Tuesday, August 21, 2012

International experts explore rad-waste sites in Utah

Norwegian Malgorzata Sneve was among the throngs of foreign sightseers touring Utah’s redrock country recently.

Only for her and the other foreign travelers in her group, the hot spots on their itinerary were, well, hot —nuclear facilities including a uranium mill and an assortment of radioactive cleanup sites left over from the Cold War and the uranium boom.

"It was great to come here to see practical applications [and how to] work with the community and to deal with radiation," said Sneve, a regulator who oversees cooperative programs at the Norwegian Radiation Protection Program and is part of a technology exchange group organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Norway has its own issues with radioactive waste but also offers expertise to neighboring countries struggling with Cold War legacy sites much like those in southern Utah. Salt Lake Tribune