Potential health and environmental hazards of uranium mine wastes. Volume 1. executive summary. Report to the congress (final)

Technical Report · Fri Jun 10 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5234978

Uranium mining operations release some radioactive materials into both air and water and generate large quantities of solid wastes containing low levels of radioactive materials. Solid wastes produced by past mining operations remain on the surface at many inactive mining sites, and represent a potential health and environmental hazard similar in concept to uranium mill tailings. Contamination of surface and subsurface water supplies also represents a potential problem. To evaluate these potential problems, the Congress, in Section 114(c) of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA), instructed the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prepare a report which identifies the location and potential health, safety, and environmental hazards of uranium mine wastes together with recommendations, if any, for a program to eliminate these hazards. This report analyzes the potential health and environmental impacts of both active and inactive uranium mines, lists the locations of these mines, identifies additional information needs, and recommends needed actions.

• Research Organization: Office of Radiation Programs, Washington, DC (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5234978
• Report Number(s): PB-83-263335
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

054000 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Health & Safety
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
510302* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Terrestrial Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
520302 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- Aquatic Ecosystems & Food Chains-- (-1987)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MINES
POLLUTION
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIOACTIVE EFFLUENTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
SAFETY
SOLID WASTES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
URANIUM MINES
WASTES
WATER POLLUTION