ML19345F355
| ML19345F355 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Callaway  |
| Issue date: | 02/03/1981 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Danforth J SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102170331 | |
| Download: ML19345F355 (8) | |
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l The Honorab e John C. Danforth k
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United States Senate L
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Dear Senator Danforth:
In your mmorandum of December 16, 1980, you requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) comment on a letter written by one of your constituents, Mrs. Marilyn Hieronymus. Mrs. Hieronymus's letter expresses concern about a news itas indicating that the Callaway Nuclear plant would discharge low-level radioactive water into the Missouri River.
In her letter, Mrs. Hieronymus implies that the proposed liquid releases from the Callaway 1:uclear plant are dangerous because " dumping even very small amounts of radio-active material into our river system will affect every citizen of this state in some way no matter how small."
I believe that it might be helpful to first explain to Mrs. Hieronymus a few things about radiation in general, before providing more specific information about the radioactive materials to be released from the Callaway Nuclear Plant.
Low levels of natural radiation are all around us. Natural radiation, which existed on earth before man, comes from the earth itself and outer space.
Natural radiation is in the air we breathe and the food we eat and drink.
For example, the amount of radiation (measured in millirem /yr and abbreviated as crem/yr) received by humans from potassium-40, a natural radioactive material in the blood, is about 20 mrs/yr. Although we have been exposed to natural radiation for thousands of years, we do not have any evidence that the natural radiation has significantly affected our health.
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, people have been exposed to man-made sources of low-level radiation in addition to natural sources.
These sources include x-ray machines used in medicine, nuclear power facility releases, television sets, some wristwatches, and airline travel.
For all of these sources, except x-rays from medicine, the amount of radiation received by the general public is much lower than from natural radiation (see Enclosure 1).
Natural background radiation is typically about 100 mre/yr in the U.S. although it varies from about 70 to about 300 mrem /yr depending on the location in the U.S. (see Enclosure 2). It is important to note that when exposure to radiation is quantified in units of rem (or millirem), then there are no differences associated with a given amount of radiation, be it natural or man-cade.
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2-Since Mrs. Hieronymus is concerned about liquid radioactive releases from the Callaway Nuclear Plant, it may be nelpful to discuss the potential doses that may result from these releases. The NRC requires nuclear power plant licensees to design their plants sucn that liquid radioactive releases are as low as reasonably achievable, currently defined as 3 mrem /yr total body and 10 mrem /yr to any body organ, or about 1% of the limits. These potential doses can be compared with national and international public health standards for radiation l
Based on the recommendations of nationally and internationally exposure.
i recognized experts in the medical and biological sciences, limits of 500 mrem /yr to the total body and 1500 mrem /yr to most organs are placed on members of the general public. The dose limits are applicable to all age groups, including the most sensitive individuals in a population (infants and children).
Doses from liquid radioactive releases from the Callaway Nuclear Plant were estimated in the Final Environmental Statement for the Callaway Nuclear Plant (i.e., NUREG-/5/011) prior to the issuance of a construction permit. The estimated doses to the maximum hypothetical individual from proposed liquid radio-
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active releases from the Callaway Nuclear Plant were far below the total body limit of 500 mrem /yr and also below the as low as reasonably achievaole design objectives (i.e., 3 mrem /yr, total body, and 10 mrem /yr to any body organ, see Enclosure 3).
(The " maximum hypothetical individual" is defined as an individual, living outside the fenced-in area around a nuclear plant, who would receive the largest radiation dose. This individual is assumed to eat larger-than-average amounts of food and to use the region in the vicinity of the plant site more frequently than the average person.
It is highly unlikely that such a person actually will exist.) The estimated doses from the proposed Callaway Nuclear Plant are also well below natural background radiation. Thus, even if a child were exposed to the maximun hypothetical dose, he or she would receive less than 1% of the maximum dose limic recommended by the national and international organizations. This exposure. represents a virtually negligible risk for any individual. We have also calculated that the average annual dose to persons within 50 miles of the Callaway Nuclear Plant would be less than 1% of the annual dose to the maximum individual, and less than 0.17. of natural background radiation.
Lastly, Mrs. Hieronymus states that she and her husband want to ensure that their children have a clean and healthy environment. We share Mrs. Hieronymus's' concern about the safety of her children as well as adult citizens and are continuing to assure that no one is exposed to unsafe levels of radiation from l
releases of radioactive material from the Callaway Nuclear Plant.
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. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this information in response to your request. Mrs. Hieronymus's letter is being returned as requested (Enclosure 4).
Sincerely, jsped)T M'~"#
l s William J. Dircks Executive Director
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for Operations
Enclosures:
1.
Excerpts fm BEIR III (pp. 84,85,87) 2.
Table 4-3 fra NUREG-0558 3.
Table 5.8 frm NUREG-75/011 4.
Undated 1tr. fm MHieronymus to Sen. J. C. Danforth 1
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Annual Dose Mates from important Signsficant Sources of Madiation Exposurd in United Statead Exposed Group Ave rage Dose ka to, utomu/yr body No.
Portion Prorated over Sou rce Description Esposed Exposed Exposed Group Total Population Natural backgrounds 0
Cosmic radiation Te*
220 1 10 Wole body 28 28 A
Terrestrial
,a t 220 X 10' W ole body 26 26 radiationC population 0
Internal Sources Total 220 X 10 Canada 28 28 population.
8 hone marrow 24 24 8
Hedical x rays:
Hedical diagnosis Adult 105 X 10 /yr sone marrow 103 77 6
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0 Dental diagnosle Adult 105 X 10 /yr mone marrow 3
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l Esposed Group Averste Dome Rate, aremo/yr Sody No.
Po rt ion Prorated over S ou rce Description Exposed Exposed Esposed Croup Total Population i'
Hadio plia rmaceut icola s 0
Medical diagnosis Fatienta 10 X 10 sone marrow 300 13.6 to 0
12 X 40 /yr i
_ Testa Total 220 X 10 m ale body 4-5 4-5 Atmonplieric weapons populatloa Nuclear Industry:
Commerical nuclage Popula tlo n (10 X 10' Wwla body
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Esposed Group Body Average Dose Rate, aremo/yr Ib.
Portion Prorated over
- ,ou rcu Description Esposed Exposed Esposed croup Total Population Reacercle activities (cont)
Conmusier productus building materials Popula tio n 110 X 10' Whole body 7
3-4 in brick and masonry buildings
- Televi sio n Viewing 100 X 10' conada 0.2-1.5
- 0. 5 receivers populations Miscellaneouas Airline travel Passe nge rs 35 X'40' Whole body 3
- 0. 5 (cosmic radiation)
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,Excerpts from BEIR III. (Table III-23).
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t The annual duso assumes about 10% reduction to account for utructural shielding.
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W The annual dose assumes 20% reduction for shielding by housing and 20% reduction for shielding by body.
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Table 4-3 Estimates of Natural " Background" Radiation levels in the United States Annual Dose Rate (nrem/ year) location Cosmic Terrestrial Internal Total N}
Radiation ( )
Radiation (*)
Radiation Atlanta, Georgia 44.7 57.2 28 130 Denver, Colorado 74.9 89.7 28 193 HARRISBURG, PA.
42.0 45.6 28 116*
Las Vegas, Nev.
49.6 19.9 28 98 28 115 New York, NY 41.0(C) 45.6(C)
PENNSYLVANIA 42.6 36.2 28 107 Washington, DC
'41.3 35.4 28 105 UNITED STATES (d)40-160 0-120 28 70-310 l
(*)From ((4) Table A-1]
(b)Sased upon total for soft tissue (gonads) doses from ((5) Tables 42 and 43, p. 104].
(c)from ((4) Table A-2]
(d)From ((4), Table 15, p. 34]
The value used elsewhere in this report is 125 crem/ year which is based A
upon the Final Environmental Statement for the Three Mile Island Facility (AEC, 1972, Section VD 7, p. V-28).
As neither value represents direct maasurements and ambient radiation dose rates are expected to vary by at l
l 1 east 25% between' locations within a 50-mile radius, these estimates are
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essentially identical.
- From NUREG-0558.
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5-10 TABLE 5.8 Annual Individual Dos,es from Liquid Effluents
- Dose (mren/yr) location Pathway Total Body G1 Tract Thyroid Eor.e Coolant Fish Ingestice
- 2. 3 0.15 3.1 2.0 Discharge Swir.:-ing (100 hrs /pr) 0.0013 Region F1shing, Boating' (100 hrs /yr) 0.000F "From" Final Environmental Statement Related to the Proposed Callaway Plants, Units 1 and 2." NUREG-75/011, March,1975.
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,...s JOHN C. DANFORTH 3Cnifeb States Senate WASMikT3 TON, D.C.
20S10 December 16, 1980 Cor.gressional Liaison Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
Dear Congressional Liaison:
A constituent has written me concerning a matter which falls within the jurisdict icn of.ycur agency.
I refer this matter to your office for a preliminary examination.
I would appreciat e receiving your cc:mnents, in duplica te, together with the return of the correspondence.
Your attentica to this matter is appreciate:d.
Sincerely, e
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vJohn C. DanforthC Enclosure 12/22...To EDO For Direct Reply... Suspense: J an,.
9... Original to Docket, OCA to Ack... 80-2177
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