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Frank Cluff, Safety Advisory Group, NV
DISPOSAL OF SCRAP MATERIAL AT BIKINI ATOLL

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WAY 12 1968

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In response to your request for consideration of proper disposal of
convuninated scrap material for the Bikini cleanup operation, the
following guidance is provided:
Beckeround ~- Past radiological surveys and particularly the 1S67

survey icentified a number of locations among the islancs of Bikini

Atoll having quentities of scrap material containing induced radio-

activity. Such scrap locations ure described in the Health and Safety
Laboratory report EHASL-1$0 entitled, "External Radiation Levels on

Bikini Atoll - May, 1967," dated Decembcr, 1967.

These locations,

which are on islands near foruer testing sites, may be identified as:
(a) the Aomen-Iroij Complex in the north-central part of the atoll,

(b) the isiend of Nam and the blested bunker just west of Ham and

Bravo Crater in the northwest part of the atoll, and (ce) an erea
generally defined es the island of Enidrik and the western portion
or the s€ronog-L.neman Cumpiex in the sauth contral part ov the ctoll.
Aliso, the possibility cannot be ruled out that there may be some

contaminated scrap on Bikini Island, as increased levels of radiation

were observed there on a cable spool anc only a suall fraction of the

area was checked duc to cense vegetation.

Additionally, there ere

three test facility locations in shallow water on the reef between

the Aomen-Iroij Complex and Fam which were not monitored during the
'67 survey and which should be checked for contaminated scrap.

The Ad Hoe Committee established by AEC to evaluate the radiolozical

huzards of resettlement of the Bikini Atoll recommended a number of

measures one of which was that "Radioactive scrap should be removed

from the islands adjacent to former shot sites."

In discussions on

the need for such renoval it was pointed out that this material is
scrap metal containing incuced radioactivity and that natives collect
and find use for all such materials.
The serap is in the form of
metal embedded in concrete, chunks of metal lying on top of the ground

surface, and scraps of metal mixed with the top layers of sand and soil.

It is not expected
activity will make
&G5* islands since
Co and 13Tos, in

that removal of the scrap containing induced radioany great reduction in radiation levels on the near
there are quantities of radionuclides, primarily
the top luyers of sand and soil of these islands.

Select target paragraph3