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Re: Radon related question



Thanks for the explanation.  The newspaper mixed the two talks together, and
you statement is much clearer!

Ruth Weiner
ruth_weinr@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Radon related question


>
>On Mon, 28 Aug 2000, ruth_weiner wrote:
>
>> RADSAFERs:
>>
>> You all might be interested in the fact that Dr. Bernard Cohen's talk at
UNM
>> on radiation risks made the front page of the Albuquerque Journal.
>>
>> I do have a question that I hope Dr. Cohen or someone can answer:  If I
>> accept the thesis of Dr. Cohen's publicatons on radon that have appeared
in
>> Health Physics, namely that there appears to be a negative correlation of
>> lung cancer with radon exposure, why should radon from coal combustion,
or
>> radon buildup in well-insulated houses, be a concern?
>
> --I didn't see the article in the paper, but to explain the
>situation: I gave two talks at University of New Mexico, one on the
>validity of the linear-no threshold theory (concluding that it fails very
>badly, grossly exaggerating the risk of low level radiation). and the
>other on risk analysis of wastes buried in the ground from electricity
>generation. In the latter talk, which was probably the one reported on in
>the newspaper, I assumed the Linear-no threshold theory to be valid
>because it represents something of an upper limit,  and some people
>still believe in it. The risk analysis comes out extremely favorable
>for nuclear power even with linear-no threshold theory.
>
>
>Bernard L. Cohen
>Physics Dept.
>University of Pittsburgh
>Pittsburgh, PA 15260
>Tel: (412)624-9245
>Fax: (412)624-9163
>e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu
>
>
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