This part applies only to radioactive waste substances which are owned or produced by the Department of Energy at facilities owned or operated by or for the Department of Energy under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq). This part does not apply to substances which are not owned or produced by the Department of Energy.

The purpose of this part is to clarify the meaning of the term “byproduct material” under section 11e(1) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014(e)(1)) for use only in determining the Department of Energy's obligations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) with regard to radioactive waste substances owned or produced by the Department of Energy pursuant to the exercise of its responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This part does not affect materials defined as byproduct material under section 11e(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2014(e)(2)).

(a) For purposes of this part, the term byproduct material means any radioactive material (except special nuclear material) yielded in or made radioactive by exposure to the radiation incident to the process of producing or utilizing special nuclear material.

(b) For purposes of determining the applicability of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) to any radioactive waste substance owned or produced by the Department of Energy pursuant to the exercise of its atomic energy research, development, testing and production responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the words “any radioactive material,” as used in paragraph (a) of this section, refer only to the actual radionuclides dispersed or suspended in the waste substance. The nonradioactive hazardous component of the waste substance will be subject to regulation under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.