Re: Not using LNT to calculate risk does not mean there is no risk.

[BLHamrick@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 12/23/2002 8:10:45 PM Pacific Standard Time, jrcamero@facstaff.wisc.edu writes:


> My draft letter 
>
> points out that neither the HPS nor the ICRP have stated that there 
>
> is no risk from low doses.  



I agree, but we must keep in mind there is risk from every conceivable human activity.  What scientist in their right mind would ever say there is "no risk" from something?  I don't think that's legitimate under any circumstances.  There is a "risk" that a reindeer will trample me to death on Christmas Eve.  It may be vanishingly small, but there IS a risk.


I recently had an elected official say to me, "If you would just "prove" to the community this is absolutely safe, then there wouldn't be a problem," or something to that effect.  How does one respond?  You CAN'T "prove" that anything is absolutely safe.  You can drown in milk, accidentally slit your wrist with a nail file, suffocate on the smoke from the chestnuts roasting by your open fire by forgetting to open the chimney flue.  NOTHING is "absolutely safe."  It is silly to think in those terms.  Yet, where "exotic" harms are involved, such as the public perceives radioactive materials to be, they expect some impermeable warranty on the safety.


How do we educate people on the realities of risk?  That's the real question in my opinion.


Barbara