Re: Radon Control During Remediation -Reply

[Harold Chaney <HDC@nrc.gov>]

Chris, you beat me to it.  I have the same concern as to the Radon risk.  But then
again who knows how well the process separated the U-238 from everything else. 
Maybe the packaged debris contains some of the other components of natural
uranium.

Far as that goes, why are they digging up something so benign (depleted uranium is
all over the place)?  I can't remember the exact dose pathway for buried machined
turnings of DU (in an oil bath no less) but it would appear to be less than natural
uranium in soil.  It seems that a comprehensive ALARA  review (industrial as well
as radiological safety aspects) would point in the direction of leaving the stuff in
place.  It appears the stuff is not going anywhere and the site will probably never be
turned over to the public, so this seems to be an unnecessary endeavor and
probably an Economic Flywheel affect.  

H.  Dean Chaney, CHP -  USNRC, Region IV/WCFO
hdc@nrc.gov
ddchaney@castles.com

The views put forth above are my own and do not necessarily 
reflect the beliefs or policies of the USNRC or any other 
governmental entity.