Environmental consequences of postulated plutonium releases from General Electric Company Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Vallecitos, California, as a result of severe natural phenomena
Potential environmental consequences in terms of radiation dose to people are presented for postulated plutonium releases caused by severe natural phenomena at the General Electric Company Vallecitos Nuclear Center, Vallecitos, California. The severe natural phenomena considered are earthquakes, tornadoes, and high straight-line winds. Maximum plutonium deposition values are given for significant locations around the site. All important potential exposure pathways are examined. The most likely 50-year committed dose equivalents are given for the maximum-exposed individual and the population within a 50-mile radius of the plant. The maximum plutonium deposition values likely to occur offsite are also given. The most likely calculated 50-year collective committed dose equivalents are all much lower than the collective dose equivalent expected from 50 years of exposure to natural background radiation and medical x-rays. The most likely maximum residual plutonium contamination estimated to be deposited offsite following the earthquakes, and the 180-mph and 230-mph tornadoes are above the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed guideline for plutonium in the general environment of 0.2 ..mu..Ci/m/sup 2/. The deposition values following the 135-mph tornado are below the EPA proposed guidelines.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6886119
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-3683; TRN: 81-004645
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CALIFORNIA
FUEL FABRICATION PLANTS
RADIATION ACCIDENTS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
DOSE COMMITMENTS
RADIATION DOSES
PLUTONIUM
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EARTHQUAKES
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
THEORETICAL DATA
TORNADOES
WIND
ACCIDENTS
ACTINIDES
DATA
DISASTERS
DOSES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUMERICAL DATA
POLLUTANTS
POPULATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SEISMIC EVENTS
STORMS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
USA
WASTES
WESTERN REGION
054000* - Nuclear Fuels- Health & Safety
500300 - Environment
Atmospheric- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510302 - Environment
Terrestrial- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)
520302 - Environment
Aquatic- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains- (-1987)