Plan Outlines Closure of Tritium Facility
John Geluardi, Berkeley Daily Planet, January 5, 2002

Dismantling the Tritium Labeling Facility will take about one year and cost more than $1 million, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory officials told a citizens group Thursday.

LBNL Radiological Control Manager Gary Zeman presented the three-phase work plan to the Community Environmental Advisory Commission for dismantling the controversial laboratory in Building 75. There the radioactive isotope, tritium, had been attached to medical research compounds for 19 years.

The lab announced the closure of the facility in September, shortly after the National Institutes of Health withdrew funding for the tritium lab.

"I have two goals, the safe and orderly closure of the facility and to return the facility to reuse for other activities," said Zeman, who will manage the closure project team.

Zeman said during the first part of the closure -- already underway -- radioactive materials and hazardous chemicals will be removed. Equipment and apparatus used in tritium-related projects will be dismantled during the second phase, and decontamination of the facility will take place during the third phase, rendering it safe for other uses.

According to the work plan, the facility "may have extensive tritium contamination on laboratory facilities and equipment such as hoods, lab benches, floors, walls and sinks."

It adds: "Those items that cannot be decontaminated to acceptable levels will have to be removed and disposed as low level radioactive waste before the spaces can be returned to use."

Commissioner L A Wood asked the CEAC to send a recommendation to the City Council asking it formally to request LBNL not to use the facility for any research that involves radioactive materials. The recommendation failed by a 4-3-1 vote with commissioner Elmer Grossman, Dan Luten and Sarah MacKusick voting in opposition. Commissioner Robert Clear abstained.

MacKusick said she voted against the recommendation because it was like "tilting at wind mills."

"If this recommendation is just going to be a symbolic gesture that will have no affect on the lab's decision, then I prefer not to do that," she said.

Prior to the vote, Wood said he was skeptical of the lab's sincerity.

"I am extremely disappointed in the work plan," Wood said. "I don't see how the lab can begin to close down the facility while it is conducting a treatability study that will require (the use of ) the facility's equipment."

Wood was referring to the treatability study, recently re-approved by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control, that will dispose of five liters of mixed waste that contain tritium and other hazardous waste by a experimental process known as catalytic chemical oxidation.

Community members have expressed concern about the study because the process was being used in July 1998 when 35 to 50 curries of tritium was accidentally released into the atmosphere. Normally the lab released between 50 to 100 curries during the course of a year. The state Department of Toxic Substances Control deemed the release below state and federal standards, although the agency halted the experimental process after the state's investigation in 2000.

Zeman said the equipment required to conduct the study safely, including an exhaust ventilation and radiological monitoring equipment, will not be dismantled until the study is complete in the next few months.

Former CEAC Chair John Selawsky asked Zeman for a more detailed schedule.

"I have a sense that the lab is being sincere about their intention to dismantle the facility," he said. "But I'm not entirely convinced, after all we were told the facility was closing in December and now we find out they just received approval to conduct an experimental treatability study."

Zeman said it would be difficult to provide a detailed schedule because lab materials are still being inventoried and the extent of the contaminated lab equipment has not yet been determined.

But he said the removal of the remaining 12,000 curies of tritium stock has already begun; it was shipped to Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on Dec. 20.

According to a tentative schedule, the first phase will be completed by spring. The second phase, which has also begun, will be completed this summer.

"The scope and content of the Phase 3 activities will be planned by summer 2002 and a budget for this work will prepared and submitted to the Department of Energy," the work plan reads. "Work activities associated with Phase 3 will begin following budget approval."