The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission radiation protection policy and opportunities for the future

For nearly 50 years, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been responsible for the development of radiation protection regulations and guidance for protecting workers, the public and the environment. In 1971, although ALARA was not a regulatory requirement, NRC's predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, incorporated the concept of 'as low as is practically achievable' into its general provisions for standards against radiation, Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 20. In 1975, the NRC codified the phrase 'as low as is reasonably achievable' (ALARA) and the definition of ALARA was broadly consistent with today's definition. Implicit in the ALARA concept is the linear no-threshold (LNT) dose-response relationship. The NRC acknowledges that a bifurcation between the public's concern with radiation exposure and the perspectives of many in the scientific community to eliminate LNT-based regulations exists. NRC understands that the LNT basis for ALARA (i.e. that the stochastic effects of radiation do not have a low dose threshold) is not accepted by all individuals, but the LNT theory continues to serve as the basis of its regulatory approach, which is derived directly from the recommendations of national and international expert bodies. Over the years, NRC and other Federal agencies have been petitioned to revise the basis for their radiation protection policy. This article presents an overview of what NRC has done and explores opportunities for maintaining the right balance between the potential risks and benefits of radiation in establishing radiation protection policy.