ML19250C032
| ML19250C032 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Dresden  |
| Issue date: | 08/02/1979 |
| From: | Danforth J SENATE, COMMERCE, SCIENCE & TRANSPORTATION |
| To: | Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19250C006 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911060415 | |
| Download: ML19250C032 (2) | |
Text
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- aats m.am COMMtTTEE ON CowMgmCL ScitNCE AND TRANSPORTAT10N wAse~CTo~. o.c. um Augu'st 2, 1979 Mr. Carlton Ka=erer Director Office of Congressional Affairs Nuclear Regulatory Cc=ission 1717 E Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20505 Ce ar Mr. Ea=erer :
A constituent has written me concerning a =latte.r which f alls within the jurisdiction of your agency.
I refer this matter to your office for a preliminary examination.
I would appreciate receiving your cc=ents, in duplicate, together with the return cf the correspondence.
'Your attention to this matter is appreciated.
Sincerely, b
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John C. Danforth Enclosure Please respond to:
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i Tne Honorable John C. DanfortN.,.. I"' 'l I,i.i !./ I,hid United States Senate s. !,,~;;;, r,,ts;;0y7.1 k'ashington, D.C.
Dear Senator Danforth:
F.nclosed please find a copy of a letter to Dr. Hendrie cf the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
It is an inquiry about a chemica.1 operation associated with a nuclear power plant. Tne chelating agents used to clean up these cooling syste=s may be a vehicle for aidi=g in the spread of the radioactive isotopes into the environ =ent.
I at:t trying to obtain this infor=ation for myself and others interesned ira evalu-ating the hazards and precautions used in such operations.
Sincerely yours,
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,c= - e Leonard J. Banassak Professor of Biological Che=istry LJB:ss 6
e*e 1276 218
v eb.:-4 WA5HINGTON UNIVERSITY SCMCCL OF MEDICINE ses soutse aucun awtonut er. Lo uis. x z e so u ar easso July 23,1979 ocamu==v o r.io too c.c emeussenv (3:41asanata Dr. Joseph M. Hendrie, Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
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Dear Dr. Hendrie:
Through discussions with a friend, Mrs. Kay Drey, I have learneed of the proposed " pipe cleaning" or decontamination of the primary coolant system at the Dresden Nuclear power plant.
Likt. cany others im the U.S., I have become interested in both the positive and negatiwe factors of nuclear energy.
I'm writing to you with the hcpe th:at you will provide me with environ = ental impact infor=ation about thfis cleanup operation.
First of all, ignoring the fact that I as uninforced about the pipe syste=, it would ceem of questionable value to clean up a clogg;ed plu=bing system. Frequently the chemicals used in cleaning can them-selves cause damage.
Those in charge presumably have data indicating that th'e coolant piping system is itself in good shape and wi131 not suff er any ill effects fro = a che=ical cleaning with a che.latirag agent.
However, the more serious problem see=s to be related to the ddisposal of the radioactive crud bound to the proprietary Dow chelating, agent, the cleaning fluid.
Is it true that 3000 curies are expected t:o be washed free from the pipes with the chelating agents? Hou was this e,s ti=ste ob tained? According to Mrs. Drey, this vaste is to bca dis-pqsed of by solidifying the aqueous chelated waste in 1200 x Sf5 gallon drums and then moving to a disposal site. My rough calcula:1oins indi-4 cate that the solidified waste will have a specific acci.vity o'f 1.2x10 nanocuries/ gram. Is this about the normal specific activity c:f buried radioactive vaste?
Since the solidification process apparently involves entrapmen: in a vinyl ester matrix, what is the rate of leaking fro = such a =a:trix (assu=ing that the container is absent') ? Is the container co nstructed of =e:al?
Is the temperature of the container and poly =er meatsurably affec:ed by the radioactivity?
If the container is =etal, is the corrosicn rate notably af fected by any heating ef f ects due to radia-
- M cr the chelating agents? or unpoly=erized solidifW.g : ;nc=er
! realize that data is available en ca: y of these =cre obviour6 p ole =r sni I vet.1d like to help in disseminating this information c worried citi: ens.
Is it possible to be put on sc=e ser: of r.ziling lii.s:
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Dr. Joseph M.11endrie - Page 2.
nomally used io send out infor=ation about hearings and/or reports on potentially hazadous procedures associated with nuclear energy?
I will be grateful for any data you have on these proble=s.
Sincerely yours, Leonard J. Banas ak Professor of Biolc gical Che4 stry LJB:ss cc: Representative Clay Senator Eagleton Senator Danforth 1276 220
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