GS

* “724.2 alty

B-257016

 

other relevant factors.’ Epa’s air pollution limit has an implied lifetime
estimated risk of about 1 in 3,000. These three examples demonstrate the
lack of overall interagency consensus on how much radiation risk to the
public is acceptable.

 

Table 1: Differing Federal Limits on

Public Radiation Exposure

aT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tandard or Estimated lifetime risk of
guideline/agency Limit premature cancer death*
General public limit/NRC 0.1 rem/yr. 1 in 300
Low-level waste/NRC 0.025 rem/yr. 1 in 1,000
Indoor radon/EPA 4 picocuries per liter 1 In 40
conceniration limit®
Uranium mii tailings/EPA
Radium 5 picocuries per gram 1 in 50°
Radon 20 picocuries per square 1 in 14,0009
meter per second release
rate
Uranium fuet cycle/EPA 0.025 rem/yr. 1 in 1,000
Spent fuel, transuranic waste disposal/EPA
All pathway 0.015 rem/yr. 1 in 2,000
Groundwater 0,004 rem/yr. 1 in 7,000
Containment 1,000 deaths in 10,000 1 in 36,000°¢
years
Air pollution/EPA 0.04 rem/yr. 1 in 3,000
Drinking water/EPA (proposed) -
Radium 20 picocuries per liter 1 in 14,000
concentration limit
Radon 300 picocuries per liter 1 in 5,000
concentration limit
Beta/photon! 0.004 rem/yr. 1 in 7,000

 

Superfund cleanup/EPA Risk range goals of 10¢to 1 in 15,000 to 1 in 1,500,000
10°69

 

*For purposes of comparison, the estimated risks in the table are derived from commonly used
assumptions (e.g., a cancer death risk of 5x10“ per rem to an individual continuously exposed
over a 70-year lifetime). The estimated risks may differ from those derived by agencies, which
used various assumptions in setting standards. Some estimated risks are to individuals, and
others are to larger defined populations. Risks are rounded.

°A picocurie is one-trillionth of a curie. A curie is a unit of radioactivity equal to 3.7x1012
radioactive disintegrations per second.

 

 

"According to EPA's draft guidance on general public exposure to radiation, limits on single sources of
radiation should logically be a fraction of general public protection limits.

Page 5 GAO/RCED-94-190 Lack of Consensus on Public Radiation Risk