236 



Mr. EoGERS. In other Tvords, the curie is a thousand times more 

 than you have in your wristwatch ? 



Mr. CuNNrNTGHAM. Yes, approximately. 



Mr. Rogers. And you say it is the rate of disintegration ? 



Mr. CuNNTTNGHAM. Yes. 



Mr. Rogers. How long does it take to disintegrate ? 



Mr. Cunningham. That depends on the type of radioactive material. 



Mr. Rogers. Give us this example of what you are dumping in the 

 ocean. 



Mr. Cunningham. Sir, I do not know what radioisotopes were 

 involved on the list of disposals I have here. 



The rate of decay, depends on the type of radioisotope. 



It may go to half its activity in seconds or it may take hmidreds of 

 thousands of years, depending on the radioisotopes. 



Mr. Rogers. Could we estimate ? 



Mr. Cunningham. For any specific radioisotope, yes, sir; we do 

 know. 



Mr. Rogers. Do you have those figures on the dumpings ? 



Mr. CuNNiNGHAiii. I do not have them available here. 



Mr. Rogers. Does the Commission have them ? 



Mr. Ramet. Yes, sir; we do. 



Mr. Cunningham. Could you let us know Avhat those are for the 

 record ? 



Mr. Price. We have those ; yes, sir. 



Mr. Cunningham. We have the coordinates on the dump locations. 



Mr. Rogers. Where have these been dumped ? 



Mr. Price. In the Atlantic Ocean, beyond the Continental Shelf, 

 east of Norfolk. 



Now, all of the^ places are beyond the Continental Shelf, and we 

 could furnish for the record the exact locations. 



Mr. Rogers. I would appreciate that. 



(The information follows :) 



The radioactive material disposed of at sea contained types and quantities 

 of radioactive material associated with research and development activities of 

 the Atomic Energy Commission, use of radioactive materials by hospitals, uni- 

 versities, industrial firms, and other places vs^here radioisotopes are used for 

 various purposes. Such wastes were most often in the form of contamination 

 on equipment such as test tubes, bottles, rubber gloves, paper wipes, etc. Most 

 of the radioactivity involved radioisotopes with atomic numbers 1 through 83. 

 It also includes some uranium and thorium and to a very much lesser extent, 

 transuranium elements. 



]Mr. Rogers. Now, is the dumping supervised ? 



Mr. Price. Well, the packaging is supervised, but we do not send 

 somebody out. 



I cannot tell you for sure whether we send somebody out on each 

 ship, 



I think we have in cooperation with the Coast Guard and the NIH 

 in connection with their dumping, but I am not sure. 



Mr. Cunningham. The Coast Guard has taken the NIH materials 

 out to sea. 



On other dumpings, we have had an inspector on board ship. 



Mr. Rogers. In all instances ? 



Mr. Cunningham. No, sir. 



Mr. Price. Not in all. 



