Radioactive waste dumping at sea: causes for concern

The dumping of various low-level radioactive wastes at sea has been carried out for many years and has been accepted as a satisfactory means of disposal by national and international regulatory authorities. There are, however, grounds for concern from an environmental standpoint which centre around two particular issues: the likely extent of mobilisation of an increasing radioactive inventory over time and the likely effects of such radioactivity if and when it should make contact with living organisms. The subject is discussed under the headings: mobilisation; effects on the marine environment; physical and biological considerations; future exploitation of the oceans (for food, minerals); and the effects of radiation. (author)