=======================Electronic Edition========================
RACHEL’S HAZARDOUS WASTE NEWS #69
—March 21, 1988—
News and resources for environmental justice.
——
Environmental Research Foundation
P.O. Box 5036, Annapolis, MD 21403
Fax (410) 263-8944; Internet: erf@igc.apc.org
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LANDFILLING LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL STATES.
The problem of “low level” radioactive waste is not a low level
problem. Over the next few decades 500 million Curies of “low
level” radioactive material will have to be managed, according to
a new book by physicist Marvin Resnikoff. “This is a staggering
amount of radioactivity, considering that leakage of even a
billionth of a Curie in a lab or hospital is cause for alarm,”
says Dr. Resnikoff.
There are basically two different “low level” radioactive waste
streams. One comes from universities, hospitals, and research
laboratories, the other from nuclear power plants. Dr. Resnikoff
says the nuclear industry has fostered the misconception that
nuclear power is just one source among many. In reality, all
research and medical institutions, taken together, produce only
0.008% of the radioactivity in the nation’s low level radioactive
waste; nuclear power plants produce the remainder (99.992%).
Low level radioactive waste is poorly defined under federal law.
The law defines “high level waste” as the radioactive materials
produced by the fuel in nuclear power plants; low level waste is
just about anything that does not fit the definition of high
level waste. Unfortunately, this means many “low level” wastes
are highly radioactive and will remain so for many thousands of
years. Low level does not mean low hazard.
The traditional method for “disposing” of low level waste is to
dump it into landfills. The U.S. has operated six lowlevel
radioactive waste landfills over the past four decades; three of
these (at Maxey Flats, KY; West Valley, NY; and Sheffield, IL)
are now closed because of severe problems of leakage and
environmental contamination. Of the three remaining landfills,
the one at Barnwell, SC, has radioactivity migrating from it; the
problem at Barnwell is expected to get worse as time passes. The
low-level dump at Richland, WA, may be the source of
radioactivity detected in the Columbia River (a problem the
Department of Energy has concealed since 1975). The dump at
Beatty, NV, so far seems to have avoided leakage problems–but
workers there stole radioactively contaminated tools and sold
them as flea market items.
The dumps in Washington, Nevada and South Carolina are currently
taking low-level waste from the entire country. Recognizing the
unfairness of this situation, Congress passed a law requiring all
states to form regional “compacts” to provide low level waste
management on a regional basis. State governments are scurrying
now to create 10 to 12 new regional landfills for radioactive
waste.
The new landfills will not work any better than the old ones
because as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said MANY
TIMES, all landfills will eventually leak. (See HWN #37.)
Dr. Resnikoff’s new book, LIVING WITHOUT LANDFILLS, analyzes the
nation’s “low level” radioactive waste problem and recommends
solutions:
The landfilling of radioactive waste must be stopped. Since
99.992% of the nation’s radioactive wastes are already contained
at 72 nuclear power reactor sites, the wastes should stay there
until better solutions can be found. The tiny (0.008%) amount of
waste generated by research institutions should be transported to
reactor sites for storage.
With no solution to the waste problem in sight, continued
generation of radioactive waste is irresponsible and must be
minimized. Nuclear reactors should be phased out, with monies
allocated for retraining of dislocated nuclear workers.
“The bottom line of our waste management plan is eternal
vigilance,” says Dr. Resnikoff. “We can no longer produce waste,
place it in the ground, and hope the earth stands still. Waste
will have to remain in sight and in mind. As waste containers
and storage vaults degrade, future generations will need to
repair and replace them. Waste must be stored in ways accessible
to future generations.”
Dr. Resnikoff’s book recommends other steps that the nation could
take to minimize the problem of radioactive waste. Dr. Resnikoff
and his colleagues at the Radioactive Waste Campaign are citizen
activists doing the government’s work for it, pointing the way
toward safe, sane solutions while the political establishment
offers us dangerous, expensive and senseless non-solutions.
If you want to become involved in the low-level radioactive
problem in your state, jump in. The second National Low Level
Radioactive Waste Conference is being planned now. For further
information, contact Diane D’Arrigo at the Nuclear Information
and Resource Service (NIRS), 1616 P St., NW, Washington, DC
20036; phone (202) 328-0002.
Marvin Resnikoff’s excellent book, LIVING WITHOUT LANDFILLS is
available for $11 from the Radioactive Waste Campaign, 625
Broadway, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10012; phone (212) 473-7390.
–Peter Montague, Ph.D.
Descriptor terms: landfilling; llw; radiation; radioactive
waste; marvin resnikoff; leaks; leachate; electricity; hlw; ny;
ky; il; maxel flats; west valley; sheffield; sc; doe; nv; beatty;
wa; sc; epa; nuclear power;