68 
OcEAN Dispos w-LeveL R ACTIVE WAST 
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE DISPOSAL OF LOW 
LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN THE OCEAN- THE AGENCY HAS BEEN BEFORE THIS 
SUBCOMMITTEE TWICE WITHIN THE LAST FIFTEEN MONTHS TO DISCUSS THIS 
SUBJECT, SO I WILL KEEP MY REMARKS BRIEF- 
Between 1946 anp 1962, THE UNITED STATES ALLOWED THE DISPOSAL OF 
PACKAGED LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES AT ABOUT 30 LOCATIONS OFF OUR 
coAsT- THE Atomic Enercy Commission (AEC) REGULATED THE OCEAN DISPOSAL 
OF THESE WASTES, WHICH CONSISTED OF APPROXIMATELY 112,000 coNnTAINERS 
(MOSTLY 55-GALLON STEEL DRUMS) WITH A TOTAL RADIOACTIVITY OF ABOUT 
120,000 curres- Between 1960 ann 1962, THE AEC PHASED OUT THE OCEAN 
DISPOSAL OF MOST RADIOACTIVE WASTES AS COMMERCIAL LAND BURIAL SITES 
BECAME AVAILABLE: ONLY A FEW OCEAN DISPOSALS WERE ALLOWED AFTER 1962 
AND IN 1970 THE AEC sToPPED ISSUING OCEAN DISPOSAL LICENSES- THIS 1970 
DECISION WAS BASED LARGELY ON A REPORT BY THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL 
Quattty (CEQ) WHICH CONCLUDED THAT: 
"THE POLICY RECOMMENDED WOULD CONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF PROHIBITING 
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN THE OCEAN: DUMPING OTHER 
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS WOULD BE PROHIBITED, EXCEPT IN A VERY FEW 
CASES FOR WHICH NO PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE OFFERS LESS RISK TO MAN 
AND HIS ENVIRONMENT.” 
THe CEQ RECOMMENDATION TO PROHIBIT OCEAN DISPOSAL OF HIGH~LEVEL 
RADIOACTIVE WASTE WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE MARINE PROTECTION, 
