Re: Practically workable? (formerly "ALARA What?")

[William V Lipton <liptonw@dteenergy.com>]

"Why can't we all just get along?"
Rodney King

The opinions expressed are strictly mine.
It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Bill Lipton
liptonw@dteenergy.com


Bernard L Cohen wrote:

> On Sat, 1 Apr 2000 GlennACarlson@aol.com wrote:
>
> > I can hear the slogans now:
> >
> > "Death from radiation?  You can't PROVE we did it!"
>
>         --My assertions were based on the linear-no threshold theory. We
> surely can "prove" that effects of radiation are not worse than that.
>
> >
> > "Radiation?  We're no worse than air pollution."
> >
>         --NO. We are 1000 times *better* than air pollution
>
> > "Radiation - 10,000 dead.  Air pollution - 20,000 dead.  We win!"
> >
>         --NO. Radiation - less than 10 dead. Air pollution -- 20,000 dead
>
> > And, don't forget that red means a "bad radiation day,"  yellow means a
> > "moderately bad radiation day";  and green means a "good radiation day."  On
> > red days, we will limit our use of microwave ovens, reschedule appointments
> > with the dentist to another day, and reduce power at nuclear plants by 20%.
>
>         --No need for any of this for radiation
> >
> > Mr. Cohen's response reminds me of the Dilbert cartoon in which Dilbert's
> > manager notes that his department had only two lost time accidents when their
> > safety goal was for nine.  The manager announced that seven employees would
> > be required to be injured in order to meet the goal.
> >
>         --I don't get the connection here
>
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 3/31/2000 9:50:31 AM Central Standard Time, blc+@pitt.edu
> > (Bernard L Cohen) writes:
> >
> > << By the standards we apply to radiation, the scientific bases
> >  for air pollution regulations are mediocre at best.
> >     But they work quite successfully. They prevent catastrophes and
> >  generally avoid identifiable deaths.
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> > This confidence is not even
> >  shaken by studies concluding that tens of thousands of Americans die
> >  annually from air pollution.
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> >     Our passion for doing much better for radiation than has been done
> > for air pollution by using LNT has backfired horribly, costing our Society
> > dearly.
> >
> > [snip]
> >
> >     Thus, there is no honest scientific reason why radiation should be
> >  treated differently than air pollution in the low dose region
> >
> > [snip]
> >   >>
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>
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information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html