Sea dumping of radioactive wastes. Part 3: Dumping practice and radioecology

Sea dumping of low level radioactive waste is a disposal method practised by a number of states, controlled by OECD/NEA. It makes use of the capacity of the oceans to dilute the radionuclides to levels acceptable concerning resulting dose burdens. For the determination of release rates some oceanographic model have been developed, describing the physical behaviour of the released radionuclides. It is not to be assumed that a complete mathematical description of the involved processes can be made. Too many parameters are dependent and varying as there is the chemical behaviour of different valence states, complexing agents, distribution patterns etc. But it can be seen that the existing description methods allow the adequate modelling of the short and the long term behaviour of the radionuclides. The use of pessimistic assumptions for distribution and reconcentration is sufficient to consider uncertainties of the model. Therefore the arguments of Greenpeace, kindly submitted by this organisation for this study, show no open question, which has not been considered on the sea dumping procedures under surveillance of the OECD/NEA. (Author)