Re: NRC Decom Rule-WashPost Article -Reply -Reply

[erollins <erollins@conterra.com>]

Jim Hardeman wrote:
> 
> Gene --
> 
> The 20,000 pCi/l tritium MCL value is part of the "4 mrem/yr
> MCL for beta/photon emitters" ... but the values in the Interim
> Standards were calculated with "bad math" (I won't attribute
> the quote, lest I violate a promise I made this week). Using
> the methodology in Federal Guidance 11 (I think that's right
> .. I'm at home, on a Saturday, so I don't have all my
> references) the 4 mrem/yr value for tritium would come out to
> be about 85,000 pCi/l.
> 
> Also, when we spoke of an overall dose limit, it was implied
> that this limit would apply to mixtures of radionuclides ... the
> old "sum of the fractions" rule, if you will. In my 15 years with
> state government, I've never seen the "sum of the fractions
> rule" ... or for that matter an overall 4 mrem/yr limit ... applied
> to groundwater. I've always seen individual radionuclides
> compared to their specific MCL values ... never a summary.
> Just a thought ...
> 
> Jim Hardeman, Manager
> Environmental Radiation Program
> Environmental Protection Division
> Georgia Department of Natural Resources
> 4244 International Parkway, Suite 114
> Atlanta, GA 30354
> (404) 362-2675  fax: (404) 362-2653
> Jim_Hardeman@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
> 
> >>> erollins <erollins@conterra.com> 05/24/97 10:40 >>>
> 
> Actually there are 4 MCLs when you consider the limit of
> 20,000 pCi set for tritium which relates to, I believe, about 1
> mrem per year.
> 
> Gene Rollins
> 6130 Rutledge Hill
> Columbia, SC
> 803-649-7963
> erollins@conterra.com
Your Saturday math is correct and the 20,000 pCi/l was based on a 1963
report (can't remember the name on Memorial day) and has never been
updated.  EPA should really do something about this one.

Gene Rollins, CHP