DUMPING OF WASTE IS QUESTIONED.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Board of Supervisors Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky asked Los Angeles County health and solid waste officials Monday to investigate the dumping of low-level radioactive waste at the Sunshine Canyon and Calabasas landfills.

``We must ensure that this activity has not placed the public's health at risk,'' Yaroslavsky said.

Last week, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer released a letter from U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham disclosing that waste that met federal and state standards for radioactivity had been dumped at the landfills for decades.

The waste, consisting of debris, soil and trash from Rocketdyne's Santa Susana Field Laboratory between Chatsworth and Simi Valley, was shipped to the landfills if the levels of radioactivity fell below 15 millirems for soil and 1 millirem for debris.

In a letter to county health department Director Dr. Thomas L. Garthwaite, Yaroslavsky said the county must ensure that the dumping has met guidelines and been done safely.

``It is my understanding that your department works cooperatively with landfill operators to assess levels of radiation found in waste materials entering landfill sites,'' Yaroslavsky wrote. ``I am requesting that your appropriate staff immediately inspect both landfills to ensure that the proper health protocols have been followed.''

Yaroslavsky also asked Garthwaite to conduct random tests to ensure that no radioactive materials were dumped at the landfills that exceed the recommended limits to ensure public health and safety. Yaroslavsky asked for the report to be ready today.

Also, in a letter Friday to James F. Stahl, chief engineer and general manager of the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, Yaroslavsky asked Stahl to find out whether radioactive materials in any amount were dumped at the Calabasas Landfill.

If so, Yaroslavsky asked Stahl to find out what types of materials they were; how much of each was deposited and over what period of time; what permit allows the landfill to accept such materials; what limitations, if any, are in effect to control the amount of such materials being dumped; and what landfill procedures are in place to ensure that the materials are dumped in a manner protecting public health.