ML19325D438

Carr Response to Markey Re Tritium shipper- Receiver Discrepancies

ML19325D438
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/21/1989
From:	Carr K NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Markey E HOUSE OF REP.
Shared Package
ML19325C171	List: ML19325C170 ML19325D436 ML19325D437 ML19325D438 ML19325D439 ML19325D440 ML19325D441 ML19325D443 ML19325D446 ML20247C411 ML20247C420
References
MARKEY-890721, NUDOCS 8910240108
Download: ML19325D438 (1)

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?.00ESTION 3:-

..Does the NRC have any proof:that the missing'25,000: curies-O m

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of tritium have not been retransferred without proper:

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currently' posing a' risk to public'tealth?-

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N ANSWER

The NRC has no proof that the claimed shortfall of tritium in-the referenced

. exports has not been retransferred without U.S. authorization or possibly' l

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-diverted,.As noterl in our response to Question 1, the cause of the shipper-1-

4 receiver discrepancies'has not as yet been' determined but remains the subject P

of an ongoing! investigation by a special. team formed by DOE., Based on the:

i information available to.date, improvements.in measurements. packaging, and 4

shipping; procedures have been identified as areas-needing improvement for.

future shipments.

A

'Because:of-the inherent properties'of tritium and packaging of'the material, L

Lit is unlikely that this tritium is currently posing a risk to public health.-

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. Tritium is a gas which emits only low energy. radiation. The small but tight M

- shipping and storage containers completely surround and shield this radiation

- sa there is no significant external radiation level.

Furthemore, in the unlikely y

event th'at it were-released, it would tend to dissipate in the air. The s

facilities in which it is used have ventilation systems that further dissipate the tritium ~ gas. Therefore, except under some unusual circumstance where ventilation systems were not working, no significant personnel exposure would s

result.

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