Re: still our own worst enemy

[Al Tschaeche <antatnsu@pacbell.net>]

Keith Welch wrote:

> I did read a few news articles after the accident that actually had the
> nature of the JCO event fairly accurately described.  It seems that
> because that didn't satisfy the media hunger for something a little more
> scary, slowly reports started coming out that indicated there could have
> been a "plume" or contamination "blowout" or something -  is it possible
> that these reports were the result of people being seen "looking for it
> when they knew it wasn't there", thereby giving the false impression
> that it could be there?

The same thing happened at TMI.  The media published articles, mostly
quoting antis, that kept suggesting there was a huge plume that irradiated
people and was unmeasured.  I asked Sid Porter if such a thing could have
happened and he said it couldn't.  But the myth still persists to this day.
Al Tschaeche antatnsu@pacbell.net

>
>
> Now, having said all that, I must admit that because of the news reports
> I read (the blown out roof), I have been wondering if in fact it there
> was some potential for any significant releases from the event.  Can
> someone set me straight on that?
>
> Sandy Perle wrote:
>
> > I attended a workshop last evening on the JCO criticality accident
> > and criticality accidents in general. During the presentation several
> > items caught my eye, and more importantly, my disdain. It was pointed
> > out that the JCO facility where the accident took place was now being
> > shielded for high energy photons. This is being done AFTER the
> > accident, and where there is no current exposure outside the
> > facility. We were also told that many of the fields and crops in the
> > area were being surveyed, although the criticality accident involved
> > no off-site particulate type release, that could cause ground
> > contamination. When asked why this was being done, it was discussed
> > that this made the public "feel better" and they would be happy that
> > appropriate actions were being taken.
> >
> > It was also discussed that many states here also monitored for
> > radioactive plumes to ensure that there was no potential public risk.
> > Granted, this was done initially when the media informed everyone,
> > with pictures of the blown out roof, that there was a release taking
> > place. I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem when the
> > monitoring continued after it was known that all that was involved,
> > was a criticality accident, where the only risk to the public was
> > from direct radiation, and only out to a radius of approximately 300
> > meters.
> >
> > The discussion went further, where it was stated that if this
> > accident occurred here in the USA at a DOE facility, that we too
> > would initiate ground and crop surveys, vehicle surveys etc, to make
> > the public "feel good" that appropriate actions are being taken.
> >
> > If we, radiation specialists, take these kinds of unnecessary action,
> > simply to make the public feel better, we are more at fault to
> > promote the mis-information about radiation accidents, radiation
> > exposure and radiation risks, than we can ever blame any other
> > factor. To do so is unethical, and only causes further damage to what
> > we scientists know as fact, and allows emotions to dictate policy
> > even further. In the end, the public, in the USA, will be no more pro-
> > nuclear by these actions being taken, compared to no actions being
> > taken. We ARE our own worse enemy. Time for a Sanity Check!
> >
> --
> Keith Welch
> Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
> Newport News VA
> welch@jlab.org
> Ph: (757)269-7212
> FAX:(757)269-5048
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