353 



Two, development of regulations to control any future dumping 

 of radioactive wastes. 



Three, development of criteria for (a) selection of ocean dump- 

 sites, (6) packaging of radioactive wastes, and (c) compliance moni- 

 toring. 



Four, development of a program for evaluating requests to EPA 

 for permits to conduct ocean dumping of low level radioactive 

 waste. 



To meet these objectives, EPA plans to conduct research and 

 monitoring similar to previous EPA dumpsite surveys. Additional 

 monitoring to further evaluate the safety of past ocean dumping 

 and to establish certain useful baseline data also seems desirable, 

 although such monitoring is presently beyond the scope of EPA's 

 resources. We are developing plans with NOAA for cooperative 

 research and monitoring to meet our regulatory purposes and these 

 other purposes. As a part of this effort we are studying options for 

 pooling of existing resources and determining what additional re- 

 sources need to be requested. 



With that brief summary of our program, I will turn to Mr. 

 Robert Dyer, who will provide the details of the most recent dump- 

 site survey conducted in 1978. 



He will also synthesize some of the findings and implications 

 from our surveys of 1974 through 1978. 



[The prepared statement of Roger J. Mattson, in full, follows:] 



Prepared Statement of Roger J. Mattson, Director, Surveillance and Emer- 

 gency Preparedness Division, Office of Radiation Programs, U.S. Environ- 

 mental Protection Agency 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee; I am Roger Mattson, Director 

 of the Surveillance and Emergency Preparedness Division of EPA's Office of Radi- 

 ation Programs. I am pleased to have this opportunity to describe what we know 

 about the past ocean disposal of radioactive materials, to comment on some interna- 

 tional aspects of this waste management practice, to consider the question of dispos- 

 ing of high-level radioactive wastes in the ocean, and to describe actions now 

 underway with respect to monitoring low-level radioactive waste dumpsites. With 

 me today is Robert S. Dyer, the senior oceanographer on my staff. Following my 

 testimony he will summarize our dumpsite survey activities. 



historical perspective 



The problem of what to do with radioactive waste came with the advent of 

 nuclear research and weapons technology in the 1940's. There were several kinds of 

 waste generated in these activities. Sea disposal was used for the niore dilute 

 concentrations of these wastes, that is the so called "low-level" radioactive wastes. 

 Sea disposal began in 1946 under the licensing and contracting authority of the 

 Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). 



In 1960 the AEC stopped issuing new licenses for sea disposal of low-level wastes 

 and made land burial facilities available at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Idaho Falls, 

 Idaho for its contractors and licensees. In 1962, AEC licensed the first commerical 

 land burial facility in Beatty, Nevada. After 1962 most low-level radioactive wastes 

 were disposed of at land burial sites, primarily because of the lower costs. Between 

 1962 and 1970 sea disposal of nuclear waste was little used, and in 1970 it was 

 stopped completely. 



Although the materials dumped in the ocean were considered to be low-level 

 waste, they were not harmless and were given special attention in their handling 

 and transport. However, since these materials were of little or no value, good 

 records of their quantities and isotopic composition were not maintained. Addition- 

 ally, there is some uncertainty about the location of some dumpsites because of 

 navigation inaccurancies. 



Between 1946 and 1970 the U.S. dumped approximately 89,500 containers with an 

 estimated radioactivity of 94,600 Curies. Our review of available documents indi- 

 cates that four dumpsites, out of a total of more than thirty-seven reported dump- 



