Minutes of the Monte Bello Working Party held on Monday 16th April 1956.
Representatives from all services were present, including AWRE.
Dates for Operation Mosaic are discussed with the 21st of May being used for planning purposes.
The R.A.A.F were not satisfied to accept the soaking away of radioactive liquid effluent at Pearce. Their regulations required it to be drummed and disposed of at sea or at Maralinga.
In response Mr Adams (AWRE) stated that it only intended to soak away effluent below tolerance level.
The R.A.A.F Squadron Leader was unaware of what the tolerance levels were!
The AWRE responded that the tolerance levels would be quoted in a paper to be presented to the Safety Committee.
Decontamination of engines would not normally be undertaken in Australia. They wold have to be flown to the UK to undertake the work or replacement engines provided.
Notice Boards and Fencing
The Chairman informed the meeting that the matter had been discussed with the Commodore Special Squadron who considered that the provision of fencing would be non-effective, costly, impossible for the Task Force to undertake and it would prove most difficult to supply the necessary material to the area.
Mr Adams (AWRE) stated that he agreed with the Commodore Special Squadron stating:
'that the contaminated are from the crater down wind would be so large that fencing the area would be an enormous undertaking.'
If it was decided by the Safety Committee that a fence should be provided, the level of contamination for the are to be fenced should be specified.
Mr Carter (A.S.I.O) said:
'A rough estimate of 8 miles of fencing would be required and Mr Maddock stated that the earliest fencing operations could be commenced would be 6 months after the explosion, and that even then men would have to work in full protective clothing under extremely difficult conditions.'
General discussions regarding the practicability of placing notice boards in lieu of the fence. The Safety Committee had stated:
'If boards were used they should be placed at 50 yard intervals and would require 300 boards to cater for the required area.'
In summing up the Chairman considered that the Safety Committee were not taking a practical view of the matter, and directed Mr Wills to represent the problem to the Safety Committee.
Mr Dwyer was worried about the limiting factors imposed by the Communication Organisation, as he felt that at critical stages of the Operation, "Narviks" Communication Department would become dangerously saturated.
The Chairman stated that a warning of less than the stated 48 hours might have to be accepted for G.2.
In relation to VIP's and the Press, the Press should not be given any information on which pertinent calculations of the trial could be based.
The UK agreed to Australian and British press representatives being invited but they did not wish to be involved in the arrangements which they felt might lead to disappointment and criticism on behalf of the press.
There should be no mention of two tests.
In relation to matters arising from minutes of previous meetings, Wing Commander Free referred to the disposal of contaminated waste and the provision of decontamination facilities at Pearce. Only partial decontamination at Pearce. Major decontamination at Amberley.
Active liquids to be precipitated chemically as sludge and drummed. Over tolerance active waste to be shipped to Maralinga for disposal under AWRE arrangements.
Conclusion
Radioactive waste being shipped to Maralinga for disposal.
Narvik's communication systems dangerously overwhelmed
Only partial decontamination at Pearce. Major decontamination at Amberley.
8 miles of fencing required as the contamination area is extremely large
'A rough estimate of 8 miles of fencing would be required and Mr Maddock stated that the earliest fencing operations could be commenced would be 6 months after the explosion, and that even then men would have to work in full protective clothing under extremely difficult conditions.'
The R.A.A.F Squadron Leader was unaware of what the tolerance levels were!
We know the UK Government did not fence 8 miles, we know that signs were erected, but they have not been maintained, they are faded or destroyed by the conditions.
We know that radioactive waste was dumped at Maralinga, the Marcoo crater still contains radioactive material, burial pits containing Plutonium.
The UK Government still claims that all Health and Safety precautions were undertaken, but they were not even prepared to fence off the contaminated areas as it would require 8 miles of fencing. And they say it was safe, no harm to people, the dose they received was lower than if they had stayed at home. So why would they have to wait 6 months and still wear protective suits to erect the fence?
Even in 1956, it came down to money, so they erected signs and walked away.
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