AW: [ RadSafe ] DU Disposal in Utah

Mon Jul 20 10:50:24 CDT 2009

THAT'S THE IRONIC USE OF THE WORD...

--

Dan W McCarn, Geologist
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-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
Of chris.hofmeyr at webmail.co.za
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 15:29
To: jjcohen at prodigy.net
Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: Re: AW: [ RadSafe ] DU Disposal in Utah

It is a shame anyone, e.g. Jerry Cohen, can take such a jaundiced view of
radio-activity to call it 'evil'. It is safe to say that without
radioactivity earth would have been devoid of life as we know it. When
Darwin published his 'Origin of Species', he had enough knowledge of
geology not to be troubled too much by the Biblical '6000 years since
creation', but he was truly troubled by the calculation of a respected
physicist that the earth would cool from a molten state to its present
temperature in only 60000 years, which would also be woefully inadequate
for significant evolution to take place. It was only at the end of the
nineteenth century, after Darwin's death, that the discovery of
radio-activity resolved the conundrum.  Heat from radio-active decay has
kept the earth habitable for effectively billions of years. Without it
there would have been no life to protect against evil or whatever.
Cheers!
chris.hofmeyr at webmail.co.za

> As is the case with all radioactive material, DU is evil and therefore
> must not be disposed of anywhere where its presence might disturb anyone.
> I have heard that the Obama administration is considering making this idea
> into a law.
>
> --- On Sat, 7/18/09, Franz Schönhofer <franz.schoenhofer at chello.at> wrote:
>
> From: Franz Schönhofer <franz.schoenhofer at chello.at>
> Subject: AW: [ RadSafe ] DU Disposal in Utah
> To: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Cc: "'Roger Helbig'" <rhelbig at sfo.com>
> Date: Saturday, July 18, 2009, 5:04 AM
>
> RADSAFErs,
>
> I have a very simple question regarding DU. Maybe I miss some point or
> maybe
> I am simply naiv.
>
> Why is everybody so eager to dispose of DU? Why is much work done to
> convert
> DU-Hexafluoride into a disposable compound? Wouldn't it be better to keep
> it
> for the time, when Pu-breeders will be commercially available? It might be
> a
> commercial question, that at the time being there is enough Pu-239
> available
> from surplus weapons that no additional Pu-239 is needed? Or is there any
> political question like the decision long ago in the USA not to reprocess
> nuclear fuel?
>
> My personal opinion is that the worst option of disposing it of is to
> dispose it in form of ammunition at the battle field.....
>
> Best regards,
>
> Franz
>
> Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
> MinRat i.R.
> Habicherg. 31/7
> A-1160 Wien/Vienna
> AUSTRIA
>
>
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] Im
> Auftrag
> von Roger Helbig
> Gesendet: Donnerstag, 16. Juli 2009 08:30
> An: radsafe at radlab.nl
> Betreff: [ RadSafe ] DU Disposal in Utah
>
> The Utah Radiation Control Board decided to postpone voting on banning
> disposal of DU at Energy Solutions in Clive, Utah.
>
>
>
> Here is an earlier article from the Salt Lake Tribune.  The reporter Judy
> Fahys actually seems like someone who is interested in learning and does
> not
> have her mind made up.  Some of you might want to contact her at
> fahys at sltrib.com  and provide some advice if there are any glaring errors
> in
> this story.
>
>
> Is depleted uranium too hot for Utah site?
>
>
> Environment > State Radiation Control Board has decided to look further
> into
> the question.
>
>
>
<mailto:fahys at sltrib.com?subject=Salt%20Lake%20Tribune:%20Is%20depleted%20ur
> anium%20too%20hot%20for%20Utah%20site?>
>
>
>
<mailto:fahys at sltrib.com?subject=Salt%20Lake%20Tribune:%20Is%20depleted%20ur
> anium%20too%20hot%20for%20Utah%20site?> By Judy Fahys
>
>
>
<mailto:fahys at sltrib.com?subject=Salt%20Lake%20Tribune:%20Is%20depleted%20ur
> anium%20too%20hot%20for%20Utah%20site?> The Salt Lake Tribune
>
>
>
> Updated: 06/10/2009 03:53:35 PM MDT
>
> Utah's Radiation Control Board will dig deeper into the long-term risks of
> depleted uranium before it decides whether the unusual form of low-level
> radioactive waste warrants a moratorium.
>
> But an attorney for EnergySolutions Inc. cautioned board members about
> legal
> and technical challenges they will face if they try banning depleted
> uranium
> temporarily or permanently.
>
> "It's a fairly high bar" for the board to justify a moratorium, said
> attorney James Holtkamp.
>
> Board members said they would rather have waited for the U.S. Nuclear
> Regulatory Commission to wrap up its own in-depth study of how much DU, as
> its called, can be safely buried in a shallow disposal site like
> EnergySolutions' mile-square landfill in Tooele County.
>
> But the that federal review could take years, and DU is already piled up
> at
> government nuclear sites and an equal amount is expected from new uranium
> enrichment plants coming online in the next few years. NRC estimates the
> total needing disposal at 1.4 million tons, with just two disposal sites
> available to take it: EnergySolutions and a yet-to-be-opened Texas
> landfill.
>
>
> DU in small amounts clearly falls within Class A for low-level waste, as
> the
> NRC reaffirmed a few months ago. But, because DU transforms over time to
> high-radon "decay" products, it actually gets more hazardous over time and
> peaks in danger in 1 million years.
>
> EnergySolutions said it has disposed of 49,000 tons of DU in the past 20
> years, but that won't top the state's Class A hazard limit for at least
> 35,000 years.
>
> That's a problem for regulators.
>
> Do they write a law that ensures the safety of public health and the
> environment for 100 years? A thousand years? A million?
>
> "First of all, I believe the public should be protected and the
> environment
> should be protected," said board vice chair Elizabeth Goryunova,
> suggesting
> that the board had a responsibility to consider the need for a moratorium
> despite hassles that might be involved in imposing one. "That's absolutely
> a
> must."
>
> Board members will hear presentations from Energy-Solutions, the Healthy
> Environment Alliance of Utah and its legal advisors at its next meeting.
>
> "I think it behooves us in terms of our responsibility," said board member
> David Tripp, a University of Utah physicist.
>
> Vanessa Pierce of HEAL was pleased with the board's decision to take more
> time on the subject. HEAL requested the moratorium at the board's May
> meeting.
>
> "They're showing good due diligence," she said, "in how they are
> proceeding
> with this issue."
>
> fahys at sltrib.com
>
>
>
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