Radioactive Material: Am I Regulated?

If you use, handle, process, transport, transfer, receive, store, or dispose of radioactive material in Texas, you could be regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) , Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), or Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC).

The disposal of other than non–oil and gas naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is regulated by the TCEQ. Examples include:

• receipt, processing, storage and disposal of by-product and low-level radioactive waste from other persons .
• licensing uranium and thorium recovery facilities including the disposal of uranium and thorium by-product wastes
• the decommissioning of inactive uranium-recovery facilities and radioactive material disposal sites.

If you use, transport, process, treat, or store radioactive material, you might be regulated by the Texas Department of State Health Services/Radiation Control , who:

• regulate and license the possession, receipt, use, handling, transfer, transport, and storage of all radioactive material, including low-level radioactive materials and naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM)  except for that radioactive material received by a licensed by-product or low-level radioactive waste disposal facility.
• register radiation-producing equipment
• operate an emergency response program

Various oil and gas–related activities are regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas , including:

• uranium exploration
• surface mining
• the disposal of oil and gas NORM 

Contact us if you have questions.