237 



Mr. Rogers. I think this would be a rather important point. 



You leave it to a contractor or some agency. I am not sure they 

 go all the way out, as you say, or put it in the proper place. 



How do you know they do ? 



Mr. Price. Well, if we are not there, we cannot be sure. 



Mr. EoGERS. That is correct. 



Mr. Price. But these quantities, they are so small, that it really is 

 not very important. 



Mr. Rogers. Even though you are dumping them all at the same 

 spot, maybe, there is no buildup ? 



Mr. Price. No, sir, we do not think there is. 



Mr. Rogers. You do not think so ? 



Mr. Price. Not for these quantities, that is right, sir. 



Mr. Ramey. Last year there were only two containers. 



Mr. Rogers. But there were 26 in the year before. 



What is the highest you had ? 



Mr. Price. In 1961, 4,000 containers, approximately 275 curies; 



1962, 6,000 containers, approximately 478 curies. 



Now, they were not all at one place. Some of them were off Norfolk. 

 Some of them were off New Jersey. 



All of them were out at about 150 miles. 



Mr. Rogers. What is the area that you had been concerned with 

 recently ? 



Mr. Price. We have stopped ocean dumping effectively. 



Mr. Rogers. What is the level that you are really concerned with ? 



Mr. Price. I do not think we know of a level, Mr. Rogers. 



Mr. Rogers. You could dump any amount, is that right ? 



Mv. Ramey. No, sir. The permissible level of radioactivity on the 

 surface of the cask effectively limits the quantity of radioactive ma- 

 terial which can be handled and dumped. But back in the late fifties, 

 and early sixties, there was concern expressed, particularly on the 

 problem of a few casks which were allegedly washed up. But these 

 were low-level radioisotopes being disposed of; and with the means 

 of land disposal the Commission has adopted, it is no longer a prob- 

 lem. 



Mr, Rogers. I do not think you have quite gotten to what I asked. 



I asked at what level do you consider a dangerous amount, and you 

 said some of them even washed up on shore. 



Mr. Ramey. A very few, yes, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. Wien did that happen ? 



Mr. Ramey. Back in around 1959, 1960, 1961. 



Mr. Rogers. Have we had any other examples of that washing 

 ashore ? 



Mr. Ramey. Not in recent years. 



Mv. Price. There have been none in recent years. 



I think, Mr. Rogers, if we would be permitted, we would like to 

 supplement the record on this quantity safety situation that you have 

 raised, because back in the early sixties, the National Academy of Sci- 

 ences published a report on ocean disposal, in which tliey concluded 

 that there were about 25 sites along the Atlantic coast, I think it is 

 about 25, close in, as close as 3 or 4 miles, where it would be perfectly 

 all right to dump x quantities per year. 



