Environmental Defense Institute

Troy, Idaho 83871

Beryllium at INEEL

by Chuck Broscious

May 11, 2003

            The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that beryllium and certain beryllium compounds may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogens.  Beryllium is a lightweight metal (2/3 the density of aluminum and 1/3 times stiffer than steel),  and a melting temperature of 1,285 degrees centigrade.^[1]  According to Center for Disease Control National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s INEEL Worker mortality health study protocol: "Beryllium was used 1961-67 in Space Nuclear Auxiliary Power Transient Program (SNAP). This program investigated beryllium-reflected reactor performance under: 1.) atmospheric conditions; 2.) nuclear excursions resulting from the immersion of the reactor in either water or wet earth, and from both; 3.) non-destruction, and; 4) destructive reactor tests.” ^[2] 

            These SNAP tests were conducted at INEEL Test Area North's Integral Engine Test site.  The reference to “destructive reactor tests” means the reactors were deliberately run at high power levels until they sustained a melt-down to establish the operating parameters, and the implication is that the beryllium reflectors disintegrated and contributed to the atmospheric releases.    INEEL has had forty two reactor melt-downs in its history of operations.  Sixteen of these melt-downs were accidents, and the remaining twenty-six were experimental/intentional melt-downs to test reactor design parameters, fuel design, cooling systems, and radiation releases.^[3] 

            CDC researchers acknowledge the reactor meltdowns and that beryllium was used as a neutron reflector, but  “... that the core and beryllium reflector were separate.  The core was melted on occasion but the beryllium was not.  It was also separate from the coolant airstream and although core components may have gone up the stack, beryllium probably did not.”^[4]  Independent experts find CDC assertions incomprehensible. In order for the beryllium neutron reflector to work, it must surround the reactor fuel so as to contain the neutrons and increase the fission process.  These components, fuel and reflectors are all contained within the “core” containment vessel.  Therefore, beryllium reflector damage will occur during a meltdown and there will be beryllium releases along with the fuel.

            CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) INEEL Chemical and Radiological Dose Reconstruction report Feasibility of Performing an INEEL Chemical Dose Reconstruction Study notes that: “Beryllium does not appear to have been machined or otherwise processed so as to have caused beryllium dusty releases, which are a serious hazard because they cause lung disease.”^[5]  This health agency finding radically conflicts with what INEEL workers and their union reports say about beryllium and other chemical hazards at the site.  NCEH researchers continue, as of June 1999, to maintain that, “We have yet to find any mention of a beryllium machine shop in any historical records or reports.” ^[6]  These erroneous CDC findings are consistent with the agency’s other toxic chemical and radiological worker exposures at INEEL.

            According to former employee Dick Rothermel who worked for 11 years on the Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion (ANP) program at INEEL: "Before, the ANP reactors were large and bulky weighing as much as 1000  tons. The ANP reactors were reduced to 100 tons. Other benefits include the advancement of the gas-cooled reactor design; development of a new nickel-molybdum alloy; development of beryllium fabrication techniques ..." ^[7] [emphasis added]               

            Virtually all the test reactors were run to meltdown to establish operating parameters, those with beryllium components likely released some beryllium to the atmosphere.  In addition to beryllium metal and oxide, soluble salts in the form of beryllium fluoride, chloride and sulfate were used in reactors. ^[8] Beryllium in the form of soluble salts in reactors could increase the release rates during accidents and meltdowns. Of the 85 million grams (85 metric tons) of beryllium dumped at INEEL (see below) it likely does not include the beryllium reactor components that were (as a complete core) dumped in the burial grounds.  The INEEL Waste Experimental Reduction Facility (WERF) incinerator has already processed 130,000 cubic meters of beryllium between 1984 and 1999.

            The Former Worker Medical Surveillance Program at INEEL OCAW Union report challenges CDC’s reports that beryllium was not machined at INEEL.

            “During the risk mapping sessions it was determined that beryllium machining was performed at various buildings at the INEEL site.  Based on the preliminary review performed during this assessment the following buildings were identified as having included beryllium machining and or hand filing: [Test Area North] TAN-607, [Advanced Test Reactor] ATR, [Engineering Test Reactor] ETR, [Materials Test Reactor] MTR, [Water Research Reactor Test Facility] WRRTF, and [Test Reactor Area] TRA-653.  The job classifications associated with the reported exposures include: Machinists (Experimental Machinists (Test Area North) and Machinists (Test Reactor Area), Mechanics, Pipe fitters, Equipment Operators, Process Operators and Reactor operations.  The exposures reported associated with the ATR, ETR, and MTR were associated with the instillation of new beryllium during shutdown.  During a risk mapping session, it was also indicated that in the [Test Area North] TAN-607 (New Machine Shop) beryllium blocks were cut with a chop saw for purposes of disposal.  In this case no protective equipment was being used.”

            “In addition to beryllium machining and hand filing for use within reactors at INEEL, a review of the IH System 80 database identified building [Central Facilities Area] CF-689 Room 128 had been used for ‘Beryllium Thermocouple Fabrication’ and that the operations performed included ‘trim, weld, and splice, braze and solder’.  The decontamination work and subsequent IH surveys were performed in 1989.  However, no current information is available regarding the time frame of the beryllium thermocouple fabrication work.”

            “A broad-based approach to defining the group potentially exposed to beryllium is recommended since published data (Newman 1989, Kreiss 1996) demonstrate that while there are job-related and exposure-related elevated risks for chronic beryllium disease (CBD), individuals with low-level exposure can be affected.  For this reason a two-tiered approach is recommended based on exposure groupings.”

            “Overall the results of the risk mapping performed during this preliminary assessment identified the following buildings to be associated with potential high exposure to beryllium (see Appendix B): TAN-607, TRA-603 (MTR reactor), TRA-642 (ETR Reactor), TRA-670 (ATR Reactor), EBOR, WRRTF, and TRA-653 (Old Machine Shop).  Additionally, based on the review of System 80 IH records building CFA-689 (Beryllium Thermocouple Fabrication) should be included. Overall, results of the risk mapping performed during this preliminary assessment identified the following job classifications to be associated with potential high exposure to beryllium (see Appendix C and D): Machinists (Machinists (TRA-653) and Experimental Machinists (TAN-607), mechanics, pipe-fitters, reactor operators, equipment operators, and process operators.  Job classifications associated with operations and decontamination of CF-689 are currently unidentified.” ^[9]

            DOE’s Beryllium web-site listing of affected sites shows Argonne National Laboratory-West at INEEL because of, “technology development for spent nuclear fuel and waste treatment, reactor and fuel cycle safety and facility decommissioning.” ^[10] Beryllium is particularly hazardous because of the particles characteristic (due to low density) of staying suspended in the air.  DOE estimates (as of 1998) that more than 100 of its workers have chronic beryllium disease.  Workers need not have direct contact with beryllium to receive a significant dose.  DOE acknowledges that they have found “chronic beryllium disease in former office workers with brief incidental exposure, after a latency period of 10-15 years.” ^[11]   An Oak Ridge National Laboratory worker diagnosed with chronic beryllium disease notes that, “Of the cases in Oak Ridge, the five at the K-25 never worked with beryllium.  At Y-12, where I work, there are secretaries, security guards, utilities people, and painters, who have the disease or sensitization. Rocky Flats was getting so many cases that had only ‘incidental exposure’, that they [DOE] offered testing to everyone on site.” ^[12]

Beryllium Disposed at INEEL

            “ The total beryllium [in the Subsurface Disposal Area], excluding any neutron sources, in the RWMIS listings is 46 cubic meters.  At a density of 1.85 g/cc, this calculates to 8.5E+07 g [85,000,000 g] [187,425 pounds].  If only one-tenth of the total volume were beryllium this would be an estimate of 8.5E+06 g of beryllium.  This estimate is similar to the best estimate provided in CIDRA.  Differentiation between beryllium and beryllium oxide in the waste streams is not always possible.  The unknown quantity estimate is a combination of beryllium metal and beryllium oxide estimates.” ^[13]

            The INEEL’s RWMC Transuranic Storage Area (TSA) contains additional beryllium inventories.  The Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Plant (AMWTP) EIS notes that the TSA contains 5,392 kilograms of beryllium.^[14]  This would bring the total at the RWMC (SDA + TSA) to 90,392 kg.  CDC’s Feasibility of Performing an INEEL Chemical Dose Reconstruction Study only acknowledges 45,455 kg.   The importance of the mass balance numbers in the waste stream is that it provides a range of beryllium use at the site. The AMWTP EIS projects beryllium releases from incineration at 90 milligrams per year. [5.7-7] This incinerator has since been canceled, however, other incinerators are planned for INEEL.

Michael Cawley Case Study

            Michael Cawley who was exposed to beryllium at INEEL,  was initially denied workman’s compensation benefits, however, 12- years later the Idaho Supreme Court  finally overturned the Idaho Workman’s Compensation Commission decision. Cawley is currently being treated for a large mass in his left lung and  chronic lung disease. 

            James Grady, M.D., Boulder, Colorado Medical Clinic court deposition states: "I personally feel Mr. Cawley has significant interstitial lung disease, most likely resulting from his exposure back when he worked at the atomic energy site in the 1960's,  due to significant exposures he had at that time to radiation and beryllium.  It may very well be that the latter, i.e. beryllium, was his major problem.  The major issue [for Cawley] at this time is to determine whether this disease is  progressive, which berylliosis can be, and whether he should have any treatment."

            William Berry M.D. also submitted a comparable diagnosis for Cawley who worked at the INEEL Test Reactor Area Instrument shop for 18 years before  changing jobs to the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder CO. Cawley wrote " The only difference between the Bureau of Standards and the [INEEL] Atomic Energy Site; we worked on  exactly the same equipment, lathe mills, machine shop tools; the methodology was the same. The material was quite different at the Atomic Energy Site [at INEEL].  We machined radioactive contaminated material. The air at times was contaminated. We also worked on beryllium, which is very harmful to the lungs." ^[15]  Cawley claimed benefits of $208,000, however the eventual workman’s compensation settlement was only $30,000, $10,000 of which went for attorney fees.^[16]

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