we're still our own worse enemy

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

I attended a workshop last evening on the JCO criticality accident 
and criticality accidents in general. During the presentation several 
items caught my eye, and more importantly, my disdain. It was pointed 
out that the JCO facility where the accident took place was now being 
shielded for high energy photons. This is being done AFTER the 
accident, and where there is no current exposure outside the 
facility. We were also told that many of the fields and crops in the 
area were being surveyed, although the criticality accident involved 
no off-site particulate type release, that could cause ground 
contamination. When asked why this was being done, it was discussed 
that this made the public "feel better" and they would be happy that 
appropriate actions were being taken.

It was also discussed that many states here also monitored for 
radioactive plumes to ensure that there was no potential public risk. 
Granted, this was done initially when the media informed everyone, 
with pictures of the blown out roof, that there was a release taking 
place. I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem when the 
monitoring continued after it was known that all that was involved, 
was a criticality accident, where the only risk to the public was 
from direct radiation, and only out to a radius of approximately 300 
meters.

The discussion went further, where it was stated that if this 
accident occurred here in the USA at a DOE facility, that we too 
would initiate ground and crop surveys, vehicle surveys etc, to make 
the public "feel good" that appropriate actions are being taken. 

If we, radiation specialists, take these kinds of unnecessary action, 
simply to make the public feel better, we are more at fault to 
promote the mis-information about radiation accidents, radiation 
exposure and radiation risks, than we can ever blame any other 
factor. To do so is unethical, and only causes further damage to what 
we scientists know as fact, and allows emotions to dictate policy 
even further. In the end, the public, in the USA, will be no more pro-
nuclear by these actions being taken, compared to no actions being 
taken. We ARE our own worse enemy. Time for a Sanity Check!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/scperle
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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