[ RadSafe ] Vermont Yankee leaking tritium - what me

[Stabin, Michael]

> You may think that this is unfair, and that your credentials give you the
right to tell others what's acceptable, but "trust me" no longer works.

I agree that the 1960's mentality of "talking down" to the public not only bred mistrust, it was not appropriate. It is not talking down, however, to have a meaningful dialog about the use of public resources to promote the general welfare. As Bob Dixon pointed out, even if you believe in LNT, which is certainly suspect at levels a few orders of magnitude below natural background rates, we are spending $2.6 billion per theoretical life saved in limiting radionuclide emissions at NRC-licensed facilities, instead of $120,000 per actual warm blooded human being life saved by just widening lanes on rural roads. And if these trace amounts of tritium and strontium in baby teeth are that deadly, as radiation scientists we must DEMAND the removal of bananas, lite salt and sherbet from the grocery stores as well - that is not a humorous point, I am quite serious. If tritium is that dangerous, K-40 is far more so. Bob's more humorous point is "sure your girlfriend is 'hot', but to minimize exposure keep close personal contact ALARA" - do any of the LNT fearmongers do this? If we are going to preach, we must also practice.


Mike
 
Michael G. Stabin, PhD, CHP
Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
1161 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37232-2675
Phone (615) 343-4628
Fax   (615) 322-3764
e-mail     michael.g.stabin at vanderbilt.edu
internet   www.doseinfo-radar.com
 
"The world can only be grasped by action, not by contemplation."
Jacob Bronowski