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W. J. Bair
Manager, Environment, Health, and
Safety Research Program
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Richland, WA
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The Enewetak Advisory Group met con April 26 and 27, 1878 in Denver, Colcrado.
Present were: W. L. Templeton, C. W. Francis, 8B. W. Wachholz, J. Healy, R. 0. Gilbert,
R. C. Thompson, R. 0. McClellan, and wW. J. Bair. The purpose of the meeting was
to consider the following questions:
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1.
Is it possible to develop dose-related cleanup guidance that would assure
that doses to future residents of Enewctak Atoll would not significantly
exceed proposed EPA guidelines for transuranics?
2.
What aavice can be given te the Defense Nuclear Agency on May 3, 1978 to
facilitate planning for cleanup of transuranics on Enewetak?
3.
What additional information.canebe obtained that could improve the confidence
of the dose estimates and cleanup criteria for transuranics?
4.
Can plowing be used as an effective cleanup measure for transuranics in soils?
The Advisory Group reviewed information and data provided by DOE-Division of
Occupational and Environmental Safety, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, DOE-Nevada
Operations Office, and Defense Nuclear Agency and offers the following respénse to
the above questions.
(This pertains only to transuranic elements and does not consider
radiation doses from other radionuctides which, the Advisory Group understands, will
delay the resettlement of some of the islands for many years.)
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The Enowetak Advisory Group does not find it possible to develop reasonable
cleanup quicance that would assure that radiation doses from transuranics
to future residents would not significantly exceed proposed EPA guidelings.
Obviously, the more stringent the cleanup criteria, the greater the dearce
of assurance; but uncertainties inherent in our present understanding of the
problem precluds absolute assurance. One cannot predict with certainty the
contamination levels that will exist in the islands after cleanup--this aust
be determined at @ future time.
One cannot predict the lifestyle and
dietary habits of every individual who returns to the islands. Perhaps
most important, many of the factors that are involved in movement of
-transuranics in the environnant and the deposition and retention of.
transuranics in human beings are not wel) established.
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