RADIOACTIVE WASTES ^^ 



the United States by the year 1980. By comparison, a total of 65.000,000 gallons of this 

 category of wastes has accumulated since the beginning of the atomic energy program. It 

 appears, therefore, that within the next 20 years the wastes produced by the power industry 

 will be considerably less than the volume which is presently in storage at Hanford ( about 

 50.000,000 gallons). It should be noted that the above estimates are directly dependent on 

 estimates of growth of nuclear power, reactor fuel types, and fuel reprocessing technology. 



VI. Federal-State Relationships 



In the nuclear energy industry, some waste management policies must be different from 

 those of other manufacturing industries. This is because of the unique characteristics of radio- 

 active wastes referred to previously. The long effective life of some of the materials makes it 

 mandatory that agencies of government retain the long-term responsibility or custodial role 

 for the material in order to assure continued protection of the public health and safety. 

 Eventually this role may be assumed by State governments, but it is more likely this responsi- 

 bility will be distributed at several levels of government and between various agencies of gov- 

 ernment. In recent Congressional legislation pertaining to amendments to the Atomic Energy 

 Act of 1954, the responsibility for waste disposal was continued by the Federal government 

 within the Atomic Energy Commission. Procedures were established, however, whereby 

 transfer of responsibility to the states could be made for the control of some other classes of 

 radioactive materials. 



Close technical working relationships with many state agencies with responsibilities in the 

 fields of waste disposal and water pollution control have been maintained by the AEC. These 

 federal-state relationships have been maintained without question of the jurisdiction of Federal 

 and State agencies. As State governments develop competencies in this field, administrative 

 control over waste management, especially dealing with low-level wastes and waste dispersal 

 operations, might well be assumed by these agencies. 



VII. International Aspects 



International aspects of the waste disposal problem are important, particularly in connec- 

 tion with ocean disposal and operation of nuclear propelled vessels and aircraft. Of specific 

 interest to international programs are technological data developed on the subjects of land 

 burial and sea disposal of solid waste materials and environmental investigations involving the 

 dispersal of low-level waste effluents. Waste disposal problems transcend political boundaries. 

 The disposal of gaseous and liquid waste effluents to the atmosphere and surface waterways 

 may be severely limited in densely populated countries with comparatively small land areas 

 and intensively utilized natural resources. 



The potential hazards associated with the use of mobile reactors, such as submarines, 

 merchant ships, and aircraft, is becoming of increasing concern. The discharge of normal re- 

 actor wastes from these facilities and the possibility of releasing substantial quantities of radio- 

 activity within harbors in the event of accidents are problem areas now under active in- 

 vestigation. 



