Publication Laka-library:
Out of Control – On Purpose: DOE’s dispersal of radioactive waste into landfills and consumer products (2007)
| Author | D.D’Arrigo, M.Olson, NIRS |
| Date | May 2007 |
| Classification | 3.01.4.10/50 (UNITED STATES - WASTE - GENERAL) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Are the byproducts of building nuclear weapons-and generating atomic electric power-getting out-of-control- on purpose? Are they winding up in unregulated landfills and unrestricted re-uses, including consumer products? These questions inspired this study by Nuclear Information and Resource Service on the policies and practices for releasing radioactively contaminated wastes, properties and materials belonging to the U.S. Department of Energy in its vast nuclear weapons production complex. The purpose of this project was to understand how much nuclear weapons-generated radioactive waste, material and property the Department of Energy (DOE) releases into the marketplace. We sought to identify how the radioactivity gets out, legally and practically, and to the extent possible, where it goes. Since the production of atomic power and weapons involves many of the same radioactive-waste generating facilities throughout the nuclear fuel chain, we also sought to understand the larger context in which this man-made radioactivity is managed and released into general commerce. We reviewed DOE's national and site-specific policies, guidance, rules and procedures which allow some radioactive contamination out of the weapons complex. This DOE-generated radioactivity can go directly to hazardous and solid waste facilities, to recyclers of scrap, concrete, plastics, soil, asphalt, rubble, paper, equipment and other media--none of which are intended to take Atomic Energy Act regulated radioactivity. Since much basic information about ionizing radiation is written by those who seek to minimize concern about its impact, NIRS offers extensive framing of these issues including the difficulties of detecting radioactivity and concerns about bias and inadequacy of even the fundamental units of radiation. NIRS is mandated to work in the public interest, not the nuclear waste generators' interest. Therefore, we emphasize the effects of small doses on the public and point to inadequacies of the ''updated" radiation ''protection standards." The standards do not protect all phases of human development and instead assume that the recipient of radiation doses is an adult male, and do not consider all of the known; potential health effects from ionizing radiation.
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