Air Force says no radium risk

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

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Officials: Radium poses no risk at Air Force facilities

by Tech Sgt. Carl Norman
Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

4/15/2004 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- Official
test results from six Air Force facilities indicate building occupants
and visitors are not at risk from radioactive material left over from
luminous paints used at the bases 60 years ago.

Air Force Institute for Operational Health experts from Brooks
City-Base, Texas, examined facilities at six bases. They were here and
at Hill Air Force Base, Utah; Robins AFB, Ga.; Tinker AFB, Okla.;
Fairchild AFB, Wash; and the former Griffiss AFB, N.Y.

The team focused on these bases because people assigned there used
radium paint and repaired items coated with the radioactive substance
during the World War II era. Radium was used in paint to make aircraft
instrument markings glow in the dark, officials said.

This maintenance was done in rooms officially designated as "luminous
paint units." The team also checked the buildings for radon, a byproduct
of radium decay.

"Radium is a naturally occurring element found at low levels in soil,
water, rocks and coal," said Maj. Kevin Martilla, Air Force Materiel
Command radiation programs chief. "Radiation-exposure levels were not
expected to be much greater than exposures from radium found naturally
in the environment and building materials. (Air Force officials)
confirmed this through this investigation."

According to the study's report, investigators found fixed residual
radium at more than 15 locations on the former radium paint room floors
and several associated areas. Major Martilla said this has been absorbed
into building materials, such as flooring and baseboards, and does not
present a significant hazard unless disturbed through invasive
activities like demolition or cutting.

Investigators also found removable residual radium in disconnected
exhaust ductwork in the ceiling crawl space above the luminous paint
unit at Robins and in a disconnected exhaust fan area at Griffiss.

"Removable" residual radium is loose radium that presents a hazard if
disturbed and subsequently ingested or inhaled.

In both cases, the ductwork and fans were already disconnected and
access to the areas was restricted. These areas did not, and still do
not, present a hazard to people, Major Martilla said.

"There is no significant risk from the residual radium found in these
facilities," the major said. "Both (workers) and the public are
protected due to the inaccessible nature of the contamination and the
associated control by base environmental and occupational health personnel."

Elevated radioactivity, which is not dangerous to the public, was
detected in five of the six former luminous paint units investigated,
according to the report. Tinker's room was cleared.

Although radiological exposures under current conditions are below
federal guidelines and limits, investigators said cutting into drains,
sewer lines or through concrete flooring in some of the contaminated
systems could cause exposures to exceed those levels.

"Base bioenvironmental and civil engineers will conduct follow-up
actions for these facilities under standard ? environmental-management
procedures, including any necessary sampling or cleanup," Major Martilla
said. "The Air Force considers worker and community health and safety to
be of utmost importance and attempts to prevent health, safety and
environmental issues from arising. But when they do, we respond promptly
? and will take the necessary corrective actions." (Courtesy of AFMC
News Service)



for a formatted version of this press release, see
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123007477

--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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