The Site is an abandoned radioactive laboratory. Operating from the 70's until the early 90s, they supplied radioactive sources and tracers to the medical and oil industries. The company ventured into waste disposal but acheived only partial success. Several sources remain at the site including an 18 Curie Cesium 137 source. House-keeping was extremely poor, protective containers (pigs) were left open, Radium needles are scattered on the floor, and the ventilation system is highly contaminated.
Crews are sorting material, continuing the assessment, staging additional shielding, and loading roll-off boxes for disposal.
The OSC met with the Mayor and City Manager of Webster, and the Environmental Director for the City of Houston. The goal of the meetings was to inform the cities of the activity and plans for the site.
The contents of the building will be disposed of at several sites. The waste will be sent to the most appropriate disposal facility. The floors, walls, ceilings, and roofs are very contaminated and requires complete demolition. Some excavation of the underlying soils is expected.
The several radioactive sources will be removed offsite first. This will reduce the overall dose rate from the site. Some require special packaging from shipment.
The crews will continue to sort the material into proper waste streams.
The investigation and cost assesment directed by the Bankruptcy Court identified 4 wells, in-ground storage stuctures for the radioactive sources. However, the crews have found 20 additional wells. The contents is unknown. Preparation will be necessary to conduct the investigation.
There are issues with the dose accumulation of the workers. Some areas have radiation levels high enough to provide the yearly permissible dose in a very short period of time. Solutions are being sought to limit the exposure, and other permissible avenues.
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