NRC Releases ALCOA Site in Ohio for Unrestricted Use

["Stuart.Altman" <Stuart.Altman@dp.doe.gov>]

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From: Stuart Altman
Date: 4/17/96 2:40PM
Subject: NRC Releases ALCOA Site in Ohio for Unrestricted Use
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           NRC RELEASES ALCOA SITE IN OHIO FOR UNRESTRICTED USE
              FOLLOWING CLEANUP OF RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION
     
     
          The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has released an Aluminum
     Company of America (ALCOA) facility near Cleveland, Ohio, for 
     unrestricted use, following cleanup of radioactive contamination 
     to safe levels. 
     
          ALCOA and related companies used radioactive thorium at the
     site from 1900 to 1961.  There is little information on the 
     quantity and form of thorium used prior to 1954.  From 1954 to 
     1961, thorium was used in the production of magnesium-thorium 
     alloys.  The facility operated under an Atomic Energy Commission 
     license from 1954 to 1961, when the license expired.   
     
          Before license expiration, ALCOA transferred excess thorium
     back to Dow Chemical Company, the thorium supplier.  In 1981 
     ALCOA certified that all licensed material had been disposed of. 
     However, surveys performed at ALCOA from 1989 to 1992 showed 
     remaining thorium contamination in several locations.  In 
     addition, depleted uranium from Chemetron Corporation, an 
     adjoining facility, was found on the site.
     
          ALCOA began decommissioning the site in 1991, with Chemetron
     performing cleanup activities for the depleted uranium.  Based on 
     the companies remedial actions, NRC staff review of ALCOA and 
     Chemetron radiological survey reports, and confirmatory surveys 
     by NRC and its contractor (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and 
     Education), the NRC concluded that decommissioning has been 
     satisfactorily completed and that further remediation is not 
     required.
     
          The NRC has removed the ALCOA site from its Site
     Decommissioning Management Plan, which identifies about 50 sites 
     throughout the United States that are contaminated with 
     radioactive materials and warrant special attention. 
     
     
     
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   *                                                                      * 
   * Stuart M. Altman                    E-Mail: stuart.altman@dp.doe.gov * 
   * U.S. Department of Energy                   Phone: (301) 903-6407    * 
   * Office of Defense Programs (DP-45)    Phone (sec): (301) 903-3487    * 
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