{Reprinted from the Federal Register of September 26, 1961, as corrected]
FEDERAL RADIATION COUNCIL
RADIATION PROTECTION GUIDANCE
FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES
Memorandum for the President
é
of population. groups to radtum-226, ‘In the development of the Radiation
fodine-1231, strontium-90, and stron- ' Protection Guides contained herein, the
tium-89. Itis the intention of the Coun- - Council has considered both sides of this
cil to release the background material balance.
The Council has reviewed
Jeading to these recommendations as available knowledge, consulted with
Stal Report No. 2 when the recommen- scientists within and outside the Governdations contained herein are approved. ment, and solicited views of interested
Specific attention was directed to individuals and groups from the general
problems associated with radjum-226, public. In particular, the Council has
fodine-131, strontium-90, and strontium- not only drawn heavily upon reports
89. Radium-226 is an important natu- published by the International Commisrally occurring radioactive material. The sion on Radiological Protection (ICRP),
Srrrmewsra 13, 1961.
Pursuant to Executive Order 10831 other three were present in fallout from
and Public Law 86~373, the Federal Ra- muciear weapons testing. They could,
diation Council herewith transmits its under certain circumstances, also be
second report to you concerning findings major constituents of radioactive maand recommendations for guidance for terials released to the environment from
Federal] agencies in the conduct of their large scale atomic energy installations
radiation protection activities.
used for peaceful purposes. Available
Background. On May 13, 1960, the data suggest that effective contro] of :
first recommendations of the Counc ‘these nuclides, in cases of mixed fission.
were approved by the President and the product contamination of the environ-:
Memorandum containing these recom- ment, would provide reasonable assur-
~
eheete. te en ee Lee tee oe
eae a eteliteA ee ne ee er ae
ce
athe a heaye
en ane ee
Time
mendations was published in the FrpERAL REGISTER On May 18, 1960. There
was also released at the same time, Staff
Report No. 1 of the Federal Radiation
Council, entitled, “Background Material
for the Development of Radiation Protection Standards,” dated May 13, 1960.
The first report of the Council provided a genera! philosophy of radiation
protection to be used by Federal agencies
in the conductof their specific programs
and responsibilities. It introduced and
defined the term “Radiation Protection
Guide” (RPG). It provided numerical
walues for Radiation Protection Guides
Yor the whole body and certain organs
of radiation workers and for the whole
body of individuals in the general pop-
ulation, as well as an average population
gonadal dose. It introduced as an operational technique, where ind:sidual
whole body doses are not known, the use
of a “suitable sample” of the exposed
population in which the guide for the
average exposure of the sample should
be one-third the RPG for the individual
members of the group. It emphasized
that this operational technique should
be modified to meet special situations.
In selecting a suitable sample particular
care should be taken to assure that a
disproportionate fraction of the average
dose is not received by the most sensitive
population elements. The observations,
assumptions, and comments set out In
the memorandum published in the Frp-
the National Committee on Radiation
Protection and Measurements (NCRP),
and the National Academy of Sciences
*(NAS), but has had during the develop-
ment of the report the benefit of con-
ance of at least comparable limitation
sultation with, and comments and suggestions by, individuals from NCRP and
NAS and of their subcommittees. The
Radiation Protection Guides recommended below are considered by the
Council to represent an appropriate balance between the requirements of health
of hazard from other fission products in protection and of the beneficial uses of
the bods.
’ yadiation and atomic energy.
Establishment of the Federal Radia--.
It is recommended that:
‘thon Council followed a period of public
1. The following Radiation Protection.
concern incident to discussions of fall-| Guides be adopted for normal peacetime
out.
While strontium-90 received the
operations. .
greatest popular attention, exposures to”
eesium-137, jodine-131, strontium-89 Tusiz2—Rapunon Prorzcnon Guiprs por CeRtam
Bopy Oacass mm RELaTION To Exposunr or Porc
and. in still lesser degrees to other radio1anox Groups
nuclides, are involved in the evaluation
of over-al) effects. The characteristics
RPG tor’ averare
of cesium-137 lead to direct comparison
Stable sam:
with whole body exposures for which
Orean
Prdoas
be Srposed popu
recommendations by the Council have
dation group
already been made.
Studies by the staff of the Couneil in-
——
Thyroid... 1.6 rem per year... 6
radioactive strontium in food and water
ane(alter.
Bone
marow.|
0.
Tho.
dicate that observed concentrations ‘of Hoos. 1 Oe rem per year.a.| @.5 rem fer peer,
do not result in concentrations in the
skeletor (and consequently in radia-
tion doses) as large as have been as--
sumed in thepi
Past. However, concentra-
8 eulde).|
0.003miecorrams
of
in the
adultKe-25skcicton
or the biolocical
$aroountof
Ra-22i.
0. |emicroorams
ofadult sk*leton
Tans
or thebiological
thpmount of
Re-2a.
tions of lodine-131 in the diets of small”
ehildren, particularly in milk, equal to It will be noted that the preceding table
those permitted under current standards provides Radiation Protection Guides to
would Jead to radiation doses to the be applied to the average of a suitable
‘child's thyroid which, in comparison gample of an exposed population group
with the general structure of current which are one-third of those applying to
radiation protection standards, would , individuals. This is in accordance with
be too high. This is because current ‘the recommendations in the first report
concentration guides for exposure of of the Council concerning operational
Population groups to radioactive mate- ‘ techniques for controlling population exrials in air, food, and water have been posure. Since in the case of exposure of
derived by application of a single frac- & population group to radionuclides the
gaat RectstEr, May 1€, 1960, are equally
applicable to this memora:dun.
tion
to
corresponding
occupational
guides. ‘In the case of fodine-131 in
ink, consumption of milk and retention
radiation doses to individuals are not
usually known, the organ dose to be used
as a guide for the average of suitable
groups to radiation from radioactive
materials dcposited in the body as a
larger than in the case of the adult. In
addition,there is evidence that irradia-
from radionuclides occurring in the environment is accomplished In general
to children than to adults.
Recommendations as to Radiation Pro-
materials into the environment or
through measures designed to limit the
This memorandum contains recommendations for the guidance of Federal
agencies in activities designed to Hmit
exposure of members of poputation
result of their occurrence in the environ-
ment. These recommendations include:
(1) Radiation Protection Guides for certain organs of individuals in the general
population,
as well
as
averages over
of iodine by the child may be at Jeast as, samples of an exposed population group
great as by the adult, while the rela- is also given as an RPG.
.
tively smal) size of the thyroid makes
Recommendations as to peneral printhe radiation dose to the thyroid much ciples. Control pf population exposure
tion of the thyroid involves greater risk
tection Guides. The Federal Radiation
Council has previously emphasized that
establishment of radiation protection
suitable samples of exposed groups: (2)
, Suidance on general principles of contro} standards involves a balancing of the
_ &@Ppplicable to all radionuclides occurring . bencfits to be derived from the controlled
in the environment; and (3) specific use of radiation and atomic energy
guidance in connection with exposures
against the risk of radiation exposure.
either by restriction on the entry of such
intake by members of the population of
radionuclides already in the environment. Both approachesinvolve the consideration of actual or potential con-
centrations of radioactive material in
air, water, or food. Controls should be
based wpon an evajuation of population
DOE ARCHIVES