Re: LNT, Collective Dose

["Tony Harrison" <laharris@smtpgate.dphe.state.co.us>]

Not entirely true.  The OSHA standard for asbestos was reduced about
five years ago from 0.2 to 0.1 fibers per cc (if memory serves) even
though the epi studies showed no risk at such low exposures.  OSHA may
not have cited the LNT as a model, but it's implied in setting such low
limits.  Risk assessments for second hand smoke were also conducted the
same way, but again, no one spelled out LNT.  The assumption is that
"everyone knows" and the model never gets tested.

Tony Harrison, RSO, MSPH
Laboratory and Radiation Services Division
Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment
tony.harrison@state.co.us 


>>> tom.mohaupt@wright.edu 02/23/01 11:17AM >>>
A good example of LNT is the number of cancer deaths purported by the
EPA.
They say that 7,000 to 30,000 people in the US die from radon each
year...

 What strikes me as bizarre is that of all the "known" carcinogens for
lung cancer, the LNT is essentially the only one applied to radon. From
the studies I've read while trying to make sense of the radon issue, the
LNT is not applied to second hand smoke, pulmonary fibrosis, diet, or
even smoking.

Tom


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