On the Soapbox

[Leo Bobek <bobek@WPI.EDU>]

Forgive me for another indulgence.

Jim Muckerheide has made an excellent point and has made it much more 
eloquently than the babble I sent a few weeks ago.

As HPs we have to study and be open to the entire spectrum of radiation 
effects knowledge.  If we continue to quote risk verus low doses using the 
linear hypothesis, then there is no hope for continued use of nuclear 
technology in this country.  

Just reading some of the recent postings to this BBS, I can see we're 
already in real trouble.  When we have HPs advising against the use of 
exit signs containing tritium because of the hypothetical risk associated 
with HTO exposure, not withstanding the very real risk of not seeing an 
illuminated exit sign and dying in a fire, it is very discouraging.  

Extrapolating measurable effects at high doses to "predicted" effects at 
low doses is fine and dandy for protecting the worker in the industrial 
environment.  However, when the same methodology is applied to the much 
lower exposures of the general public, we can see why the use of nuclear 
technology will be lost.  By using the stochastic model and extrapolating 
to zero exposure, we inexorably support the ridiculous statement: "There is 
no safe level of radiation exposure."  As HPs we use the BEIR V data of 
fatal cancer risk to the public of 5 E-4 per rem to limit public 
exposures.  So, when we try to site a low-level waste facility and claim 
the maximum exposure to the public would be 15 mr, the anti's extrapolate 
the dose to the population and "predict" the number of deaths that will 
occur from the "dump" and then threaten to kill (not just hypothetically) 
those who propose a site.

As HPs we should not expend our efforts for our short term employment 
interests by finding and preventing the low doses.  Rather, we should 
begin an all-out effort to re-educate ourselves and most importantly the 
public so that we can maintain the use of nuclear technology in our country.

Optimistically Yours,

Leo Bobek,
WPI