UF6

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

I've been following the discussion of the hazards associated with UF6
with interest.  There are approximately 4700 cylinders of the substance
stored outside in yards at the K-25 site (or East Tennessee Technology
Park, ETTP) in Oak Ridge (many more are kept at Paducah and
Portsmouth).  DOE contends this is a resource, rather than a waste, and
plans to store it well into the next century in the current form, with
regular inspection and maintenance of the cylinders.  Many stakeholders
contend that continued storage of this material is incompatible with the
current process of "reindustrializing" the K-25 site, that is having
commercial ventures lease space for a variety of manufacturing or
service activities.

Interestingly, three sites that exceeded the primary dose limit for
gamma levels and are potentially accessible to the public, according to
Tenn. Dept. of Environment & Conservation DOE Oversight Division, are
all near the UF6 cylinder storage yards at ETTP.

While rational people agree that minor leaks are self-healing and that
this scenario of surveillance and maintenance will allow safe storage
for many years, we feel that little attention has been paid to the
potential for catastrophic release from severe weather.  You may have
heard about the recent tornados which destroyed downtown Clarksville,
Tenn., and damaged a suburb of Jackson, Tenn.  Several years ago, a
tornado touched down at the entrance to the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge,
rolling an empty tank (not UF6) off its support and tearing down
high-tension electric lines along the valley to the NE.  If we were so
unlucky to have a tornado touch down at K-25, I doubt that the cylinders
could withstand the stresses (there would be other releases from
destruction of contaminated buildings, but let's ignore those for the
sake of simplifying the scenario).

It's likely that the resulting cloud of HF would pose an immediate local
danger, but the dispersion of depleted uranium would also be a concern
to the community. Has anyone modeled (or speculated) on this scenario?

While on-site conversion of the UF6 to a stable oxide form seems to be
the preferred alternative by the community, funding constraints may
force transportation to Paducah, KY, or Portsmouth, OH, for conversion. 
The structural integrity of the cylinders and the method of handling and
overpacking them become more significant concerns in that case.

I would be interested in your professional opinions.

Regards,
Susan Gawarecki
-- 
==================================================
Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee, Inc.
136 South Illinois Avenue, Suite 208
Oak Ridge, Tennessee  37830
Phone (423) 483-1333; Fax (423) 482-6572; E-mail loc@icx.net
VISIT OUR UPDATED WEB SITE:  http://www.local-oversight.org
==================================================
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