Re:

[Kim Merritt <merritt9@llnl.gov>]

Based upon my limited memory of my involvement in the planning of the 
TA2 RWL, some if this strikes me as being off the mark.  H3 is 
mentioned as having migrated far and wide but the following statement 
states an estimate of 30-40 feet of maximum migration.  Even if the 
isotopes have been detected at a depth of  100 feet what was the 
initial burial depth and what other actions were taken when it was 
buried (ie, was the pit soaked with fire hoses?).  If I remember 
correctly, the water table in that area is something like 400-500 
feet below ground and the ground water transport is only a few feet 
per year.  Does statement iii indicate that there is some sort of 
measurable off-gassing from the MWL that contains Pu?  And to top it 
all off, statement vi makes the whole point of doing a remediation 
moot.  If the contaminants are below the limit why are we digging 
them up?  I realize that it is a mixed waste situation so you 
probably have to remediate due to VOC's or something also.  It's just 
that I was so frustrated when they dug up the TA2 pit and then let 
the piles of dirt and debris sit there in the open.  As a citizen, I 
would much rather leave it in the ground than have it sitting there 
getting blown in my direction so that someone at EH feels like some 
ER work is being done.  Just my opinion only.



>	I have a document that purports to evaluate Sandia Lab's plan to
>apply Long Stewardship Monitoring to an existing inactive landfill, rather
>than excavate it and ship the contents somewhere else.  Its conclusions are
>interesting, at best.   I will email it to you upon request.   The author
>has attempted to use isotope ratios with data never meant for the purpose to
>reach his speculative conclusions.  An excerpt follows:
>.
>  Executive Summary:
>The primary focus of this review is to assess the potential for release of
>radionuclides from the mixed waste landfill (MWL) and their effect upon
>human health and the environment. Towards this, a large volume of key
>documents (publicly available documents) was reviewed.  From a huge database
>on the radionuclide concentrations in the soil, water, and air in and around
>the mixed-waste landfill, the following observations have been made:
>	i)	Based on the evaluation of all the data on the
>concentrations of 235U and 238U and activity ratios of 235U/238U in the
>groundwater samples, the data appears to indicate that a significant portion
>of U in the groundwater samples has a non-natural source (s).
>	ii)	The activity ratios of 238Pu and 239,240Pu in the bore hole
>soil samples collected below the MWL and analyzed by three different groups
>indicate that there is some amount of Pu observed in the bore hole soil
>samples and it is likely derived from non-global fallout sources.
>	iii)	Based on the activity ratios of 238Pu and 239,240Pu in the
>aerosol samples collected at the MWL, it appears that most of the Pu is
>derived from non-global fallout sources.
>	iv)	The tritium has migrated far and wide from the MWL and it
>continues to migrate to adjoining areas.
>	v)	Although modeling efforts predicted that the radionuclides
>will not migrate more that 30-40 ft from the MWL, presence of non-natural U,
>Pu and 90Sr at >100 ft below ground surface indicates that the models are
>not well constrained.
>	vi)	The concentrations of any of these nuclides are below the
>upper tolerance limit and have not posed any serious threat to the
>environment so far.
>
>Mark L. Miller, Certified Health Physicist
>mmiller@sandia.gov
>505-284-2107    fax 505-284-2616  cell  505-259-8557
>MS-1088
>
>
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*********************************************
Kim Merritt, RRPT
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Physics Directorate Safety Support Officer
phone: (925)423-9668 fax: (925)422-7160
e-mail: merritt9@llnl.gov

"If the only tool you own is a hammer, every
  problem begins to resemble a nail."
  Abraham Maslow
*********************************************
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html