REPORT OF THE 



COMMITTEE ON DISPOSAL AND DISPERSAL 



OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES 



I. Introduction 



With an expanding nuclear energy industry, which has developed in a period of less than 1 5 

 years, it is to be expected that the management and control of radioactive waste materials will 

 present new and increasing numbers of problems. As in a wide variety of heavy manufac- 

 turing industries, the treatment and disposal of waste materials from nuclear energy operations 

 involve both environmental effects and technical processing problems. Moreover, because of 

 the nature of radioactivity itself — including the long effective life of certain radioactive iso- 

 topes, and its non-destructibility — it is apparent that in the nuclear industry, complex and 

 potentially far reaching legal and administrative problems in the management of radioactive 

 wastes are involved. In waste disposal operations involving the controlled release of radio- 

 active materials to the environment, the matter of public relations and the need for broad 

 public understanding concerning the radiation hazards involved continue to be areas of im- 

 mediate concern. 



Because of the increasing public interest in the effect of all sources of radioactivity in 

 our environment, a number of agencies of the public and particularly several committees of 

 the United States Congress have held extensive public hearings related to this subject during 

 the past year. The hearings on Industrial Radioactive Waste Disposal held before the Joint 

 Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy in January and February, 1959, and in July, 

 1959, resulted in the most extensive compilation of information which has been published 

 to date on this subject. This compendium is available as a valuable reference for the nuclear 

 industry itself and for all agencies and organizations having a direct interest or responsibility 

 in the control of radioactive waste materials. During the course of the hearings, existing waste 

 disposal technology was reviewed, and the major waste problems facing the industry de- 

 lineated. The status of research and development in the field was thoroughly discussed. It 

 was noted that certain aspects of the problem, particularly in disposal of radioactive wastes 

 into the seas and the operation of nuclear-propelled vessels, are being actively considered on 

 an international basis by such agencies as the International Atomic Energy Agency, World 

 Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, and others. 



Unfortunately, outside of the specialist group, the term "radioactive wastes" is generally 

 considered under a single category without distinction as to the origin, nature, and quantity 

 of the waste materials or the environment in which their effects must be evaluated. The word 

 "radioactive" has thus become an all-inclusive term to the point where important character- 

 istics of wastes such as concentration of radioactive material, total quantity of radioactivity, 

 isotopic composition and chemical and physical nature often are overlooked. Yet these are 



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