Implicit valuation of environmental cancer by US regulatory agencies

Conference · Thu May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5823937

McKone, T E

This paper examines the extent to which regulatory decisions imply how much should be spent to limit environmental carcinogenesis. Environmental carcinogenesis can be defined as any cancer caused or promoted by exposure to chemicals released to the general environment. The central thesis is that any effort to regulate the release of carcinogens to the environment carries with it at least an implicit valuation of environmental carcinogenesis. I will use the criteria and guidelines issued by EPA and NRC to examine this issue. This review has four objectives. First, to examine the risk assessment/management process in order to identify the issues that are included in a risk-based regulation. Second, to enumerate a set of EPA and NRC decisions or regulations that provide a representative set of cancer-risk valuations. Third, to consider factors that account for differences in cancer valuation between these agencies and among the regulations. Finally, to suggest an approach for including cancer-risk valuation in the process of regulating environmental carcinogens.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5823937
• Report Number(s): UCRL-93355; CONF-860606-6; ON: DE86010974
• Resource Relation: Conference: Air Pollution Control Association annual meeting and exhibition, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 22 Jun 1986; Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CARCINOGENESIS
RISK ASSESSMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
POLLUTANTS
REGULATIONS
TOXIC MATERIALS
US EPA
US NRC
CONTROL
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
PATHOGENESIS
US ORGANIZATIONS
290300* - Energy Planning & Policy- Environment
Health
& Safety