IEER | Publications

Nuclear Dumps by the Riverside:

Threats to the Savannah River from Radioactive Contamination at the Savannah River Site (SRS)

By: Arjun Makhijani, Ph.D. and Michele Boyd

March 11, 2004


Press Release and Statements | PDF version of entire report [3.9MB; 77 pages]

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PREFACE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A. MOST IMPORTANT FINDINGS
B. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
C. OTHER FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. OTHER FINDINGS
2. OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

CHAPTER I. THE SITE
A. BACKGROUND
B. WATER RESOURCES AT SRS
1. THE SAVANNAH RIVER
2. ARTIFICIAL SURFACE-WATER BODIES
3. GROUNDWATER

CHAPTER II. SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION
A. LANDFILLS/TRENCHES/PITS, SEEPAGE BASINS, AND PONDS
B. HIGH-LEVEL WASTE TANKS
C. OTHER WASTES
D. WATER MONITORING

CHAPTER III. TRITIUM AND RADIOACTIVE WATER
A. SRS TRITIUM IN GEORGIA
B. TRITIUM IN DRINKING WATER
C. COMMENTS ON TRITIUM CONTAMINATION

Chapter IV. OTHER RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
A. RADIONUCLIDES
B. ORGANIC TOXIC COMPOUNDS
C. MERCURY AND CADMIUM
D. CONTAMINANT LEVELS IN FISH

Chapter V. REMEDIATION OF SRS
A. HIGH-LEVEL WASTE TANKS
1. DOE CONTINGENCIES
2. PERFORMANCE OF GROUT
B. BURIED WASTE
1. TRANSURANIC WASTE
2. LOW-LEVEL WASTE
C. TRITIUM

CHAPTER VI. POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR CLEANUP
A. ASSUME LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP WILL EVENTUALLY FAIL
B. MANAGE WASTES AT SRS
1. CLOSE THE REPROCESSING CANYONS; CEASE GENERATING NEW WASTES
2. EMPTY AND DECOMMISSION THE HIGH-LEVEL WASTE TANKS
3. RECOVER AND STABILIZE BURIED WASTES
4. STOP DUMPING LOW-LEVEL WASTE INTO UNLINED AND UNREGULATED TRENCHES
5. RESEARCH CLEANUP TECHNOLOGIES FOR GROUNDWATER AND SOIL
C. MINIMIZE HEALTH RISKS FROM TRITIUM
1. OVERVIEW OF TRITIUM-RELATED RADIOLOGICAL ISSUES
2. THE STANDARD FOR TRITIUM IN DRINKING WATER
D. BASE CLEANUP STANDARDS ON THE SUBSISTENCE FARMER SCENARIO
E. USE CLEANUP BUDGET EXCLUSIVELY FOR CLEANUP TASKS

REFERENCES


Download PDF version of report [3.9MB; 77 pages]
Order the report
Press Release and Statements
Publications Index

Also see: Science for Democratic Action, Vol. 12 No. 2, March 2004 which features an article summarizing the report (PDF only, 411kB)


Institute for Energy and Environmental Research
Comments to Outreach Coordinator: ieer{"at" symbol}ieer.org
Takoma Park, Maryland, USA

March 11, 2004