Bibliographic Citation
| Document | For copies of Journal Articles, please contact the Publisher or your local public or university library and refer to the information in the Resource Relation field. For copies of other documents, please see the Availability, Publisher, Research Organization, Resource Relation and/or Author (affiliation information) fields and/or Document Availability. |
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| Title | The interrelationship of the science of health physics and the art of radioactive materials management - an international public policy perspective |
| Creator/Author | MacDowell, P. [St. Helen`s Trading Ltd., Azusa, CA (United States)] |
| Publication Date | 1996 Jun 01 |
| OSTI Identifier | OSTI ID: 394020 |
| Report Number(s) | CONF-9607135-- |
| Other Number(s) | Journal ID: HLTPAO; ISSN 0017-9078; TRN: TRN: 96:005375-0109 |
| Resource Type | Journal Article |
| Resource Relation | Journal Name: Health Physics; Journal Volume: 70; Journal Issue: Suppl.6; Conference: 41. Annual Meeting of the Health Physics Society, Seattle, WA (United States), 21-25 Jul 1996; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1996 |
| Subject | 29 ENERGY PLANNING AND POLICY; RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS; PUBLIC OPINION; NUCLEAR FACILITIES; INTEREST GROUPS; PUBLIC POLICY; RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT |
| Description/Abstract | Dissemination of scientific data contemplated to affect public policy issues can be viewed as a translation of technology into a form of art. Due to the public`s perception of all things radioactive, when the science is health physics, and the form of art is radioactive materials management (efficient enough to be embraced by the public), the complexities of the task become even more convoluted than with other issues. There is no historic analogy for the transliteration difficulties faced by the Society`s membership in their continuing effort to provide meaningful data and information. Unfortunately, the significance of the practitioner`s contribution to the larger issue of global radioactive materials management will continue to be impacted by forces outside of their control. The extent of that impact will be determined solely by the Society`s ability to identify the presence of these non-scientific influences and consider them as indispensable variables in developing risk assessment models. The exceptional quality of the Society`s contributions to date notwithstanding, the reality of financial impacts vs. the profession`s scientific contributions to the overall management task, regardless how sound, cannot be overlooked. The absence of international consensus on safe levels of exposure thresholds coupled with lobbying efforts by special interest groups exploiting this scientific indecision; the recent exclusion, by the insurance industry of all radioactive matter in comprehensive general liability policies which negates even conservative threshold assumptions; the entire issue of surety and indemnification for the professional and the public; and the financial ramifications of asset value of real property affected by any radionuclide, are just some of the realities which could dilute the significance of this important science, which, by the by, serves as the foundation of the art form. |
| Country of Publication | United States |
| Language | English |
| Format | Medium: X; Size: pp. 62b |
| System Entry Date | 2009 Dec 16 |
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