Landspreading as a waste disposal option for contaminated milk

National Radiological Protection Board, Environmental Assessments Department, Chilton OX11 0RQ, U.K.

Abstract

In the event of a nuclear accident, there may be significant quantities of agricultural produce contaminated with radionuclides that require disposal. The disposal of milk would be of particular concern, since the quantities classed as waste could be substantial and extensive environmental damage could be caused if this was not disposed of appropriately. As part of contingency planning for potential nuclear accidents, the identification of practicable options for disposal of contaminated milk is therefore important. One of the potential options is disposal by landspreading. The practicability of landspreading has been evaluated against a set of six important criteria: technical feasibility, existing capacity, cost, environmental impact, radiological impact and acceptability. Information was obtained through wide consultation. The radionuclides of interest were ¹³¹I, ^134,137Cs and ^89,90CSr. Landspreading is a technically feasible and relatively inexpensive disposal option for milk that appears acceptable in principle to both farmers and regulators. The radiological impact of landspreading is low. However, the environmental impact due to the high BOD and nitrogen content of milk may limit the amounts that can be spread in sensitive areas. Limited storage capacity and availability of suitable land are additional factors that can further limit capacity at certain times of the year.