Cost-benefit considerations of reducing environmental exposures and effluents from uranium fuel cycle facilities to levels below limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Cost-benefit analyses have been made for further reducing effluent releases and environmental exposures from uranium fuel cycle facilities below the limits established by the EPA. The primary purpose for the analyses is to examine whether the effluent releases and environmental exposures from fuel cycle facilities in the US conforming to EPA standards can be considered to be 'as-low-as-reasonably-achievable' as required by regulations established by the NRC. The analyses are based on studies performed by the ORNL under contract with NRC. The analyses indicate that it would cost significantly in excess of 1000 per organ-person-rem to further reduce environmental exposures and effluent releases below the EPA standards from uranium mills, uranium oxide fuel fabrication plants, and uranium fuel reprocessing facilities. Although 1000 per organ-person-rem is an interim guideline value set for consideration of effluents, its use here indicates that NRC may consider that releases from fuel cycle facilities will be as-low-as-reasonably-achievable if they meet the EPA limits. (orig./HP)