CONSIDERATIONS ON THE DISPOSAL OF 



RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR-POWERED SHIPS 



INTO THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT 



PURPOSE 



An unavoidable consequence of the operation of any fission reactor, 

 whether located on land or aboard a nuclear-powered ship, is the pro- 

 duction of unwanted radioactive wastes. The two general methods of 

 treating these wastes are: (1) containment, coupled with isolation from 

 man's environment; and (2) dispersion, so that the probability of return 

 to man is extremely small. In some cases complete containment and 

 isolation are not technically feasible. In other cases such containment 

 and isolation are conceivably feasible, but at high cost. 



The purpose of this report is to provide an eveduation of the po- 

 tential capacity of the marine environment to receive certain radioactive 

 wastes originating from normal operations of nuclear-powered ships. 

 Basically, this report is an evaluation of the potential risks involved in 

 utilizing the marine environment in dispersion of these wastes so that 

 the probability of return to any segment of the human population would 

 be small. The conclusions of this working panel can then be employed 

 in weighing these risks against the costs and the risks of alternate 

 methods of waste treatment. Such a comparative evaluation can finally 

 be utilized in the formulation of design criteria and operating doctrine 

 for nuclear-powered ships. 



SCOPE 



Our considerations have been limited to the marine environment. 

 No conclusions are reached concerning the safety of operating nuclear- 

 powered ships in tideless, fresh v/ater bodies. We would assume that 

 before any nuclear-powered ship operated on such waterways, special 

 consideration would be given to the problems peculiar to that environ- 

 ment by scientists competent in physical, chemical, and biological lim- 

 nology. 



Separate evaluations are made for (a) the inshore area, including 

 harbors and estuaries; (b) the coastal area, which is here considered as 

 the area between 2 miles and 12 miles offshore; (c) the outer continental 

 shelf, which is here considered as the area seaward of a line 12 miles 

 from shore and extending to the 200 fathom depth contour; and (d) the 

 open sea, here considered as those oceanic areas more than 12 miles 

 from shore with depths exceeding 200 fathoms. 



