AOo1S9
MISSIONC.
UNITED STATES
OM
ATOMIC ENERGY C
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20545
AUG 24 1972
Major General Frank A. Camm
Assistant General Manager for
Military Application
DISPOSITION OF RUNIT ISLAND
We have reyfewed the questions posed in the TWX to M. E. Gates,
August 3,¥1972, concerning plutonium studies at Eniwetok as
transmitted by the memorandum of August 3, 1972, entitled "Disposition of Runit Island." Our view is that at this time, we
cannot tell whether there is merit to considering conduct of
plutonium studies over a period of years on Runit Island as a
viable alternative to cleanup and decontamination of this island.
We know that the plutonium contamination on Runit presents a
very complex picture and that present distributions of plutonium
with respect to land area and soil depth result from numerous
test sources. There has been much soil movement by earth movers
and plowing.
Thus, the plutonium contamination of Runit is a
unique situation. It is unlikely there would be comparable
problems of contamination in the U. S. where knowledge of
plutonium in this atoll environment would be applicable. We
feel that serious consideration cannot be given to alternatives
for treating the cleanup or other disposition of islands at
Eniwetok Atoll until adequate radiological information is
collected and evaluated.
Martin B. Biles, Dire@tor
Division of Operational Safety
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