Results of the baseline radiological survey at Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Abstract

Air Force Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT and E) of depleted uranium (DU) as a conventional munitions component began at Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Florida. The relatively small volumes of depleted uranium waste (DUW) generated during these efforts were disposed of at commercial disposal sites. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) was awarded a management contract by the US Air Force to oversee the repackaging, transportation, and disposal of the DUW. The ORNL Measurement Applications and Development (MAD) group participated in the contract administration by providing advice in planning, site radiological baseline characterization surveys, radiation safety audits, and a followup site verification survey. The reason for these baseline surveys was to determine the radiological conditions on: (1) two areas where uranium had been handled, and (2) a section of public roadway over which the radioactive material would be hauled from one site to another on the base. The findings of this survey constitute the radiological baseline for the repackaging operation. 3 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs.