ML19332E120
| ML19332E120 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/22/1989 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Levin C SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19332E121 | List: |
| References | |
| FRN-51FR30839, RULE-PR-2 CCS, NUDOCS 8912060257 | |
| Download: ML19332E120 (3) | |
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UNITED STATES W, t NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i
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,4 November 22, 1989 2
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'The Honceable Carl Levin United States Senate j
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. Washington, DC 20510-I
Dear Senator Levin:
7 am responding to your latest letter, dated October 23, 1989, which requested 1
our views on the' issues raised in a petition from Michigan residents who are
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. opposed to any deregulation of low-level radioactive waste..The petition, x
submitted by Ms. Kay Haffner, had previously been sent to us in response to an advance notice of policy development which we issued on December 12, 1988 (53FR49886).. This notice is the one we enclosed in our May 2,1989, response to'you, which addressed similar concerns expressed by other Michigan citizens.
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considered to be:"below regulatory concern" (BRC) under the provisi In: responding:to Ms..Haffner I would point out that any. low-level waste v
i Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (P.L.99-240), would
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only-involve materials with the lowest levels of radioactivity content. As a L
result, the implication that more hazardous radioactive low-level waste could n
be disposed of as:BRC waste is incorrect.
In fact, the level of radioactivity L
for some potential BRC. wastes may be such a small fraction of natural background radiation that;it may= not be readily detectable.
l LIn further addressing the concerns of Ms. Haffner and the other petition signers, 4
it may be helpful to sulunarize the typical exposures rhich we all routinely receive from a variety of sources of radiation..These exposures occur from
. radiation that-is natural-in origin as well'as from sources which involve man-made
' /.uses:of radioactive material. 'In total, as estimated by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP Report No. 91), the effective
^
r dose equivalent received by the United States-population averages about-360 L'
V millirem per year.10f; this-total, about 300 millirem per year (or over 80% of E
the total) is a result of natural sources, including radon and its decay products L
Lwhile' medical exposures contribute an estimated 53 millirem per year. Other
, man-made sources cantribute the remaining 1 to 2% of the total exposure, including-l the sources of concern mentioned by Ms. Haffner (i.e., nuclear fallout and nuclear power plant effluents).
I am presenting this total _ exposure " picture" B
to provide's perspective on the hypothetical risks which may be associated with L
potential BRC waste disposal practices. This perspective is one of several that' the Commission believes;are relevant to its decisions involving regulatory resource allocations to control the potential radiological risks associated Y
with the use of radioactive materials.
t With regard to Ms. Haffner's concerns on reconcentration mechanisms, I would point'out that the Commission considers these concentrations mechanisms n
when it: calculates the doses which potentially could be received through the food-pathway. Similar consideration is given to the long half-life
.racioisotopes and to the chemical and/or physical form of the radioactive
. h, material.
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(TheLHonorableCarlLevin 2
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.t In closing,'s waste is one upon which the public's attention is, and shouldI believe that our society Y
' continue to be, rightly focused. The Commission's goal.is to resolve the issue L
- for radioactive :naterials - aroviding for public health and safety and l
l protecting the environment w111e using the nation's resources in an optimum j
fashion.- As I have mentioned in my previous letters, we take our mandate to protect the health and safety of the public,very seriously. As a result, the issues raised.by Ms. Haffner are carefully considered.
Sincerely, l
Ja iE.
A ing Executive Director for Operations 4
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22, 1989-November t
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i.The Honorable. Carl Levin
- United States-Senate Washington.DC 20510
' dear' Senator Levin:
L I.'am responding to your latest letter, dated October 23, 1989, which requested 4
our views on the issues raised in a petition from Michigan residents who are opposed-to any deregulation of low-level radioactive waste.
The petition, submitted by Ms. Kay Haffner,'had previously been sent to us in response to an advance notice of' policy development which we issued on December 12, 1988
-(53FR49886). This notice is the one we' enclosed in our May 2,1989, response L
to you; which addressed similar concerns expressed by other Michigan citizens.
'In-responding to Ms. Haffner, I would point out that any low-level waste considered to be'"below regulatory concern" (BRC) under the provisions of-the 1
g l
Low-Leve1~ Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of-1985 (P.L.99-240), would only' involve materials with the lowest levels of radioactivity content. As a result, the implication that more hazardous radioactive low-level waste could Lbe disposed of as.BRC waste is-incorrect.
In fact, the level of-radioactivity.
~
for same: potential BRC wastes may be such a small fraction of natural background-b4 radiation that it'may not be' readily detectable.
In further addressing the concerns of Ms. Haffner and the other petition signers, it may be helpful to sumnarize the typical exposures which we all routinely receive from'a' variety of sources of radiation.
These exposures occur from radiation that is' natural in origin as well as from sources which involve man-made uses of radioactive material.
In total, as estimated by' the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP Report No. 91), the effective
~
' dose equivalent received by the United States population averages about 360 L
millirem per year. Of this total, about 300 millirem per year (or over 80% of the. total) is a result of natural sources, including. radon and its decay products lwhile medical exposures. contribute an e.stimated 53 millirem' pe.r year. Other...
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