Call off the Dogs!

["Miller, Mark L" <mmiller@sandia.gov>]

On 11/2/99, the NRC sent out a request for technical information (SP-99-074)
to all NRC Agreement States, MN, OK, PA, and WI regarding the issue that
surfaced when the state of TN licensed Manufacturing Sciences Corporation
(MSC) to release decontaminated but slightly volumetrically contaminated
nickel metal for unrestricted public reuse/recycle (remember the
inflammatory Newsweek article on radioactive kids braces and zippers?)

Our good friends in Congress (Markey, Klink & Dingell) questioned the
adequacy of the NRC oversight of the NRC Agreement State program because the
State of TN had permitted this "despicable" act.  The NRC obligingly has
been preparing an answer to Congress' information request, and they have
solicited specific information from Agreement States to complete their
response to the Congressional inquiry by 11/15/99.

Radsafers should be aware of this subversive act by the anti-nuclear lobby
to undermine the science that supports recycle/reuse of slightly
contaminated materials.  In their minds, of course, "all rad is bad" (dont'
try to confuse them with the presence of ubiquitous natural radioactivity).
For your review, pull up NUREG-1640, Radiological Assessments for Clearance
of Equipment and Materials from Nuclear Facilities (12/98) and DRAFT DOE
standard DOE-HDBK-xxx-97, "Draft Handbook for Controlling Release for Reuse
or Recycle of Non-real Property Containing REsidual Radioactive Material
(6/97) (others?).

If this thinly veiled attack on recycling succeeds, the NRC (and Agreement
States) will find themselves in the politically losing position that they
found themselves in after the ill-fated 1991 attempt to introduce the
"de-minimus" concept.  Weigh in with your support and input!


Mark L. Miller, CHP
miller20@ix.netcom.com
505-284-2107