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Chem-Nu fr\r 1 miT-l 01 IV/1 IV/ W By Karen Gen?y Gamecock Staff Writer "A little nukie never hurt anyone," read a bumper sticker on the wall inside the office of ChemNuclear Systems Inc., in Snelling, SC. Chem-Nuclear is a low-level radioactive waste disDOsal site located near Allied General Nuclear Services, a fuel reprocessing plant, and the Savannah River Plant, a weapons production facility outside of Barnwell. L.B. Hebbard Jr., site manager of Chem-Nuclear, said they have some difficulty with people confusing the three facilities. "Chem-Nuclear stores low-level radioactive waste shipped here from nuclear power plants," Hebbard said. "We also bury trasn ? tools, wood, anything that may be contaminated from other plants." THIRTY PEKCENT of Chem *.T 1 i : ? iNueiear s uusmess is wctsic disposal. The rest of their business comes from other services they provide. "We train operators, provide tools, provide inspections and clean up other sites," Hebbard said. "Chem-Nuclear was also given the contract to clean up the Three Mile Island plant." Chem-Nuclear's license requires that thev burv onlv solid material in earthen trenches. Hebbard said their main concern is protecting the water supply. "For this reason, the hydrology and geology of the ground are two key considerations with regard to possible migration of the material r 11 a. 1 n fi^LL 1 : J irom me ireiunies, neuuaru s><tiu. Ou f I Pant' i 11p,uj \ jHsr The / * Just 2 Min 6033 Twi ! -nC" v Oner rFREE DELIVERY 5-MIDNIGHT^^ "Where yoi f"* ^ A f f / II S oTUTTy s n J Nc ! Reg. $1.45 $ { super $2.75 $ i tmrnrnmrnrnmrnammmmmmmmm? clear site vel waste The state ot South Carolina owns the property on which ChemNuclear is located. Many people see this as a disadvantage because the state will have to assume responsibility when the site is closed. Hebbard said that an escrow fund was set up in April 1971 for the perpetual care and maintenance of the site. "The money we receive for storage is put into the escrow fund," Hebbard said. THE SITE is expected to be ^ operational for 25 years. "At the , end of this time the escrow account , should be around $25 million, not ; including interest," Hebbard said. ] i The closure plan, which details all aspects of the final securing of the site, calls for the site to be monitored for 100 years. "The air and water supply will be monitored and the contouring of the trenches maintained for a 100-year period," Hebbard explained. "We feel this escrow fund will be more than , adequate to cover expenses. " , < Pregnant women who tour the ; site are asked to sign a waiver. They are given a two-page report on the "implications of health risks to pregnant women," and the waiver says you have read and understood the risks. Hebbard said Chem-Nuclear is a "clean site" and he has absolutely "no qualms about pregnant women being present." However, because of "flack from anti-nuclear groups," the waiver was instituted. ? 'ou Prefer ints N" tops, ir Prices e Just Right! ops...Tops...Tops I hundreasof tops Every Color & style | rerry-Sweatshirts-TShirts !! -laiters-Biouses | $ 299 _ 5 g99 I s~pan t s...p ants [| BACCJES^ I > ever yuimy cibt; i 199 $#13" r Pipe Rack utes From Columbia Mall * D Notch Rd 754-2636 j 771-40981 IS^ I u come first" [j am&Swiss Si ^ 3 !l * W | . 1.20 w/ coupon i 2.30 w/ coupon | . 11 -J! Earthen threnches at Snel/ing, S.C., used to i radioactive waste. The trend How much exposure do the workers get? The standard unit of neasuremeni 01 aosoroea radiation in living tissue is known as a millirem. The government limit for one year is 5,000 millirems, which is approximately 400 millirems a month. HEBBAKD SAID the health physicists (those who are closest to the containers and consequently + l-w-h r% /Hit o t An \ I ttcivc inc; uiuoi i uuiuuv/u / receive approximately 198 millirems a month. The off-loaders (people who unload the containers) receive 176 millirems a month, office workers and equipment operators receive 26, drivers 21 and maintenance workers 6. "These figures are from 1978," Hebbard said. "During that year Chem-Nuclear was taking 85 percent of the waste in the United States. We're not taking anvwhere near that much anymore." "Some day the Chem-Nuclear site will be a golf course," Hebbard said. pi 1 Fl^jpgfci H 111 npMH \l? IM II I > . I: Int I H ( X ) | ) I II I IK I (?\\ i isl ii| i Do one or all of tr Go Night Cli Go Shopping Go to To Si: ngnqr TRIP GUIDE* j ];S and Brad w j fad J April 19-20, r 11 k L . l-g russell house => j i/^C) L y^^O^SOREC Chem-Nudear, with three feet c itore low-level filled. les are covered ,^,9j?3|C9fOfC3|C9JC9pU0U|C^E)J?9fC9QC3QC^U| fNeed Extr; * Receive up to $8 * being on a regulc A ^program. Call or ! 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