Generic environmental statement on the routine use of plutonium-powered cardiac pacemakers

The purpose of a continuing program at ORNL is to provide technical assistance to the NRC on writing and editing of the final environmental statement on the routine use of nuclear-powered (primarily 238Pu) cardiac pacemakers. This environmental statement defines the safety and reliability standards that nuclear-powered pacemakers are required to meet. All aspects of the risks to the patients, the public, and the environment are evaluated both for the routine use of plutonium-powered pacemakers and for postulated accidents involving pacemaker patients. Benefits derived from the use of plutonium-powered units are discussed and weighed against the risks in order to determine whether routine use is justified. Available alternative pacemakers with various performance characteristics are compared with respect to costs and to the needs of pacemaker patients