Re: mercury

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

Joseph R. Preisig wrote:



>I hope the

>mercury will be contained in some sort of closed loop system.  Anyone have

>an inkling of the environmental effects of such a system??? 

>



I've looked at the design of the target.  Indeed the mercury will 

circulate in a closed loop, with sufficient quantity so it can be 

physically cooled down.  Once the Spallation Neutron Source goes online, 

any maintenance in the target area will be done robotically.  That 

mercury will have quite a mix of radionuclides in it, and it will be 

hot!   Upon decomissioning of the SNS, the mercury target will be left 

in place for about 50 years to let the short half-life isotopes to decay 

away.



The community is generally supportive of the SNS.  Members of the LOC's 

Citizens' Advisory Panel would like to see plans for handling the 

generated radioactive waste and for monitoring of areas of potential 

contamination.  There will be some activation products in the soils 

beneath the facility, and we would like to ensure that these don't 

migrate into groundwater, or at least will be detected if they do.



Building SNS on a karst (cave-forming limestone) ridge was perhaps not 

the smartest job of siting a major research facility (stabilizing the 

source building into bedrock was "challenging" and required more 

concrete than anticipated).  However, there is a great view from the site.



Susan Gawarecki

Executive Director,

Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee



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