The COMPLY computer program for demonstrating compliance with national radionuclide air emission standards

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Radiation Protection
• Regulatory Compliance

Background:

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established national radionuclide air emission standards for various source categories.
• These standards apply to facilities regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and non-Department of Energy (DOE) sites, impacting approximately 6000 facilities.
• The standards limit the effective whole-body dose commitment to the maximally exposed individual from atmospheric radionuclide releases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the COMPLY computer program developed by the EPA's Office of Radiation Programs.
• To assist the regulated community in determining compliance with national radionuclide air emission standards.
• To describe the program's methodology, including dose calculation and tiered compliance procedures.

Main Methods:

• The COMPLY program calculates radiation dose to individuals outside a facility, considering inhalation, ingestion, air immersion, and ground deposition pathways.
• It utilizes models developed by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP).
• Compliance procedures offer a tiered approach, starting with conservative, simple methods and progressing to more complex, site-specific, and realistic dose estimations.

Main Results:

• The paper details the COMPLY program's functionalities and its basis in NCRP models.
• It outlines a tiered compliance strategy designed to minimize the regulatory burden.
• Estimates of the work required and the conservatism of dose calculations at each compliance level are provided.

Conclusions:

• The COMPLY program offers a structured and adaptable tool for facilities to assess compliance with radionuclide air emission standards.
• The tiered approach balances regulatory requirements with the need for realistic dose assessments.
• The program aims to facilitate compliance while ensuring protection of the public from radiation exposure.