5.4.3.1

Physical Removal of Radioactive Materials.

Control of both

external and internal dose may be directly achieved by removing the

radiation sources from areas to which the island inhabitants have direct
access. Complete removal of radiation sources would require:
e

Radioactive soil removal.

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Radioactive scrap removal.

e

Plutonium removal.

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5.4.3.1.1 Removal of Radioactive Soil. Removing soil containing
radionuclides, especially 37C5 and 905,, has dubious value, since
extensive land removal and replacement operations could result in serious
ecological damage of unknown proportions. For example, the replacement
soil could contain chemical, mineral or biological materials having
characteristics which were inimical to the growth of the food plants.
Such a result would be counterproductive at best, and possible irrevocably
destructive. Also there is no guarantee that sufficient soil could be
removed/replaced to assure radiological safety to residents, ee-that

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5.4.3.1.2 Removal of Radioactive Scrap.

The optional levels of effort

in the removal of radioactive scrap are minimal in number. Either none
is removed or ali of it is rernoved from all the islands. The differentiation
that can be made in considering nonradioactive scrap (physical hazards,
obstructive debris, and unsightly debris), does not extend to radioactive
scrap. In general, no radioactive scrap should be left on the atoll and
thus be available to the world scrap market. Programs not involving
radioactive scrap removal must be eliminated from consideration for
this reason.

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5.4.3.1.3 Removal of Plutonium. The removal of plutonium bearing soil
options are determined by a number of factors including the difficulty in
removing the plutonium, the potential use of the land, and the size of the
tract involved. Decision making would depend largely on a team of experts
to interpret field radiation and radioactivity measurements, to advise on
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cleanup actipns, and toprovide necessary health physics support. “Paramount
would be time possible,potential hazard to the Enewetak people. The
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scraping and removal of plutonium bearing soil would be performed
repetitively. After each scraping, the soil would be sampled and monitored
for Pu concentration. Scraping and sampling would be repeated until the
attendant scientific advisor had determined that the concentration was
reduced to an acceptable level.

5-12

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