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Publication Laka-library:
Impact of nuclear waste disposals to the marine environment (1982)

Author	P.J.Taylor
Date	March 1982
Classification	6.01.5.52/08 (WASTE - SEA DUMPING (INCL. OSPAR))
Remarks	Research report 3, Political Ecology research group
Front

Abstract

This report provides a critical review of current scientific literature concerning the
environmental impact of discharges and dumping of radioactive waste to the coastal
marine and deep ocean environments. It concludes that although knowledge of the
effects of dispersed radioactivity has greatly increased in the last two decades, there
are still significant areas of uncertainty which have major implications for current
and future nuclear waste management policy. For example, there is now evidence of
discharged plutonium formerly thought to be locked on sediments returning to man
via biogeochemical cycles. Discharges of this extremely toxic element have been
banned elsewhere because of this eventuality, and the report recommends elimination
of plutonium discharges, and in the light of recent radiobiological evidence, a
fivefold reduction in exposures to the public as a result of the other Windscale
discharges.

In the case of ocean dumping, the report acknowledges that there is no evidence of
health effects from past disposals. However, recent monitoring shows contamination
of the ocean bed due to leaking containers, and it is argued that oceanographic and
radioecological data are insufficient to predict future effects, especially having
regard to the steadily increasing quantities dumped. It is evident that the UK,
which accounts for 95% of sea-dumped radioactivity, regards the ocean as a cheap and
politically useful option for intermediate wastes, future high-level glassified waste
and decommissioned reactor components, and is pursuing a policy of lobbying and
revision of standards and practices under the London Convention in order to allow
such increased disposals formerly banned under the early terms of the Convention.

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