ASSESSMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS PRODUCED BY THE TRANSPORT OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS THROUGH URBAN AREAS

Sandia Laboratories is performing an environmental assessment for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ascertain the impacts produced by the transportation of radioactive materials near and through a large, densely populated area. Radiological, nonradiological and economic environmental impacts due to the transportation of all radioactive materials are considered, excepting those related to weapons, weapon components, or shipments on military vehicles. Although New York City is being studied initially to execute the methodology as a function of a real, complex urban environment, the assessment model developed is general in its basic content and is suitable for application to any urban area. Radiological consequences are being computed for cases involving ''normal'' and accident conditions. In the ''normal'' case, nothing unusual takes place, but small radiation doses are still received by nearby people. In the accident case, dispersion of possibly released material away from the accident site is considered. In addition, impacts due to deviations from quality assurance practices, as a result of human error, are being calculated using the assessment model in a special manner. Certain aspects of sabotage and diversion are also being investigated for an urban setting. Radiological consequences are being quantified in terms of human health effects and decontamination costs. (ERA citation 03:013168)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Joint conference on sensing of environmental pollutants, New Orleans, LA, USA, 6 Nov 1977.
• Corporate Authors:

  Sandia Laboratories

  P.O. Box 5800
  Albuquerque, NM  United States  87115

  Energy Research and Development Administration

  20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • DuCharme, A R
  • TAYLOR, J M
  • Tierney, M S
  • Finley, B H
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Pagination: 8 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Contaminants; Crash exposure; Crashes; Economic impacts; Economics; Environmental impacts; Health hazards; Human beings; Mathematical models; Pollution; Radiation doses; Radioactive materials; Transportation; Urban areas
• Identifier Terms: Sandia National Laboratories
• Uncontrolled Terms: Contamination; Exposure; Models
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
• Old TRIS Terms: Human populations; Us nrc
• Subject Areas: Economics; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00175713
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CONF-771113-4
• Contract Numbers: EY-76-C-04-0789
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 28 1978 12:00AM