Radioactive waste is classified into Intermediate level, low level, and very low potential based on the amount of radioactivity per unit gram, that is, the concentration limit. This method of classifying radioactivity per unit weight is not a problem if all packaged wastes are homogeneous. However, the reality is that not all waste is homogeneous. Relative hotspots may exist. Also, when several items are mixed, if one item has a relatively higher concentration than other items, it can become a relative hotspot. In Korea, even if all nuclides in a single radioactive waste package satisfy the low level concentration limit, if even one nuclide exceeds the concentration limit, the radioactive waste package becomes the intermediate level. In case of the United States, the US NRC provides regulations related to obtaining license as well as presents the technical position on the average waste concentration called Concentration Averaging and Encapsulation Branch Technical Position (CA BTP). CA BTP classifies waste into four types : Blendable Waste, Encapsulated items, Single Discrete Items, and Mixture of Discrete Items, and presents each approach to concentration averaging. In general, this is a method that suggests an acceptable ratio in case of the waste, which relatively high concentration waste is mixed. In order to apply this in Korea, we compare the classification standards for low and Intermediatelevel waste in Korea and the United States, related laws and backgrounds, and the application methods of CA BTP.

• Jiyoung Yi(Kepco International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS)) Corresponding author
• Chang-Lak Kim(Kepco International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS))