ASME RADWASTE SYSTEMS COMMITTEE BYLAWS
Revision 1 August 2010
ARTICLE I – Name and Purpose
1. The name of this Committee shall be the Radwaste Systems Committee.
2. The purpose of the Radwaste Systems Committee is to provide for the collection and exchange of technical and programmatic information relating to the management and transportation of low-level radioactive waste to identify and support programmatic enhancements, improvements in radioactive waste processing systems designs and the continuity of radioactive waste-related programs.
ARTICLE II – Membership & Organization
1. The Radwaste Systems Committee shall function in accordance with the ASME Constitution and By-Laws, and other pertinent directives of the society.
2. The Radwaste Systems Committee shall consist of the following sets of members, not necessarily disjoint:
- At least five General Members not to exceed 40 General Members,
- Three Executive Committee Members as per Article II.3,
- Sub-Committee Chairpersons (as needed).
- Emeritus Members In addition, the ASME Staff is eligible for membership at the invitation of the Committee. Each Active Member has the right to cast one vote in any matter properly brought before the committee.
3. An Executive Committee shall be established to recommend policy changes, initiatives, and other issues to the Radwaste Systems Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following positions:
- Chairperson of the Radwaste Systems Committee
- Vice-Chairperson of the Radwaste Systems Committee
- Secretary of the Radwaste Systems Committee
4. General Members of the Committee are nominated by the Executive Committee and must meet the following requirements:
- Members must meet the eligibility requirements of the ASME.
- Members must have at least 5 years of experience in LLRW management, system engineering or related technical field. Once nominated, General Members are elected to the Committee as per Article III.
5. Emeritus Members are nominated by the Executive Committee from the ranks of the General Members. Emeritus Members are recognized for their long-term contributions to the Committee. Emeritus Members have no obligation to remain active and have no voting rights on the Committee unless they remain active. Once nominated, Emeritus Members are elected as per Article III.
ARTICLE III - Elections and Terms of Office
1. A quorum as defined in Article V is required for all elections for Membership, the Executive Committee or Emeritus status.
2. Members of the Executive Committee are nominated from the General Membership. Any General Member may make a nomination for the Executive Committee. Nominations are accepted by the Secretary.
- The terms of office of the Executive Committee shall be two years. The expiration of these terms of office has no effect on any office holder's term as a General Member.
- The normal progression of advancement shall be Secretary to Vice-Chair to Chair with each position held for the full term. However, nominations to any position may be accepted at any election.
- The Secretary shall present a list of nominees to the Members at least one month prior to the election.
- The elections to the Executive Committee shall take place at the annual Radwaste Systems Committee meeting.
- Votes may be presented in person, by phone or in writing. A simple majority of the votes shall carry.
- The term of office begins on January 1st of the next year.
3. General Members shall be elected from the slate of nominees selected by the Executive Committee. Additional nominations shall be accepted from the floor in an open meeting immediately preceding elections. Balloting shall proceed as follows:
- In the first round, each member may vote for as many nominees as there are open positions and the persons receiving the most votes are elected.
- In the event of a tie for the final position, a second round of balloting shall follow, voting only for those in the tie.
- In the event of a tie in the second round, the Chairperson shall decide.
- The Committee shall designate one or more Alternates from the list of runners-up, respecting their place in the first round of voting.
4. Emeritus Members shall be elected from the slate of nominees selected by the Executive Committee. Additional nominations shall be accepted from the floor in an open meeting immediately preceding elections. Balloting shall proceed as follows:
- Each Member may vote for any or all nominees.
- Any nominee receiving a simple majority of the votes cast shall be elected as an Emeritus Member.
5. The General Members may serve on the Committee as long as they maintain active support of the Committee. Active support is defined as at least one of the following:
- Annual participation in at least one Radwaste Committee Meeting or Conference Call.
- Annual participation in at least one subcommittee project or meeting.
- Annual participation in Honors awards voting. Members who have not remained active for two (2) years may be removed from the Committee.
ARTICLE IV - Appointments and Subcommittees
1. The Chairperson of the Radwaste Systems Committee, after consultation with the Executive Committee and General Members, shall establish the following Technical Sub-committees and appoint a chairperson for each:
- Codes and Standards – Reviews regulatory changes, revised or contemplated, and develops industry positions for members to support.
- Operations – Reviews issues in waste processing from in-plant systems to improved methods for the treatment of waste prior to disposal. The Operations Subcommittee Chairperson is normally from a power reactor, as they are also responsible for developing the agenda for the annual EPRI/ASME Radwaste Workshop.
- Honors – Responsible for identifying worthwhile candidates for the Sarge Ozker Award, presented annually by ASME by the Radwaste Systems Committee Chairperson at the Waste Management Conference to honor years of excellence in waste management.
- Education – The Education Subcommittee Chairperson is responsible for updating and conducting the ASME short course on waste management and for tracking activities associated with new power reactor capacity and anticipating education/training needs.
- Packaging, Transportation, and Disposal - Reviews transportation-specific regulatory changes, revised or contemplated, and develops industry positions for members to support. In addition, the Packaging, Transportation, and Disposal Subcommittee Chairperson identifies items of noncompliance associated with transportation, and briefs the members to prevent recurrence at their companies and the rest of the industry. In addition, this chair tracks potential changes to low-level waste disposal capacity (commercial and governmental) and keeps members abreast of issues that may affect their companies and the industry as a whole.
- New Plants – Keep abreast of industry developments in new plant construction & operating licenses, hardware orders, and issues associated with radwaste systems design and operations.
2. Each subcommittee shall have no fewer than two members, including the chairperson.
3. The subcommittees shall render reports to the Radwaste Systems Committee at the annual meeting and when so requested by the Chairperson of the Radwaste Systems Committee.
4. The Secretary shall record and distribute minutes, solicit agenda items for meetings, and maintain records of the Committee. At the direction of the Chairperson of the Radwaste Systems Committee, the Secretary shall distribute meeting announcements, distribute ballots for voting by mail or electronic means, and tabulate the results of such votes.
ARTICLE V - Procedures
1. The Radwaste Systems Committee shall meet annually at the Waste Management Conference.
2. A conference call of the Radwaste Systems Committee Members shall be called by the chairperson at least once a year in addition to the annual meeting. Other meetings or conference calls may be held by the Radwaste Systems Committee Chairperson or the Chairpersons of the various sub-committees as needed.
3. A gathering of 20% or more of the full membership of the Radwaste Systems Committee including the chairperson shall constitute a quorum. If unable to attend, the Chairperson may delegate the authority to preside at a meeting to the secretary or another member.
4. With concurrence of the committee, any vote by the Radwaste Systems Committee may be conducted by mail ballot, electronic ballot, or other available balloting means at the discretion of the Chairperson. All ballots must state a voting deadline that provides sufficient time for ballot receipt, return, and at least seven days consideration.
5. The by-laws become effective upon ratification by the Radwaste Systems Committee and can be amended by a number of affirmative votes equal to or greater than 60% of the full membership of that Committee at any of its meetings or by ballot.
6. An up-to-date copy of the Radwaste Systems Committee by-laws shall be maintained by the Secretary.
7. Procedure for voting for award recipients (including the Sarge Ozker Award). The Chairman of the Honors Sub-Committee shall issue an announcement when nominations for an award are being solicited. Nominations for any committee award may be received from a Member a non-member of the committee. Each nomination must be accompanied by a biography of the nominee and their technical accomplishments. This nomination must be forwarded to the Chairman of the Honors Sub-Committee by the date identified on the announcement. The Honors Sub-Committee will typically put up all nominees to the General Membership but can eliminate a nominee with the unanimous vote of the Honors Sub-Committee and one concurring vote of the Executive Committee. When one nominee obtains a majority by a vote of the General Membership, that person will receive the award. If no nominee receives a majority of the votes, the nominee receiving the least amount of votes will be eliminated and the General Membership will vote again. This elimination process will continue until one nominee has received a majority vote. A quorum is required for all votes.
Copyright © 2018 RADWASTE SYSTEMS COMMITTEE - All Rights Reserved.