2
Ieland and from the northern {falande at Rongelap
could be eaten with certain
qualifications, and that the people should maketheir ownjudgments based
cancer risk estimates and_upon theneed forthefood
Yherepres
entaves at the meeting recognized thatthis advicewas new andinconsistent
unqualified”
restrictionsthey
fol
urged
low
Yorwary
& It was e@tated
thatthey preferred insteadadvicethatwasClear and
ree of qualifications that waild reqiirethemtomake Judgnenttnwhethet
Should eat theFoodThoughthe Marshallese werepolite,aid it is not
t way to give affense, even ao, some of their statements to Roger at
this point were obviously sarcastic even when filtered through the interpreter.
There was an embarrassing moment when Roger asked the Marshallese to
belp him explain the advice he had given to then
,Rather_than relax current restrictions on use of cocormt crabs from the
porthernislands atRongelap Atoll and“onallfood fromPnjebiYalandat
Erewetak Atall, the restrictions need to be strengthened.BodyBurden
measurements by the Brookhaven RationalLaboratory, BNL,Guring the past
yearatbothatolls have indicated increased levels of Ca-137 someindiVidual 6 whohave been ea
‘food from “restricted locations.BNU's
Feports
lap needs tobe increasedto
ude
all foods from the northern ialands._
burdens for females lessthan
a@re attached”The restriction at
‘levenyears of ageatRongelap
had increased 62% at the time of the last
measurement in July 1982.
t male burdens were up 56%. Doses are
expected to contime to increase to 250 mRem/yr. Relaxing restrictions will
iikely cause doses to go even higher.
In the past OperationalSafety,
deve considered it vital that DOf’s health
entationof thispolicyIn theMarshalls
protectionpolicyand the imple
aprovidea uniform degree
of
Srotection from atoll to atoll and should be consistent with protection
Provided in the 0S. “Because of the uncertainties associated withdose
predictions, DOE’s criteria for cleanup of Enewetak that was approved by
EPA and by Congress, specified 250 mRem/yr (not 500 mRem/yr), and 4,000
mRem/30 yr (not 5,000 mRem/30 yr). I urge that these lower criteria should
apply anywhere in the Marshalls where decisions are to be made based on dose
predictions. I would be happy to discuss this further if you wis
On several occasions in after-hour discussions during the trip, Roger andI .
disagreed on how questions on radiological safety should be handled This
is oly a continuation of a difference of opinion between DOE headquarters
safety staff and NW staff (at the greatest intensity between Roger and
myself) that. began many years ago when NV became involved in Enewetak clean-
up.
This disagreement has intensified as OP and WV have taken steps to take
view is that
over EP programs and responsibilities in the Marshalls.
agency
this new approach to radiation protection will be difficult for thiswhy
a
others
te
curious
seem
It.may
to explain and defend in the future.
radia~in
shift
a
causes
DOE
within
ties
shift in programmatic responsibili
this
¢4on protection policy and practice in the Marshalls?
pelf.
I wonder about
Y expect that the Bikinians will quickly recoguize the implications
oe this new DOE advice.
A logical extension of Roger's advice is that the
—Bikinians should make their own decision on whether to return to Bikini
Atoll. Doses for Bikini Ieland residents could be 10 times the US
gtandard. Such residents may not meet the standards for radiation workers,
and this population includes pregnant women and infants.
9001378