Waste Management Considerations
Nuclear-Powered Ships
RALPH K. LONGAKER, Engineer
U. S. Public Health Service
Maritime Commission
Washington, D.C.
INTRODUCTION
In consideration of waste management factors for nuclear-powered ships,
several similarities between many conventional industrial waste treatment
procedures and the processing of radioactive wastes are apparent. Of course,
many analogies may be drawn between reactor wastes and some of the more
complex industrial wastes which have, within the last 12 yrs, become a
problem of new dimensions to manufacturers in this time. These kinds of
wastes, such as phenols and others, are now measured in "ppb" instead of the
older and more familiar "ppm" as further illustration of the growing need for
the improved capability of detecting and measuring environmental contaminants in extremely small concentrations.
In the field of radioactive waste management there are, just as in more
conventional wastes, further similarities concerning the physical and chemical
characteristics of these wastes, treatment techniques, and their controlled
dispersion and assimilation in the environment. In most cases the fundamental
principles of waste handling, treatment, and disposal are essentially the same
in the nuclear industry as in many types of manufacturing plants.
In conventional industrial waste practice, the majority of large manufacturing plants are located on fresh water streams which serve to carry away,
with dilution, mixing, and in some cases, aeration, treated wastes from these
plants. In contrast, wastes from ocean-going ships have for years presented
an unusual and growing problem in major port areas in the form of refuse,
bilge pumping, cleaning of oil and ballast tanks, and other miscellaneous
discharges. Abatement of these forms of pollution is essential in controlling
their deleterious effects on wildlife, recreational uses, and in some cases, in
combating the added fire hazard of oil and other petroleum products accumulating on the pilings and understructure of water front facilities.
Environmental considerations are of unique importance in the nuclear
industry since inherent characteristics of some radioactive materials form the
basis of concern in their processing, packaging, and ultimate disposal. Specifically these involve the selective uptake and retention of radioactive elements by marine organisms in such manner as may, under some circumstances,
constitute a potential ingestion hazard to man. Estuarine and coastal waters
are peculiarly suited to the culture of edible shellfish which represent a potential route for the return of radioactive materials to man. In contrast, the
pelagic of oceanic fishes are of somewhat less concern because of their
mobility and feeding habits.
These general considerations of the operating environment provide
prospective to basic factors of interest with Tegard to evaluation of radioactive
wastes produced by nuclear-powered ships.
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