Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-12
Study Shows
IPO||ution From
Rddiodctivity
THE SUNDAY STAR
Washington. D. c.
July II, 1859
BY RICHARD FRYKLUND
Star stan Writer


believes 1t can soon close the
books on It's first water pollu-
ton case involving radiation.
The pioneering case con-
eerned radioactive wastes
dumped into the Animas River
In Colorado and New Mexico.
Investigation took about two
years. The plant involved.
Vanadium Corporation Of
Americas refinery at Durango,
Colo, agreed to take recon-
uiended corrective measures
Without a court order.
Public Health officials believe
these measures can be COM
peted within four months and
the case closed.
Other cases Of possible water
pollution from radioactive in
dustrial wastes are being
studied, so the new authority
of the Public Health Service to
handle such cases-and the ex-
perience gained from the first
efort-presumably will be ex-
efcised again.
No Emergencies Seen
No case indicating need for
emergency action is known,
however, the Public Health
Service said.
The Public Health Service
has only $411.000 to spend on
allwater pollution enforcement.
Most Of it necessarily goes for
normal pollution cases
sewage and packing plant
wastes dumped into rivers.
In those cases people can
actually be seen falling i'll and
dying. Since in cases Of radio
active pollution the danger is
not immediate, the Health
Service takes the view that
while any avoidable increase in
radiation should be stopped,
priority in funds must 60 to
actual, not theoretical damage.
In the Animas River case, no |
damage to individuals was dem !
onstrated. In theory-and SCI
entistS agree the theory is
shaky-people would have to |
drink raw Animas River water
near the vanadium plant for
upwards of so years before
having to worry about radiation
poisoning.
mo measurements of actual
radioactive content in the
bodies Of people in ranches and
towns along the river were
made. The Public Health Serv-
ice did, however, measure the |
radioactivity in drinking water. |
milk, vegetables and other food
in the area, including radio
activity from fallout and nat
ural sources as well as the river. |
The result was a recommen-
dalton to the company that
radium be filtered and settled
out of the plant wastes.
The study started in 1857
under the first congressional
authorization Of Public Health
Service work on radiation pol
luton. 1t started with a gen.
eral survey Of several rivers.
Enough evidence Of pollution
was found in the Animas to
induce the Public Health Serv-
Ice to call an enforcement
conference" in April, 1858.
sColorado, New Mexico and
Public Health Service officials
decided a thorough study was
NECESSARY.
s Regular Samples Taken
"a team of scientists was or
gsnized to sample the water
al l5-minute intervals under
varying conditions, to scrape
the bed Of the river, to dissect
lying organisms in the water
and to study all local food and
water sources.
murray Stein, chief of the
enforcement branch Of the Di-
vision Of Water Pollution. said
the team worked seven days a
week, IA to Is hours a day, to
complete the study in a year.
"The vanadium Corp. helped
In the work." Mr.. Stein said. |
"They said their own children |
and families used the river, and
they wanted to make sure it
was safe. They started a cor
rection program Of their own |
before all results of the study |
were in"
Program Agreed On
The conclusion Of the study |
was that the river could not be |
certified safe. At another con-
ference June "a of this year, the |
Public Health Service, the |
States, the company and the |
Atomic Energy Commission |
agreed o ma clean up program. |
Mr.. Stein said his trail.
breaking case demonstrated
that work can be done rela-
lively fast in radiation cases,
considering the enormous diff
ficulties Of finding scientific |
Evidence that will stand up in
court if court action proves
necessary.
The Public Health Service
cannot order a clean up on
mare suspicion. All the intri-
cables of due process Of law"
must be followed, Mr.. Stein
pointed out, although in their
first case, the offender chose
to move on the basis Of the
evidence without waiting for
a court order.