Regulations‖;
(b) name and address of sender
(c) signature of sender

A.3.5. Records of discharged exempt waste shall be established by the waste generator
and kept for at least 3 years. The records shall be available for inspection by the
Authority.

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 SCHEDULE 2

VALUES OF ALImin FOR CERTAIN COMMON RADIONUCLIDES

Nuclides ALImin (Bq) Nuclides ALImin(Bq)
Nuclides 3 x 109 85m
Sr 8 x 109
3
H eau 3 x 108 85m
Sr 6 x 107
14
C 2 x 109 87m
Sr 1 x 109
18
F 2 x 107 89
Sr 5 x 106
22
Na 1 x 108 90
Sr 1 x 105
24
Na 1 x 107 90
Y 2 x 107
32
P 9 x 106 99m
Tc 3 x 109
36
CI 6 x 108 99
Mo 2 x 108
38
CI 2 x 108 113
In 2 x 109
42
K 2 x 108 124
Sb 1 x 108
43
K 3 x 107 123
I 1 x 108
45
Ca 7 x 108 125
I 1 x 106
47
Ca 3 x 107 129
I 2 x 105
51
Cr 1 x 109 130
I 1 x 107
52
Mn 3 x 107 131
I 1 x 106
52m
Mn 2 x 108 132
I 1 x 108
54 109
Mn 3 x 10 Cd 1 x 106
56
Mn 7 x 107 115
Cd 3 x 107
52
Fe 1 x 107 111
In 2 x 108
55
Fe 7 x 106 129
Cs 9 x 107
59
Fe 2 x 107 130
Cs 2 x 109
56
Co 3 x 107 131
Cs 8 x 108
57
Co 1 x 106 134
Cs 3 x 106
58
Co 1 x 108 134m
Cs 4 x 109
60
Co 4 x 108 137
Cs 4 x 106
63
Ni 2 x 108 131
Ba 1 x 108
64
Cu 5 x 107 133m
Ba 9 x 107
67
Cu 1x 107 135m
Ba 1 x 108
62
Zn 2 x 108 140
La 2 x 107
65
Zn 3 x 107 169
Yb 2 x 107
69m
Zn 6 x 108 192
Ir 8 x 106
67
Ga 8 x 108 198
Au 4 x 107
68
Ga 8 x 107 197
Hg 2 x 108
73
As 6 x 107 203
Hg 2 x 107
74
As 1 x 108 201
TI 2 x 108
75
Se 6 x 108 204
TI 7 x 107
76
Br 1 x 108 210
Pb 9 x 103
77
Br 9 x 109 212
Pb 1 x 106
82
Br 1 x 109 210
Po 2 x 104
81m
Rb 2 x 107 226
Ra 2 x 104
81
Rb 7 x 108 232
Th 4 x 101
86
Rb 1 x 109 238
U 2 x 103
88
Rb 4 x 102 241
Am 2 x 102
89 252
Rb Cf 1x103
244
Cm

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MADE at Abuja this day of 2006

PROFESSOR SHAMSIDEEN BABATUNDE ELEGBA

Director-General
EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note does not form part of the Regulations but it

is intended to explain its purport)

The Regulations provide, among other things, for the protection of persons
from the harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation.

26