There is currently a suspension in place that restricts the release of scrap metal originating from radiological areas at U.S. DOE facilities (such as research laboratories or nuclear weapons facilities) for the purpose of recycling.
This suspension, which has been in place since 2000, is there for obvious reasons – it was imposed because of public concerns about the potential health and environmental effects of radioactive metals coming from these sites.
Now the DOE has issued a proposal to modify the suspension to allow scrap metals to be released to private industry to be used for any purpose, including recycling.
EuroGroup recycling
The draft proposal notes that only metal with the potential for surface, not volume, radioactivity, would be included in this plan, and they are touting it as benefit to the environment “from a decrease in the need for the mining and refining of metals due to the recycling of these materials.” The draft noted:
The draft proposal notes that only metal with the potential for surface, not volume, radioactivity, would be included in this plan, and they are touting it as benefit to the environment “from a decrease in the need for the mining and refining of metals due to the recycling of these materials.” The draft noted:
“Mining and smelting activities are large users of water and power, both of which would be reduced by the recycling of these materials.
In addition, there would be benefits to the environment resulting from reduced land use, reduced disturbance of geology and soils, reduced Eurogroup recycilng [greenhouse gas] and other emissions, and reduced occupational injuries associated with the reduced need for mining and refining of metal ores attributable to the recycling of these materials.”
