376 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



Mr. McKjernan. No, it is not. If my information is correct, I be- 

 lieve the areas which have been discussed in this particidar report 

 were possible areas of disposal. In so far as we are concerned, they 

 are not final at all. In fact, it is our opinion tliat the oceans should 

 be used just as little as possible for the disposal of atomic wastes or 

 other unwanted materials. If they are to be used for disposal, it 

 should be as the result of a well-developed plan. 



With your permission, I would like to ask Dr. McHugh, who has 

 been closely associated with this particular study, perhaps to com- 

 ment further on this subject. 



Mr. Miller. We should like to have Dr. McHugh's comment on 



it- 

 Doctor, I do not think we are too concerned about high level wastes, 



but with what may be low level wastes. I am somewhat worried 



about that. 



Mr. McHuGH. Dr. Chipman's laboratory, which JNIr. McKernan 

 has already mentioned, is doing work on various aspects of the effects 

 of atomic radiation on marine life, studying fishes, shellfish like 

 oysters and clams, and also bottom organisms. This work has been 

 going on for several years now. 



Wliile we do not believe by any means that we have all the answers, 

 we are very much encouraged by the work which this laboratory is 

 doing. Dr. Chipman has an international reputation in this field and 

 is well respected by people not only in Canada but also in Europe and 

 across on the other side of the Pacific. 



There is a great deal to be learned, of course, about the effects of 

 radiation on marine life. Several aspects of his work, which he is 

 doing under contract with the AEC, have been directly on this ques- 

 tion of waste dumping. We have been concerned mostly with low 

 level wastes, of course, because, as I understand it, the plan is not to 

 dispose of high level wastes in the oceans. 



Mr. Miller. That I understand to be the present procedure. I 

 just wonder as we go on developing more atomic installations in the 

 country, bringing atomic powerplants into commercial production, 

 as the matter of disposal will become more onerous as time goes on, 

 if the tendency will be to try to sell the people on the fact that here 

 is the great area of tJie ocean, and all you have to do is take it out 

 and dump it in the ocean and it is gone. They are disposing of high 

 level wastes in England, are they not, in the manner of pipelines 

 going down ? 



Mr. McHugii. I am not sure about this, INIr. INIiller. I believe those 

 are low level wastes, too, but I would not be positive about it. 



Mr, Miller. I am not too sure, either, but I thought being liquid 

 they were most likely high level wastes. Have we any cooperative 

 agreement to get any of that information, or is that all handled 

 through AEC contractors? 



Mr. McIIuGii. A good deal of that is handled through AEC, but 

 of course we do have contact with our colleagues over there in fish- 

 eries work, partly through the North Allantic organization, as we 

 call it, ICNAF, the International Commission for the North Atlantic 

 Fisheries. So any dangers of that sort could be quickly understood 

 by both parties, and we would hnve an opportunity to complain if 

 we felt they were threatening the fisheries in any way or dumping in 

 the ocean wastes which we felt were harmful. 



