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FOREWORD 



The Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA), was given a Congressional 

 mandate to develop criteria, standards, and regulations governing the ocean 

 disposal of all forms of wastes pursuant to Public Law 92-532, the Marine 

 Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. Within this Congressional 

 mandate, EPA has initiated a specific program to develop regulations and 

 criteria to control the ocean disposal of radioactive wastes. 



EPA has taken an active role both domestically and within the 

 international nuclear regulatory arena to develop the effective controls 

 necessary to protect the health and safety of man and the marine environment. 

 The EPA Office of Radiation Programs (ORP) initiated feasibility studies to 

 determine whether current technologies could be applied toward determining the 

 fate of radioactive wastes dumped in the past. After successfully locating 

 actual radioactive waste containers in three of the primary radioactive waste 

 disposal sites used by the United States in the past, ORP developed an 

 intensive program of dumpsite characterization studies to investigate the 

 following: (a) the biological, chemical and physical parameters, (b) the 

 presence and distribution of radionuclides within these sites, and (c) the 

 performance of past packaging techniques and materials. 



These studies have provided needed information and data on the past and 

 present nuclear waste disposal activities concomitant with the growing 

 national and international concern for the long-term effects of this low-level 

 waste disposal option. 



ORP has now completed the fifth in a series of Pacific and Atlantic Ocean 

 dumpsite surveys which began in 197^. This survey of the Atlantic 2800 meter 

 deep-sea radioactive waste disposal site, which is centered at coordinates 

 38030'N, 72°06'W and located approximately 120 miles east of the 

 Maryland-Delaware coast, was conducted in June 1976. 



A major objective of this 1975 Atlantic survey was the first recovery of 

 a steel and concrete container from any deep-sea dumpsite. In conjunction 

 with the survey, EPA/ORP initiated a contract study to evaluate, prior to 

 extensive laboratory analysis, the chemical, biological and corrosion status 

 of the exterior of the container immediately upon recovery. The following 

 report presents this evaluation. 



Readers of this report are encouraged to inform the Director, Technology 

 Assessment Division (ANR-'459), Office of Radiation Programs, U.S. 

 Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 20450, of any errors, 

 omissions, or other comments. 



David S. Smith 



Director, Technology Assessment Division 



Office of Radiation Programs (ANR-459) 



