Under a Cloud - Fallout from the Savannah River Site

Creator

Norm Buske
The RadioActivist Campaign (TRAC)

Files

Document Type

Report

Date

10-2003

Description

In April 2003, The RadioActivist Campaign (TRAC) identified a pattern of radioactive cesium-137 outside the northeast boundary of the Savannah River Site (SRS). That cesium-137 is evidence of recent radioactive fallout, from SRS, that contaminates the area downwind of the site. The radioactivity of that cesium-137 was 50 times the normal “background” level.

TRAC believes SRS’s contamination of the area downwind of the site poses a threat to public health and safety and environmental quality. SRS denies that the site contaminates public air and land and states that radioactivity from fallout around SRS is not above background levels.

TRAC also identified levels of cesium-137 at a thousand times background level in Lower Three Runs Creek, which drains SRS. Along with the cesium-137, TRAC found strontium-90 and a trace of cobalt-60 contaminating the creek. The combination of those three radionuclides suggests that the source of that contamination is spent nuclear fuel at SRS. That contamination is entering the Savannah River.

This report brings these contamination problems to the public’s attention so the affected communities can take action to protect their health and their environment.

This research was completed money allocated during Round 4 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at digitalrepository@clarku.edu

Publisher

The RadioActivist Campaign (TRAC)

Format

pdf

Keywords

nuclear weapons, nuclear weapons testing, environment, non-governmental organizations, United States Department of Energy, tribal governments, environmental cleanup, radioactive fallout, radioactive waste

Rights

Copyright belongs to the authors. Clark University was chosen by the non-profit peace and environmental groups as the conservator of these reports; our right to distribute these works ensures they remain available to the public in perpetuity as intended. Reuse at your own discretion with with due deference to copyright holders.

Location

Belfair, WA

Recommended Citation

Buske, Norm and The RadioActivist Campaign (TRAC), "Under a Cloud - Fallout from the Savannah River Site" (2003). The RadioActivist Campaign. 3.
https://commons.clarku.edu/radioactivist/3