RE: Metal Recycling in the news

[Robert_A_Jones@RL.gov]

News is made to ALARM, not inform.  It is the last place I go for
information.  Unfortunately, it is the first place many people go.
Think of distribution of disease funding vs. percentage of population
deaths to diseases - all "crisis" driven by the news and politicians,
not driven by risk.

In perspective - most people think that dumping recycled oil on the
ground is no big deal and that laws made to discourage such activity is
stupid.  This activity has much more risk than allowing slightly
contaminated metals into our "pots and pans."  Somehow the idea must get
around that wasting resources on low level  contamination is also
stupid.

We do ourselves a disfavor by not having consistent standards of
release.  This type of regulation interpretation (Re: "no rad added")
does not help - It makes it look like the material is so dangerous it
may kill babies in baby carriages.   Woops, sounds like LNT is lurking
around somewhere - I had better go!

Disclaimer:  These ideas are mine and not necessarily those of my
employer

Robert A. Jones			Robert_A_Jones@rl.gov
<mailto:Robert_A_Jones@rl.gov> 
Health Physicist 			phone: (509)376-8528
PFP Radiological Control 		fax: (509)373-4274
Hanford, WA				Hanford Pager: 85-6559 

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