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The Need for Requirements and Guidance for Protection of Biota: Basis for DOE’s Biota Dose Limits and Guidance. Biota Dose Assessment Committee Meeting Washington, DC August 18 - 20, 1999 - Stephen Domotor - Environmental Policy and Assistance
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The Need for Requirements and Guidance for Protection of Biota:Basis for DOE’s Biota Dose Limits and Guidance Biota Dose Assessment Committee Meeting Washington, DC August 18 - 20, 1999 - Stephen Domotor - Environmental Policy and Assistance Air, Water and Radiation Division (EH-412)
Presentation Outline • Need for Biota Dose Standards • DOE’s Existing and Proposed Limits • Scientific Basis for DOE’s Biota Dose Limits • Evolution of 10 CFR Subpart F: Protection of Biota • International Activities and Approaches Regarding Biota Dose Standards and Guidance Development
Need for Biota Dose Standards • “If man is protected then other living things are also likely to be sufficiently protected” (ICRP) • Certain exposure pathways are more important for biota than for humans • Radiation as a stressor in eco-risk assessments • Increasing DOE site and stakeholder interest • Increasing international interest
DOE Dose Limits for Biota • Current DOE Standard (Order DOE 5400.5): 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for native aquatic organisms • Proposed Standards (10 CFR 834, Subpart F): 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for aquatic animals; 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for terrestrial plants; 0.1 rad/d (1 mGy/d) for terrestrial animals • Intended to ensure protection of populations
Scientific Basis for DOE Limits • IAEA Report 172 (1976) Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems • ICRP (1977)Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection • NCRP Report 109 (1991)Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Aquatic Organisms • IAEA Report 332 (1992)Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Plants and Animals at Levels Implied by Current Radiation Protection Standards • DOE Workshop Report (1995)Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Terrestrial Plants and Animals • UNSCEAR (1996) Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation
DOE Workshop • Sponsored by DOE EH-412; June 1995 • Experts in radioecology and eco-risk assessment reviewed IAEA # 332 (1992) and referenced reports • Consensus that dose limits were adequately supported by available scientific data • Existing data supports application of dose limits to representative members of the population • Recommended that guidance was needed for implementing existing or proposed biota dose limits
Evolution of Subpart F: Biota • March 23, 1993NPR - included Subpart F - dose limits for aquatic animals • August 31, 1995NLR - comments on aquatic animal dose limits and on reserved section requiring terrestrial dose limits • February 22, 1996NLR - comments on dose limits for both aquatic and terrestrial organisms • Consistent Message in Comments • Requested cost-effective implementation guidance • Support use of screening criteria or methodologies • Guidance needed for biota monitoring • Flexibility regarding methods; development of a generic method for consistency
International Activities - Canada • Atomic Energy Control Board of Canada (AECB) is developing regulatory criteria for non-human species • Preliminary dose criteria for screening purposes: • Group of BiotaCritical Dose RateNo Effects Dose Rate • mammals 100 mGy/year 10 mGy/year • birds 500 mGy/year 50 mGy/year • amphibians/reptiles 100 mGy/year 10 mGy/year • benthic invertebrates 1000 mGy/year 100 mGy/year • fish 5000 mGy/year 50 mGy/year • AECB
International Activities - IAEA • International Atomic Energy Agency - Technical Committee on “Protection of the Environment from Ionizing Radiation” • A “TECDOC” which • Reviews Regulatory Approaches for Environmental Protection • Reviews considerations for developing explicit standards and implementation guidance for protection of the environment