Senate Hearings on Sewer Release

[don@radpro.uchicago.edu]

I have just attended the week long short course on rad waste
management at Harvard, so I'm a little behind in reading my
mail.  If this subject has been mentioned, I apologize for the duplication.

Most of you are familiar with the problem discovered in OH at a 
sewage treatment facility.  Mr. Bomero of the NRC discussed this 
incident on the last day of the short cousrse.  Ha aslo announced
that Sen. Glenn intended to hold hearings on the matter this coming
TUESDAY JUNE 21.  The NRC will apparently testify at these hearings; Mr.
Bomero mentioned no other witnesses.  

Mr. Bomero stated his opinion that it appeared likely that ALL sewer
discharge might be curtailed.  His reasoning was that many sewage
treatment facilities are trying to restore sewage to drinking water
standards and are therefore attempting to remove everything from the
sewage-including soluable compounds.  This results in reconcentration
of activity in the sludge.  Furthermore, the sludge is sometimes
incinerated causing further concentration.

Mr. Bomero also stated his opinion that patient excreta might continue
to be exempted-owing to their generally short lives-and that possibly
H3 and C14 might also continue to be allowed.  

Please bear in mind that these are my recollections of what I believe
I understood Mr. Bomero to say.  

At this short course I aslo talked with a gentleman from the Nat. Cancer
Inst. who informed me that they allow no drain disposal at all.  All
lab washings are collected in carboys and treated appropriately.  If
we are compelled to do this, it will significantly increase the cost
and size of our program.  Losing drain disposal options will have a 
serious impact on the way we do business, and I think we need to 
say something about it.  Note that the NCI, through its contacts with
the military, has disposal options not open to most of us.

It would be helpful if someone on the net could get to these hearings and 
report.  A trancript would also be helpful.



___________________________________________________________________

Don Jordan                          Tel. (312) 702-6299
Office of Radiation Safety          Fax        702-4008
The University of Chicago           email: don@radpro.uchicago.edu

           -- Opinions expressed are soley the author's --