EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT: ARE EXPOSURES IMPORTANT?

摘要

Radiological protection standards have been established with the principal objective of seeking to provide appropriately safe conditions for activities involving human exposure. In this context ICRP-26 (1977) asserted the Commission's belief that, if man is protected to this level, then other "living things" are also likely to be sufficiently protected. Just over a decade ago the ICRP (Publication No. 60, 1990) modified the 1977 view to take into account the possibility that non-human species "might be harmed". At the same time, ICRP asserted also that the standard of environmental control needed to protect man to the degree currently thought desirable will ensure that other species are not put at risk. Even if there was some harm caused, whole species would not be endangered nor would an imbalance be created between species. It is important to recognise that there are value judgements and assumptions embedded in these statements, certainly with regard to the environment but also in the radiological protection of humans. In applying the principles of radiological protection in practice, further value judgements are employed. In seeking to develop an approach towards radiological protection of the environment it is necessary to recognise and question these and other value judgements and assumptions, and to clearly define the objectives being sought.