---
kind: "range"
citation: "10 C.F.R. §§ 61.51–61.53"
title: "10"
from: "61.51"
to: "61.53"
count: 3
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/10/61.51..61.53"
---

# §61.51. Disposal site design for land disposal.

- (a) **Disposal site design for near-surface disposal.**
  - (1) Site design features must be directed toward long-term isolation and avoidance of the need for continuing active maintenance after site closure.
  - (2) The disposal site design and operation must be compatible with the disposal site closure and stabilization plan and lead to disposal site closure that provides reasonable assurance that the performance objectives of subpart C of this part will be met.
  - (3) The disposal site must be designed to complement and improve, where appropriate, the ability of the disposal site's natural characteristics to assure that the performance objectives of subpart C of this part will be met.
  - (4) Covers must be designed to minimize to the extent practicable water infiltration, to direct percolating or surface water away from the disposed waste, and to resist degradation by surface geologic processes and biotic activity.
  - (5) Surface features must direct surface water drainage away from disposal units at velocities and gradients which will not result in erosion that will require ongoing active maintenance in the future.
  - (6) The disposal site must be designed to minimize to the extent practicable the contact of water with waste during storage, the contact of standing water with waste during disposal, and the contact of percolating or standing water with wastes after disposal.
- (b) **Disposal site design for other than near-surface disposal.** [Reserved]

# §61.52. Land disposal facility operation and disposal site closure.

- (a) **Near-surface disposal facility operation and disposal site closure.**
  - (1) Wastes designated as Class A pursuant to [§ 61.55](/cfr/10/61.55.md), must be segregated from other wastes by placing in disposal units which are sufficiently separated from disposal units for the other waste classes so that any interaction between Class A wastes and other wastes will not result in the failure to meet the performance objectives in [subpart C](/cfr/10/subpartC.md) of this Part. This segregation is not necessary for Class A wastes if they meet the stability requirements in [§ 61.56(b)](/cfr/10/61.56.md?p=b) of this part.
  - (2) Wastes designated as Class C pursuant to [§ 61.55](/cfr/10/61.55.md), must be disposed of so that the top of the waste is a minimum of 5 meters below the top surface of the cover or must be disposed of with intruder barriers that are designed to protect against an inadvertent intrusion for a least 500 years.
  - (3) All wastes shall be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of [paragraphs (a)](#a) (4) through (11) of this section.
  - (4) Wastes must be emplaced in a manner that maintains the package integrity during emplacement, minimizes the void spaces between packages, and permits the void spaces to be filled.
  - (5) Void spaces between waste packages must be filled with earth or other material to reduce future subsidence within the fill.
  - (6) Waste must be placed and covered in a manner that limits the radiation dose rate at the surface of the cover to levels that at a minimum will permit the licensee to comply with all provisions of §§ [20.1301](/cfr/10/20.1301.md) and [20.1302](/cfr/10/20.1302.md) of this chapter at the time the license is transferred pursuant to [§ 61.30](/cfr/10/61.30.md) of this part.
  - (7) The boundaries and locations of each disposal unit (e.g., trenches) must be accurately located and mapped by means of a land survey. Near-surface disposal units must be marked in such a way that the boundaries of each unit can be easily defined. Three permanent survey marker control points, referenced to United States Geological Survey (USGS) or National Geodetic Survey (NGS) survey control stations, must be established on the site to facilitate surveys. The USGS or NGS control stations must provide horizontal and vertical controls as checked against USGS or NGS record files.
  - (8) A buffer zone of land must be maintained between any buried waste and the disposal site boundary and beneath the disposed waste. The buffer zone shall be of adequate dimensions to carry out environmental monitoring activities specified in [§ 61.53(d)](/cfr/10/61.53.md?p=d) of this part and take mitigative measures if needed.
  - (9) Closure and stabilization measures as set forth in the approved site closure plan must be carried out as each disposal unit (e.g., each trench) is filled and covered.
  - (10) Active waste disposal operations must not have an adverse effect on completed closure and stabilization measures.
  - (11) Only wastes containing or contaminated with radioactive materials shall be disposed of at the disposal site.
- (b) **Facility operation and disposal site closure for land disposal facilities other than near-surface.** [Reserved]

# §61.53. Environmental monitoring.

- (a) At the time a license application is submitted, the applicant shall have conducted a preoperational monitoring program to provide basic environmental data on the disposal site characteristics. The applicant shall obtain information about the ecology, meteorology, climate, hydrology, geology, geochemistry, and seismology of the disposal site. For those characteristics that are subject to seasonal variation, data must cover at least a twelve month period.
- (b) The licensee must have plans for taking corrective measures if migration of radionuclides would indicate that the performance objectives of subpart C may not be met.
- (c) During the land disposal facility site construction and operation, the licensee shall maintain a monitoring program. Measurements and observations must be made and recorded to provide data to evaluate the potential health and environmental impacts during both the construction and the operation of the facility and to enable the evaluation of long-term effects and the need for mitigative measures. The monitoring system must be capable of providing early warning of releases of radionuclides from the disposal site before they leave the site boundary.
- (d) After the disposal site is closed, the licensee responsible for post-operational surveillance of the disposal site shall maintain a monitoring system based on the operating history and the closure and stabilization of the disposal site. The monitoring system must be capable of providing early warning of releases of radionuclides from the disposal site before they leave the site boundary.