BERKELEY: RADIATION LABORATORY
Memorandum to Dr. J. H. Lawrences pe. 4: June 8, 1948
Ve
Waste Disposals
The question of waste disposal for all installations handling large amounts
of radioactive materials was discussed. A suggestion was made for a central
burial ground for the United States or for several such burial sites but no con-
crete plans were made. The question of what activity level in waste solutions
was tolerable was discussed. Dr. Karl Morgan pointed out that no level could be
definitely set as acceptable since selective adsorption or absorption of a cer~
tain species at a certain point might very well completely upset prior caleula-
tions of concentrations.
Since Dr. Warren feels that a definite long range program should be esta~
blished on the waste disposal problem he would like from each laboratory by this
fall an estimate of the quantity of active material both with respect to radiation and volume which must be disposed of per unit time. Secondly if concentra=
tion procedures are known for such materials he would like an estimate of the
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general cost and type of procedure necessary (I would presume that Lowry Dobson Paar Ae
would probably prepare this for the Berkeley Group).
ond
VI.
a
Disaster Measures:
Dr. Warren and the other members of the Commission are quite concerned that
each site consider the prospects of accidents which might result in the dissemination of radioactive materials, Among such possibilities he listed as major
hazards a) a large scale explosion which in some sites might even release pile
material, b) floods, ¢) tornados, and d) fire, Discussions were given by the
Oak Ridge and Los Alamos groups in which they pointed out that they had trucks
fully equipped with portable radiation detection devices and emergency equipment
for handling a spill, for example due to fire. Dr. Warren feels strongly that
each site should develop adequate protective measures thinking of the possibilities, and he added that in his tour of the sites he obtained the impression that
the universities are least prepared for such an emergency.
much room for improvement.
He states there is
Further it was felt that the local police and fire
departments in the area should be notified as to who should be contacted in the
event of an emergency so that the radiation aspects might be best handled,
Any discussion of evacuation of sites Dr. Warren felt should be best
played down since preparedness for such an event won't help much any way.
VII.
Future Meetinga:
It was decided to hold similar meetings to this one approximately every
three months and to rotate the site chosen for the meetings.
Tentatively the
next meeting is to be at Oak Ridge the first week in October. Several at the
meeting criticized the distribution of necessary information from the Commission
Offices. Dr. Bowers stated that they would try to improve circulation of such
information so that the laboratories would not have to learn about these matters
through the press and radio,
There was a discussion about the possibility of all of the laboratories
participating in an abstract of the literature service. It was felt that in
this way everyone could be posted on current items of interest at the earliest
possible moment without the necessity of reading all the journals, Dr. Hollaender
of Oak Ridge was to look inte this possibility.
TW + 4en
John W. Goffman
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