Here is our chance to Tell DOE How Much Radioactive Contamination from nuclear weapons sites should be Dispersed, "Recycled," Released into our daily-use items, raw materials and regular trash…

1. has been "releasing" some radioactively contaminated materials into general commerce for decades:


Mixed radioactive and hazardous wastes have gone to facilities designed to take only hazardous materials. An early 1990’s temporary moratorium on releasing mixed wastes was subsequently silently lifted (allowing contaminated materials out again).

Radioactive concrete, metal, soil, plastics, chemicals, asphalt, buildings and properties and more have been permitted to be released from DOE controls on a "case-by-case" basis at the discretion of the DOE field office managers, regional DOE offices and, in some cases, DOE Environmental Health officials at headquarters.

Sometimes the materials would be released directly to unlicensed waste facilities or recyclers; sometimes they would go to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Agreement State-licensed processors who can then release them.
 
 

2. placed a moratorium on the release of volumetrically contaminated metals in January 2000 and a suspension on the recycling of potentially surface contaminated metals in July of 2000.


Although these were steps in the right direction, some metals and all other types of contaminated materials continue to be released.

DOE wants to lift the moratorium and suspension and proceed to release the contaminated metals.

3. has been using 1974 Atomic Energy Commission guidance with DOE’s own internal adaptations to justify releasing radioactively contaminated materials and wastes into unregulated commerce:


DOE silently adopted revisions to its internal Order 5400.5 in the early 1990s that allow DOE at various levels to "authorize" the release from controls of contaminated materials. (Chapters 3 and 4 of DOE Order 5400.5)

DOE considered adding two more chapters to its internal orders in late 2000, in an effort to justify lifting the moratorium and suspension on metal release/recycling.

4. decided to do an Environmental Impact Statement on the release of radioactive metals, the goal being to end the suspension on their release.


SCOPING HEARINGS AND COMMENT PERIOD have just been announced in the Federal Register

66 FR 134: 36562-36566 Thursday July 12, 2001

Comment deadline extended until November 9, 2001.

HEARINGS:

JULY 31, 2001 NORTH AUGUSTA, SOUTH CAROLINA

North Augusta Community Center

AUGUST 2, 2001 OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE

American Museum of Science and Energy

AUGUST 7, 2001 OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

Holiday Inn Oakland Airport

AUGUST 9, 2001 RICHLAND, WASHINGTON

Red Lion Hotel

AUGUST 14, 2001 CINCINNATI, OHIO

Omni NetherlandPlaza Hotel

AUGUST 16, 2001 WASHINGTON DC AREA--ARLINGTON, VA

Hilton Crystal City

Additional Scoping Hearings will be held in October in Santa Monica (10/8 eve) and Simi Valley (10/9 eve) CALIFORNIA, Minneapolis (10-16 afternoon and eve) and NYC (10-18 afternoon and evening).
 
 

5. is only looking at the narrow issue of recycling metal from "control" areas in the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, and assuming that its existing practices are acceptable. This must be challenged.

NIRS Concerns: