NORM Building Debris Removal and Scanning

[Robert.Morris@DOEGJPO.COM (Robert Morris)]

     Here's a technical reference regarding survey techniques for NORM 
     contaminated building debris:  HP Journal December 1991 Vol 61(6) page 
     903-911.  "Development and use of statistical survey criteria for 
     released material at a former uranium processing facility."  Steve 
     Green and others.
     
     This describes a practical approach that is used in one form or 
     another at DOE sites including Weldon Spring, for which it was 
     written, and UMTRA.
     
     At the DOE Grand Junction Office we have tackled more than 4000 
     uranium mill tailings cleanups on privately owned properties, the 
     Denver Radium Superfund sites, and the Monticello, Utah uranium mill 
     CERCLA cleanup. (Mill tailings are NORM that is regulated under a 
     different set of rules.)  We use various survey processes including 
     one similar to the one described in this article.  The most important 
     part of establishing the any survey method is to first figure out what 
     you are trying do.  We start with a Data Quality Objectives (DQO) 
     process to lay the groundwork for the survey plan.  You will find 
     information on DQOs at http://etd.pnl.gov:2080/cgi-bin/DQOhome.cgi
     
     Experience has shown that for uranium mill tailings (which have the 
     same consitutents you have listed) a pancake GM outperforms an alpha 
     meter.  Looking at decay schemes and considering the uranium depletion 
     resulting from milling we found that there are approximately similar 
     numbers of alpha and beta decays per pCi of mill tailings, so we apply 
     a 5000 dpm/100 sq cm beta limit in lieu of the 5000 dpm/100 sq cm 
     alpha limit.
     
     Bob Morris, CHP, CIH
     WASTREN-GJ
     2597 B 3/4 Road
     Grand Junction, CO  81502  USA
     Robert.Morris@gjpomail.doegjpo.com
     970 248-6704