ML20044A676
| ML20044A676 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/16/1990 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Shumway N HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20044A677 | List: |
| References | |
| FRN-53FR49886, RULE-PR-CHP1 CCS, NUDOCS 9007020042 | |
| Download: ML20044A676 (2) | |
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May 16, 1990 The Honorable Norman D. Shumway United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Shumway:
I am responding to your letter of April 17, 1990, which asked us to advise you on Commission actions pertaining to the disposal of low-level radioactive wastes.
These actions relate to wastes characterized as "below regulatory concern" or "BRC."
I would first note that the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) has not published an waste (LLW) y proposed regulations which would allow disposal of low-level under the BRC provisions of the low-level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (Pub. L.99-240).
However, the Act directed the NRC to
"... establish standards and procedures... and develop the technical capability for considering ano acting upon petitions to exempt specific radioactive waste streams from regulation... due to the presence of radionuclides in such waste streams in sufficiently low concentrations or quantities as to be below regulatory concern."
In response to the legislation, NRC ceveload and published in 1986, a Statement of Policy and Procedures which outlines tie criteria for considering such petitions.
I have enclosed a copy of the statement which you may find informative and useful in responding to your constituent (Enclosure 1).
Besides this 1986 policy,licy that would identify the principles and criteriathe Comm development of a broad po that govern Commission decisions which could exempt racioactive material from some or all regulatory controls.
This broad policy, the subject of the enclosed advance notice (Enclosure 2), would apply not only to BRC waste disposals but also to other decisions which would allow licensed radioactive material to be released to the environment or to the general public. Thus, the policy would also provide the basis for decommissioning decisions involving the release of lands, structures, or recycled materials for unrestricted use as well as j
decisions regarding consumer product exemptions. We believe the nation's best interests would be served by a policy that establishes a consistent risk framework within which exemption decisions can be made with assurance that human health and the environment are protected. Such a policy would also contribute to the focusing of our limited national resources on those risks with greatest potential impact on public health and safety, i
in further addressing the subject of potential BRC waste disposals, I would point out that any LLW considered to be "below regulatory concern" under the provisions of Pub. L.99-240 would only involve materials with the lowest levels of radioactivity content.
In f act, the level of radioactivity for some potential BRC wastes may be such a small fraction of natural background radiation that it may not be readily detectable.
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4 The Honorable Norman D. Shumway 2
in interpreting the radiological significance of potentiel BRC disposals, it may be also helpful to consider 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 f rom 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. 93), the effective dose eouivalent received by an average individual in the United States p(opulation is about 360 millirem per year.about 300 millirem per year) is a result of n Of this total, over 83 percent anditsdecayproducts,whilemedicalexposuressuchasx-rays (53milliremper when averaged over the V. S. population, contribute an estimated 15 percent year). Other man-made sources, including nuclear fallout, contribute the remaining 1 to 2 percent of the total exposure.
The remaining 1 to 2 percent also includes the contribution from nuclear power plant effluents.
I am presenting this total exposure " picture" to provide a perspective on the hypothetical risks which may be associated with 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 with the use of radioactive materials, in closing, I want to assure you that we take our mandate to protect the health and sefety of the public very seriously.
As a result, the interest and concern expressed by you and your constituent are among those that we must carefully consider and address as we carry out our regulatory mission.
Sincerely,
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- i. Ta or E cutive rector for Operations Enclosu'es:
- 1. Final Policy (51 FR 30839)
- 2. Fr.deral Register (53 FR 49886) l
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