AQUITAINE TERRAIN D’EXPERIMENTATION EXTERIEUR DU CESTA (TEE) Type: annex of Cesta Location: in a 923-ha area at Saugnac-et-Murat (Gironde), 25 km south of Cesta itself and 65 km to the southwest of Bordeaux Operator: Direction des applications militaires Period of operation: since 1967 Materials manipulated: uranium Firings Cold firings have taken place, sometimes using "radioactive substances" [CCHSC 20.x.71]. It is probable that the radioactive substances are natural uranium and depleted uranium, associated with chemical explosives, as at Moronvilliers. Experimental releases of uranium hexafluoride At least two releases of UF 6 in the open air have taken place: around April 1986 (50 KG) and 10 April 1987 (146 KG). Another release of 150 KG has possibly taken place [Crabol 88: CCHSC II.iii.87]. The objective of these releases was to better understand the behavior of UF6 released in gaseous form into the atmosphere in order to model such releases. The experimentation was carried out at the request of IPSN, which itself conducted the impact study [CCHSC 5.iii.86]. Waste The radioactive firings spread uranium on the ground, in the water, and in the air. Moreover, the releases of UF 6 certainly left their traces. Following one of these releases, M. Cluchet indicated "that most of the uranium was recovered on the platform," but he was not able to give any indication of the percentage of uranium recovered [CCHS II.iii.87]. The 2000 inventory of Andra indicates that "the zones formerly reserved for experimentation (37ha) are marked by an average of 1.5 Bq/gram of uranium 238. They are fenced and monitored." The CEA has packaged 600 m3 of "very weakly radioactive earth contaminated with depleted uranium." The average mass activity of this earth is 10 Bq/g and the total radioactivity is 5.3 GBq [Andra 00]. " A soils study has made it possible to map the contaminated zones. The future movement of pollutants over the medium and long term has been evaluated. | |||