418

RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL

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In October 1977, the Commander, Field Command requesteg
complete radiological characterization of Runit in order to assure that
resources were available to complete the cleanup of theisland as requireg
by Case 3 of the EIS. In response to this request (described in Chapter4)

the U.S. Army Element (USAE), using handtools, cleared brush from the

entire Fig-Quince area so that the FRST could search it for the plutonium

contaminated fragments known to be on Runit. Removal of these
fragments was necessary in order to minimizetheir effect on DOE-ERSpP’,

characterization of Runit soil contamination. To locate theparticles, the
FRST used equipment and techniques developed by the Air Force

WeaponsLaboratory team to clean up similar fragments at Johnston Atoll
in 1974. Small areas were marked off and surveyed with hand-helq

FIDLER probes (Figure 8-l1). When a ‘‘hot spot’’ was located, it was

removed with shovels and placed in a plastic bag. Since isolating the

centimeter-range fragments from the shovelful of soil was overly time
consuming, most of the material bagged was soil. Between 28 November
and 23 December 1977, 437 bags and 9 additional samples were collecteg

by the FRST. Each bag was tied, numbered,andstored in a bunkeron
Runit pending determination by DOE of their final disposition. DOE.
ERSP believed that someof the fragments might be high grade plutonium
which could be extracted economically for reuse and, therefore, should

notbe placedin the crater.35.36

FIGURE 8-11. A FIDLER SURVEY ON RUNIT.

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