b'C H A P T E R 9H O T S T U F Fsubstations, and every conceivable kind ducted jointly by the IDO and theof non-radioactive laboratorychemi- Weather Bureau. Mechanical measurescal, metallurgical, photographic, and for holding, filtering, and scrubbingdosimetry. All of these activities gener- paralleled the measures used for aque-ated their own typical wastesmetal ous wastes, as did the monitoring activ-and wood scraps, solvents, resins, ities that accompanied all releases.acids, caustics, broken tools, emptycontainers, and the like. Depending on In the 1990s, the National Center forthe material, it was disposed of in the Disease Control undertook to identifyvicinity of the particular work area or it the radiation dose to a hypotheticalwent to the landfill at Central. Sanitary individual located off-site at a point ofwaste went into sewage lagoons at each maximal exposure to Site releasesreactor complex. Even paper products between 1952 and 1989. To do thishad a treatment protocol. Some was meant identifying the possible path-shredded and incinerated; in later years, ways by which radiation might havesome of it was compressed, made into traveled away from the Site. The ana-pellets, and sent to fuel the coal-fired lysts who performed the retrospectivepower plant at the south end of the study concluded that of all the potentialChem Plant. 38 pathways by which radiation mighthave reached off-site citizens, only theSome varieties of chemical waste posed gaseous releases were of potential inter-explosive hazards, and these were est, and even those had been small.stored or treated by methods unique to Solid and liquid waste disposal prac-the substance. Sodium potassium alloy tices had not, at least until that time,(NaK), for example, could react explo- provided a pathway to human popula-sively when placed in contact with tions, and were therefore of no conse-water. Occasionally, small flasks of quence to the study. Solid and liquidNaK had to be discarded. On one occa- waste practices had produced no mea-sion, five such flasks went into a con- surable exposure to anyone beyond thetainer which was then isolated in a boundaries of the Site. 40trench at the Burial Ground. A securityofficer fired upon the container with acharge intended to ignite the contentsand burn it. A small water supply and ahose stood by to give the NaK furtherencouragement to burn. 39Finally, wastes could take the form ofgases. Procedures for releasing gaseswith radioactive elements, most ofwhich were relatively short-lived, fol-lowed a similar logic as that for liquids.The dilution medium was air ratherthan water. These releases were subjectto continuous study and research con-8 5'