Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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Occupational casualties from the nonpolar activities are expected to occur at rates typi-
cal of the industrial activities that would be involved, and to be independent of both the
nuclear and polar aspects of the remainder of the system. Operations are routinely carried
out with nuclear systems and in the polar regions with safety comparable to that experienced
in more familar environments. In all likelihood, the required large-scale activities could
also be performed safely, with the polar conditions being reflected in higher program costs
rather than in decreased safety.
Accidents in processing and handling the waste material could occur before the material
reaches the embarkation facility. Impacts resulting from such accidents are common to virtu-
ally all of the alternative disposal options. Other impacts would be virtually identical to
those of the subseabed disposal option because in both cases the material would be trans-
ported to a coastal location.
Nonradiological health effects for activities that would occur on the ice sheet under
abnormal conditions have not been studied extensively. Occupational impacts would occur, but
as stated above, it is not expected that polar conditions will significantly alter the level
of effects anticipated. Non-occupational effects would be even less significant, reflecting
the lack of human activity on the ice sheets.
Natural System Impacts
Quantitative estimates of the radiological impact of ice sheet disposal on the ecosystem
are not available. These impacts are expected to be small because there are very few living
organisms in the polar regions, except along the coastline. Nonradiological ecological im-
pacts at the disposal site are difficult to characterize because of a lack of understanding
of the processes occurring in polar environments. The present understanding of impacts on the
glacial ice mass or the dry barren valleys of Antarctica is limited. The effect of the heat
that would be produced by the wastes on the ice or the potential geologic host media remains
unclear.
Air impacts would result from the combustion products of over-ice transport vehicles,
supporL aircraft, and fuel consumed for heating the facilities at the various sites. At
present, the effects of these products are not considered a major problem.
Few, if any, ecological impacts are expected near the disposal sites because the plant
and animal life are confined mostly to the coastal areas. Access routes and air traffic
lanes could be made to avoid as much as possible the feeding, nesting, and mating spots of
the birds and animals that inhabit the coastal areas. Fuel spills, equipment emissions, and
general transportation support activities could lead to some localized impacts along the
transportation disposal corridors. Few, if any, other impacts on water are expected, except
for a marginal increase in temperature of the water that would be used for once-through cool-
ing of canisters during sea transport. The only other water uses would be for consumption by
the 200 operating personnel, which would be obtained by melting the ice.