ML20217A439

Informs of Contaminated Soil Found on Ivy Beds Outside of Licensed Boundary During NRC Survey During Wk of 900716. Contaminated Soil Removed

ML20217A439
Person / Time
Site:	Berkeley Research Reactor
Issue date:	11/12/1990
From:	Fowler T CALIFORNIA, UNIV. OF, BERKELEY, CA
To:	Alexander Adams NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
NUDOCS 9011210078
Download: ML20217A439 (3)

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFOllNIA, HEllKELEY iiinm n . mm . inviso . im m.nu . nnuuno . un inw . un inunwu

( ) um unnu . um em COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING BERKEl.EY. CALIFORNI A 94720 DEPARTMENT OF NUCLEAR ENGINEERING TELEPHONE:(4t$1642 5010 FAX: (415) 643%R$

Mr. Alexander Adams Nov.12,1990 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Conurission ATTN: Document Cotrol Desk Docket # 50 224 Washington, D. C. 20555 Lic. # R 101

Subject:

Contaminated soll found on ivy beds west of Etcheverry llall This letter is to report on contaminated soll found on Ivy beds west of Etcheverry IIall during the NRC confirmatory survey the week of July 16, 1990.

m 1. Contaminated soil was found on Ivy beds west of the alley way of Etcheverry llall. It was originally detected during the week of July 16,1990, by the NRC confirmatory survey team. Maximum area radiation levels were approximately 150 microrem per hour at the surface and 15 microrem per hour at a meter. The location of the contaminated area was outside the boundary licensed by the NRC.

2. Analysis showed that the contaminated soil material contained elevated unprocessed natural uranium and thorium including its daughters.

3. The contaminated soll was removed the next day. Currently there are no remaining radiation levels exceeding unristricted release criteria.

'4. The origin of the material could not be ascertained. We are confident that it was not associated with reactor 00eration or Nactor decommissioning.

Further details are given in the attached letter from the Berkeley Campus Radiation Safety Officer.

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If you have further questions please call me at (415) 642 7071 or Dr. Tek 11. Lim at (415) 642 5213.

Attachment ec. E. Garcia, NRC Region Y State of California, Dept. of IIcalth Services Campus Radiation Safety Orlicer T.11. Lim Sincerely 9-T. Kenneth Fowler, Reactor A.aministrator

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(.L i Prof. Kenneth Fowler Nov.9,1990 Reactor Administrator Dept. Nuclear Engineering i University of California, llerkeley -

l gy 9 1990 i Dear Prof. Fowler This is to document activities involving the radioactive sand like innterial found across the I alley west of Etcheverry llall during the NRC confirmatory survey the week of July 16, 1990.

The elevated radiation level was originally detected by the NRC survey team from Oak Ridge Associated Universities, with a ganuna scin:lliation detector. No alpha contamination could be detected by direct monitoring. A sample was counted at the Nuclear Enginecr!ng I Laboratory and it was determined to be mainly a bda. gamma emitter with a very small I alpha component. A sample was sent to Los Alamos National Laboratory for gamma )

spectrum analysis. The analysis showed that the material contained elevated unprocessed 1 natural uranium and thorium with daughters. l l

Maximum area radiation levels were approximately 150 microrem per hour at the surface ,

and 15 microrem per hour at one meter. The material was tan in color and resembled i very line sand. An estimated 3 cubic feet of the material was found spread on top of and just underneath the dirt surface of the ivy beds along the retalning wall direcly across the  ;

alley from the west entrance. The affected area was approximately 30 square feet. The following day the contaminated soll discovered was removed by Campus Environmental  ;

licalth andl Safety. The contaminated soll was diposed of as radioactive waste. After 1 removal, the area radiation level was less than 5 microrem per hour above background at the surface of the ground, y

In conclusion, the origin of the material could not be ascertained, but I believe that it was sand blasting grit or similar material with natural radioactive components and that it was not associated with reactor operation or decommmissioning. The location of the '

1 contaminated area was outside the boundary lleensed by the NRC. In any event, it was removed and there are no remaining radiation levels exceeding unrestricted release criteria.

ec. T.ll. Lim ,

P. Lavely l

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Michael R. Schoonover, Radiation Safety Officer, Office of Environmental llcalth and Safety UNIVER$ TTY OF CALIK)RNIA ~(Letterhead for Intedepartmental Vie) i