The large increase in the number of nuclear power plants has resulted in the location of more than one reactor at several sites. In addition, some reactor sites are planned to be sufficiently close together so that many will share the same air, water, and terrestrial environment. This trend could create a potential environmental problem for an area or region. These fac­tors must now be considered in establishing both Bureau and state health agency environmental surveillance activities, so that the radioactivity that might result from nuclear power sources can be evaluated over relatively large geographical areas. Such evaluations must consider the long-term buildup of radioactivity in the aquatic environment, including the recon­centration phenomena in biological media that might result in population exposure. Multiple reactor sites also present regulatory problems relative to the establishment of radioactive effluent discharge limits. These limits will have to be developed carefully from the best available information on the many environmental aspects that influence possible population expo­sure to assure that the total dose to the population from multiple reactor sources is within acceptable limits based on Federal Radiation Council guidance.

Summary

An analysis of data from operating nuclear plants has shown that discharges of radioactive wastes have been small percentages of AEC regu­latory limits and have resulted in minimal or undetectable radiation ex­posure for the population. Studies carried out to date by the Bureau of Radiological Health have tended to confirm this to be the case. If good waste management practices are carefully followed by reactor plant oper­ators, the resulting radiation exposures for the public should continue to be extremely low. However, the existence of multiple reactor sites and areas containing several sites will require that monitoring programs be de­signed to consider the possibility of radiation effects from a large number of nuclear power sources.

Because of the large number of nuclear plants which will ultimately require surveillance programs, efforts are being made by the Bureau to re­evaluate recommendations for environmental surveillance programs for maximum effectiveness. Results of field studies conducted thus far indi­cate that a minimum surveillance program as previously described will satisfy public health requirements if the effluents are well defined and if the critical radionuclides in the effluents and pathways to the population are clearly identified. There is a need to consider the development of a co­ordinated nationwide surveillance program that will provide data based on specific radionuclide identification which can be used to periodically evaluate the public’s exposure to radiation. This exposure forms the basis for all radiation standards that have been developed by the world’s knowl­edgeable scientific community.

The Bureau of Radiological Health will continue to carry out its re­sponsibility for evaluating the environmental levels of radioactivity through nationwide surveillance programs, technical assistance to states, research and development activities, and the analysis of environmental ra­diation data from all sources. This function is currently being strengthened to ensure an adequate evaluation of the impact of the growing nuclear power industry on radiation levels in the environment and the continued protection of public health.

REFERENCES

Blomeke, J. O., & F. E. Harrington. Management of radioactive wastes at nuclear power stations, aec Report ORNL-4070, 1968.

Brinck, W. L., E. D. Harward, & R. I. Chissler. Programs for environmental sur­veillance around nuclear power plants. Proceedings of Health Physics Society Symposium on Environmental Surveillance in the Vicinity of Nuclear Facili­ties, Augusta, Georgia, January 24-26, 1968.

Nuclear Facilities Branch, Division of Environmental Radiation, Bureau of Ra­diological Health, Public Health Service. Summary of state and facility con­ducted environmental surveillance programs around selected nuclear facilities in the United States. NFB-69-16, September 1969.

Peterson, H. T., J. E. Martin, C. L. Weaver, & E. D. Harward. Environmental tritium contamination from increasing utilization of nuclear energy sources. Proceedings of iaea—fao Seminar on Agricultural and Public Health Aspects of Environmental Contamination by Radioactive Materials, Vienna, Austria, March 24-28, 1969.

Radiological Engineering Laboratory, Division of Environmental Radiation, Bu­reau of Radiological Health, Public Health Service. Radioactivity studies at a boiling water reactor. BRH/DER-69-2, Fall 1969.

——- . Radioactivity studies at a pressurized water reactor. Fall 1970.

Ray, J. W. Tritium in power reactors. Reactor and Fuel-Processing Technology, 1968-1969, 12, No. 1 (Winter).

Terrill, J. G., Jr., C. L. Weaver, E. D. Harward, & D. R. Smith. Environmental surveillance of nuclear facilities. Nuclear Safety, 1968, 9, No. 2 (March — April).

Weaver, C. L., & E. D. Harward. Surveillance of nuclear power reactors. Public Health Reports, 1967, 82, No. 10 (October).

——- & H. T. Peterson. Tritium in the environment from nuclear power plants.

Public Health Reports, 1969, 84, No. 4 (April).