344 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



If this core were going to be disposed of it would be a high level 

 waste of a solid type. When it is pulled out of the reactor it still 

 has a considerable amount of unburned fuel and therefore at that 

 time it should not be considered a waste. 



Mr. Miller. If in the event the millennium were to come and we 

 could have world peace, or we could have inspections so we no longer 

 would need atomic weapons, then would not this core be high level? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. The short answer to that is "No, sir." This de- 

 pends entirely on the value of the uranium that is unbumed that is 

 still in the core. 



It would be a waste if it was cheaper for us to get the uranium from 

 some other source than to recover from the core, then pei'haps the coi-e 

 would be a waste, but this does not look like it will be the case. 



Mr. Miller. Right now" we have other uses for that core ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Other uses for the miburned fuel that is still in 

 the core. 



Mr. CuRTiN". I presume that these used cores are presently being 

 disposed of in the ocean ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. No, sir. They are not disposed at sea. They are 

 sent to the chemical processing plants I mentioned previously. 



Mr. CuRTiN. Would you have of your knowledge any idea as to 

 where this low level waste now is being disposed of in the ocean? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Yes, sir. There is a specific area designated in 

 the report off the New Jersey coast. 



Mr. CuRTiN. How far ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. About 120 miles. 



There is another area off San Francisco which is about 60 miles 

 offshore. 



Mr. Miller. The depths of the waters in the two places are a little 

 different, are they not ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Both more than 1,000 fathoms. 



The New Jersey one is about 120 miles, just off the edge of the 

 Continental Shelf. 



There is also another area off the Virginia coast which is used to 

 a much lesser extent, which is something like 75 miles. It is also 

 designated in the report of the National Academy of Sciences. 



Mr. Miller. Is it off the shelf, too ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Just oft' the edge of the shelf; yes, sir. 



Mr. CuRTiN. Has there been any investigation as to whether or 

 not there has been any contamination of the water in tlie areas where 

 they are disposing of this ? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Ycs, sir. About 18 months ago, I am not exactly 

 sure of the date, we did take a look at both the Atlantic and the 

 Pacific areas, the two major ones where roughly 10,000 curies have 

 been disposed of since we began operations. On the Atlantic coast 

 the amou]it of radioactivity disposed is somewliat less than that. 



We looked at both of those and in both cases we were unable to 

 detect increases in radioactivity which could be atti-ibuted to tliose 

 waste disposal operations. 



Mr. CuRTiN. I would presume you are continuing your imestiga- 

 tions as you continue to dispose of waste in those areas? 



Dr. LiEBERMAN. Yes, sir. 



