RE: Bugs May Spread Radioactivity (Hanford)

["Jean-Francois, Stephane" <stephane_jeanfrancois@merck.com>]

Is this confirmed ? It may become the new "can of worms" for anti-nuke...or
the next B movie, rated "R" as in "Radioactive"...

Stephane
RSO,
Radiation Safety Specialist/Spécialiste en radioprotection
Risk Management/Gestion des Risques
Merck Frosst Canada
tel: (514) 428.8695
FAX: (514). 428.4917
e-mail: stephane_jeanfrancois@merck.com

> ----------
> From: 	Sandy Perle[SMTP:sandyfl@earthlink.net]
> Sent: 	Thursday, October 08, 1998 10:58 AM
> To: 	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: 	Bugs May Spread Radioactivity (Hanford)
> 
> Anyone have a large can of RAID :>
> 
> Wednesday October 7 10:15 PM EDT 
> 
> RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) _ Insects ranging from fruit flies to gnats 
> and ants may be spreading radioactive contamination
> among offices and shops at the Hanford nuclear reservation.
> 
> Thirteen different spots on the reservation have been contaminated. 
> The source has not been determined, but bugs are believed
> to be part of the problem.
> 
> ``We're very concerned about this,'' Ron Hanson, Fluor Daniel 
> Hanford president, said Tuesday. He said finding the source of
> the radiation has taken longer than expected.
> 
> No workers are believed to have received a dose of radiation from 
> the contamination. An ironworker was found to have
> radiation on a boot and socks in his laundry hamper at home.
> 
> About 10 acres with office buildings and trailers have been closed 
> to workers because of spot contamination.
> 
> Additionally, wet garbage in bins and garbage cans tested positive 
> for radiation Tuesday. The worst spot found Tuesday was
> inside the roped-off area in wet garbage where flies and gnats had 
> been. It measured 10 to 12 millirads per hour _ about the
> same dose of radiation in a dental X-ray.
> 
> Hanford for more than 40 years made plutonium for nuclear 
> weapons. The 560-square-mile reservation now contains the
> nation's largest volume of radioactive waste from nuclear weapons. 
> 
> ------------------
> Sandy Perle
> Technical Director
> ICN Dosimetry Division
> ICN Plaza
> 3300 Hyland Avenue
> Costa Mesa, CA 92626
> Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
> Fax:    (714) 668-3149
>   
> sandyfl@earthlink.net
> sperle@icnpharm.com
> 
> ICN Dosimetry Website:
> http://www.dosimetry.com
> 
> Personal Website:
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> 
> "The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
> the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
>               - G. K. Chesterton -
> 
> The opinions expressed are solely, absolutely, positively, definitely
> those of t
> he author, and NOT my employer
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