Who is this article for?

System Administrators and users involved in radioactive waste handling and configuration.

Administrative access is required for container type setup.

Radiation waste is part of the cradle‑to‑grave workflow for radioactive materials. Once a principal investigator has used a radioisotope in experiments, the remaining material is logged into a waste container, picked up and moved to storage, and eventually disposed or shipped off‑site.

As waste is logged, the system removes the corresponding activity from the principal investigator’s permit allotment, keeping permit usage accurate.

1. Waste container types (admin configuration)

Before users can dispose radioactive material into containers, system administrators must define waste container types.

To access container types: Click Data Manager, then click Waste, then select Container Types.

Container types act as templates. Users later create individual containers based on these types.

2. Create a new container type

1. To create a new container type: Click Data Manager, then click Waste, then select Container Types.
2. Click Create New Container Type.

3. In the Create New Container Type window, configure:
   • Description – Name or label of the container type.
   • Code – Prefix used when creating containers from this type.
   • Waste type – Determines which kinds of waste are allowed in this container type.
     • To configure waste types: Click Edit Settings, then click Waste, then select Waste Types.

3. Waste type details

For each waste type, administrators can set:

• Abbreviation – Short code shown in dropdowns.
• Name – Full description.
• Require quantity field – Requires a quantity value when disposing into containers of this type.
• Require form/components field – Requires a contents description when disposing into containers of this type.
• Status – Active (available), Inactive (hidden but recoverable), Archive (removed).
• Capacity – Maximum volume or amount the container can hold.
• Capacity unit – Unit of capacity (e.g., L, mL, kg). This also controls the unit used for contents.
• Material – Container material (e.g., plastic, metal).
• Head type – Open or closed head container.
• Allowed parent container – Whether containers of this type can be placed inside another container as contents.
• Regulated disposal – Flags the container type as regulated. Regulated containers can go through the full waste workflow, including tracking to off‑site disposal.
• Required level to create – Minimum role required to create containers of this type.

If the required level is set below system administrator, general users can create containers (for example, from LATCH Waste).

Show general contents on creation allows users to create a new container without immediately adding specific contents for general (non‑radioactive) waste workflows.

To allow this, click Edit Settings, then click Waste, then select Require Contents for General User (LATCH) Disposal/Pickup Request and set it to No.

4. Example uses

• Academia: Different container types for solid vs. liquid radioactive waste.
• Manufacturing: Dedicated container types for sealed source wipes or contaminated tools.
• Construction/Industry: Specific drum types for field‑returned radiography waste.