Re[2]: Linear Hypothesis IS the Cause of P

[LASMG@ccmail.ceco.com]

     I agree with you.  I never really thought of it in the way that you 
     have explained it.  The public can't fully understand the difference 
     between accumulating 200mrem or 200rem.  By associating numbers with a 
     threshold effect, we are causing a panic.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Linear Hypothesis IS the Cause of P
Author:  radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu at INTERNET
Date:    10/17/96 10:40 AM


LASMG@ccmail.ceco.com wrote:
> 
>      I wonder how many people in the general public have ever heard of the 
>      LNT theory, let have a remote understanding of what it is.  I believe 
>      that all of the bad P.R. NUCS get, and all of the watch groups /
>      environmentalist cause most of the fear.
     
The point is not that the public knows or does not know about the LNTH. 
The point is that, because of the LNTH, the public is told over and over 
again by the anti nukes that a dose of radiation, no matter how small, 
WILL KILL them.  The antis can and do corrupt the LNTH idea.  If the 
LNTH idea were not there to corrupt, the public could not be told the 
corruption. It's as simple as that.
     
However, when health physicists, the ICRP and NCRP, the nuclear industry 
in general maintain the LNTH, they are playing into the anti's hands. 
If we got rid of the LNTH and provided a reasonable threshold, such as 5 
rem per year for everyone, worker and public alike, and said that 
working below the threshold was safe and that to go above it is not 
necessarily unsafe, but ALARA should be applied, then the public could 
regard low doses of radiation in a manner simmilar to the speed limit on 
highways or any other of the myrid hazardous things that might hurt 
someone.  We have put radiation in a category that is vastly different 
from all other hazards because of the LNTH.  It's time to stop that!
     
If we don't there won't be a nuclear industry.  That's exactly what the 
antis want!  We are fighting for our industry and the benefits of 
radiation here.  I trust that you know that.  It's going to be hardball, 
with the public the loser if the LNTH remains much longer.
     
I know that this is just my opinion, but I think many others share it. 
If you are not one of those who share it, what should we do, that will 
work, to revitalize the nuclear industry in the US?