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Title: Evaluation of health risks associated with proposed ground water standards at selected inactive uranium mill-tailings sites

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6752623· OSTI ID:6752623

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed ground water standards applicable to all inactive uranium mill-tailings sites. The proposed standards include maximum concentration limits (MCL) for currently regulated drinking water contaminants, as well as the addition of standards for molybdenum, uranium, nitrate, and radium-226 plus radium-228. The proposed standards define the point of compliance to be everywhere downgradient of the tailings pile, and require ground water remediation to drinking water standards if MCLs are exceeded. This document presents a preliminary description of the Phase 2 efforts. The potential risks and hazards at Gunnison, Colorado and Lakeview, Oregon were estimated to demonstrate the need for a risk assessment and the usefulness of a cost-benefit approach in setting supplemental standards and determining the need for and level of restoration at UMTRA sites. 8 refs., 12 tabs.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/NE
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6752623
Report Number(s):
BNL-44771; ON: DE90015133; TRN: 90-025889
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English