527 



During the last year and a half the International Atomic Energy 

 Agency has hosted several meetings of technical experts to deal 

 with technical issues related to ocean disposal. One such meeting 

 was convened to provide guidance to contracting parties on envi- 

 ronmental assessment methodologies for sea dumping. The United 

 States provided several key experts in this area. 



In July 1983, the IAEA hosted an advisory group to attempt to 

 define the de minimus quantities of radioactive material that could 

 be exempted from special permits under the convention. EPA par- 

 ticipated in that. Recognizing that all radioactive materials contain 

 some level of radioactivity, either from natural occurring radionu- 

 clides or or fallout, there is no such thing technically as nonra- 

 dioactive materials, therefore, what EPA is assisting IAEA to do is 

 to define "de minimus" so that we don't have to consider permit 

 application for essentially nonradioactive materials. 



There is a coming meeting in 



Mr. D' Amours. It has been 15 minutes. Glen. I will have to ask 

 you to summarize as best you can. 



Mr. Sjoblom. Let me summarize then. EPA believes there is a 

 continuing need for research to improve our scientific understand- 

 ing of the ocean. Consequently, we have actively supported both do- 

 mestic and international programs for this purpose and we are con- 

 tinuing to support new activities. 



For an integrated approach to radioactive waste management we 

 need to understand how radioactive materials may affect all parts 

 of our environment. Although EPA has made no decisions on the 

 merits of such disposal in the ocean, we share the concerns for pro- 

 tection of our oceans. For this reason, we have already put in our 

 1977 regulations very restrictive requirements for packaging of ra- 

 dioactive materials to assure the safety of marine ecosystems. 



We have monitored all dumpsites. It has been through EPA re- 

 search initiatives, both domestically and internationally, that we 

 have the improved scientific basis and state of the art technology 

 for assessing ocean disposal of radioactive materials. 



In this regard, we suggest reconsideration of the requirements 

 for a joint resolution of Congress to authorize EPA to issue per- 

 mits. Perhaps this could be logically considered following the com- 

 pletion of the international scientific review of the merits of ocean 

 disposal of radioactive materials. In the meantime, we will fully 

 implement the act as written as well as our obligations under the 

 radioactive waste and continue to carry out to the best of our abili- 

 ty the domestic and international activities I have described. 



[The statement of Mr. Sjoblom follows:] 



