On EPA standards

The US EPA environmental radiation protection standards for normal operations of activities in the uranium fuel cycle, entered on the US Federal Register on January 13, 1977 (Subchapter F and Part 190 added to Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1) are of great importance in radiological protection, but certain numerical values have already been quoted out of context. Their limits of application are emphasized. The standards were based on cost effectiveness studies and were specifically for light water reactor uranium fuel cycles. The conclusions cannot therefore be related directly to other forms of nuclear fuel cycle. The EPA standards only replace the Dose Limits for members of the public in the current recommendations of ICRP and the US Federal Radiation Protection Guides in regard to the light water reactor fuel system. (U.K.)