[ RadSafe ] EPA's Dose vs (what?) Criteria

[BLHamrick at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/22/2005 8:02:31 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
alstonchris at netscape.net writes:

Would  someone please explain to me why the EPA doesn't use "dose", and what 
they do  use, and why?  I hope that you're not going to say that it's 
risk-based,  because I don't see how one can estimate the latter without the former, 
and,  furthermore, the *sievert* has been a risk-based unit since ICRP 60, 
hasn't  it?  Thanks in advance.


I'm sorry, but I am going to say "risk."  I don't see how you can have  risk 
without dose either.  The "dose makes the poison," after all, to  quote 
Hippocrates in 410 BC (so the concept's been around for a  while).  Perhaps EPA 
would like to explain.
 
Barbara L. Hamrick