|
I'm always surprised at the "bad rap" bananas get
when it comes to NORM. With "nutrition facts" printed on the almost every
food item in the supermarket, one can easily deduce the potassium-40 content of
many foods. Fresh bananas are only 2.5
pCi/gm. However potato and cod are both 4.3 pCi/g. Bran Flakes are
5.2 pCi/g. "California" raisins are 6.3 pCi/g and dried apricots
are 10.2 pCi/g.
See http://www.philrutherford.com/K-40.pdf for
more on potassium-40 in food.
Of course I realize that cerials and dried fruits
should be considered TENORM and are therefore in a different league to
fresh bananas, that are just NORM. Senator Romero's Bill SB 1623
inexplicably excludes TENORM from the definition of "radioactive material" yet
requires TENORM to be disposed of to a Class II hazardous waste landfill.
Let us not forget also that the February 2002 EPA
PRGs for radionuclides lists the 10-6 risk equivalent of potassium-40 in
agricultural soil at 0.0476 pCi/g. I guess Kuehl and Romero should stay
away from "California raisins" if they believe EPA's LNT nonsense.
___________________
|