RADIOACTIVE DUMP SITES

MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY AFFAIRS, MR R F (PIK) BOTHA

Issued by: Ministry of Minerals and Energy Affairs

Pretoria - APRIL 15

With recent public concern expressed about radioactivity in a metal scrap yard at Katdoringbos near Potchefstroom, the problem of radioactivity has again come to the fore.

There is no cause for alarm. THE COUNCIL FOR NUCLEAR SAFETY (CNS) is aware of the radioactivity on the site. The CNS was responsible for discovering it there in the first place. They have taken the necessary measures to identify and isolate the contaminated material pending its removal and storage in a safe place.

Exposure to the material from a short distance and over a considerable period of time is required before doses could become significant. There is no danger to workers on the site from the isolated and identified material nor, therefore, to persons, plants or animals on surrounding sites.

The contaminated material is insoluble and so cannot be conveyed by rainwater into water systems such as rivers or dams. To establish this beyond any doubt, tests on the water in the area are being conducted over this weekend.

A public meeting to brief interested parties will be held at the office of Mr Van Staden, the Chief of the Potchefstroom Fire Brigade, on Tuesday 18 April at 14h00. At this meeting, senior officials of the CNS will be present to explain the situation fully and to answer any questions which anyone may have.

The radioactivity occurs naturally in uranium and gold ores. Mines then convey the ore as sludge in pipes or cocopans on rails or handle it with pumps or other equipment, resulting in the metal becoming contaminated. When it is no longer usable, the mines often sell it off to metal scrap dealers and recyclers.

It was inter alia to monitor and control this radioactivity more effectively that the CNS took over its current role from the Government Mining Engineer in 1988. The function was divorced from the ATOMIC ENERGY CORPORATION (AEC), the Government Mining Engineer and the mining industry in order to ensure that players and referee in this important and sensitive area were at arm's length. The CNS also closely monitors all activities of the AEC.

The Nuclear Safety Act, 1993, requires all mining and minerals-processing operations which involve naturally radioactive ores, to be licensed. The licensing process involves a comprehensive evaluation of the radiation hazards and the control programmes to be established.

In the process of these hazard evaluations, the CNS became aware that contaminated scrap was being distributed to scrap metal dealers and similar operations. An intensive programme was immediately launched in order to deal with this.

The programme included the following:

• an immediate moratorium on the disposal of potentially contaminated waste materials pending the establishment of control programmes. The moratorium cost metal merchants and recyclers millions of rand with the CNS coming under withering criticism from irate metal dealers, even leading to physical assaults on its inspectors;
• a joint CNS/mining industry Executive Co-ordinating Group was formed to lay down the necessary steps to be taken and the methods of financing them;
• an industry Task Force and a CNS Rehabilitation Unit were set up to take the practical steps necessary to deal with the contamination;
• the mining companies were required to provide the CNS with details of where their possible contaminated scrap had ended up. Detailed surveys were carried out on all sites where such scrap was present. Of the 105 sites surveyed, 38 needed decontamination. Restrictions were placed on operators so as to deal with the risk;
• the mining industry made R5 million available to conduct these investigations and provide for control measures;
• a streamlined and effective training programme was set up. Eighty persons from the mining industry have been trained as radiation protection monitors and will be responsible for monitoring material in mine salvage yards;
• apart from the CNS staff, instrumentation and facilities, those assisting in the initial investigations included Eskom, the AEC and private companies as well as United Kingdom consultants;
• the CNS met with the Metal Merchants Association representing scrapyard owners, the Rolled Steel Producers Co-ordinating Committee representing steel scrap consumers, the National Union of Mineworkers and the Boilermakers Union. Affected local authorities, including the Potchefstroom Municipality, were informed of sites within their jurisdiction;
• media releases were issued regularly to ensure that the public was fully informed. Office and after hours telephone and fax numbers were provided to respond to any enquiries. A media conference was held by the CNS on 4 October 1993 where information was provided and questions responded to.

From the above it can be seen that the whole question of contaminated waste is under control. I have been assured by the CNS that there is no danger to the general public in this regard.

ENQUIRIES:
Council For Nuclear Safety:
Telephone: (012) 663 5500; Fax: (012) 663 5513
After hours:
Mr J Leaver (012) 47 3025
Mr P E Metcalf (012) 47 2782