UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
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AUG 20 2002
OSWER No. 9200.1 -34b
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
FROM:
Distribution of OSWER Common Radionuclides Found at Superfund Sites Booklet
for the General Public
Michael B. Cook, Director
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR)
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Regponse
Stephen D. Page, Director
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA)
Office of Air and Radiation
TO:
Addressees
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to you a final booklet entitled:
"Common Radionuclides Found at Superfund Sites." The booklet provides information to
help the general public understand more about the various common radionuclides that are found at
Superfund sites across the nation. It answers such questions as: How can a person be exposed to the
radionuclide?, How can it affect human health?, How does it enter and leave the body?, What levels of
exposure result in harmful effects?, and What recommendations has the federal government made to
protect human health from radionuclides? This booklet will be of interest to site decision makers
and community relations coordinators at radioactively contaminated sites being addressed by the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1 980 (CERCLA).1
'"This booklet provides information on common radionuclides found at CERCLA sites and is consistent
with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). It does not alter the NCP
expectations regarding treatment of principal threat waste and the use of containment and institutional controls for
low level threat waste. Consistent with CERCLA and the NCP, response actions must attain or waive applicable or
relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). CERCLA response actions for contaminated ground water at
radiation sites must attain (or waive as appropriate) the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) or non-zero Maximum
Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, where the MCLs or MCLGs are
relevant and appropriate for the site.
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BACKGROUND
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance entitled "Establishment of
Cleanup Levels for CERCLA Sites with Radioactive Contamination" (OSWER No. 9200.4-18,
August 22, 1997). This 1997 guidance provided clarification for establishing protective cleanup levels
for radioactive contamination at CERCLA sites. The guidance reiterated that cleanups of radionuclides
are governed by the risk range for all carcinogens established in the National Oil and Hazardous
Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) when Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate
Requirements (ARARs) are not available or are not sufficiently protective. Cleanup should generally
achieve a level of risk within the 10"4 to 10"6 carcinogenic risk range based on the reasonable maximum
exposure for an individual. In calculating cleanup levels, one should include exposures from all potential
pathways, and through all media (e.g., soil, ground water, surface water, sediment, air, structures, etc.)
The guidance also provides a listing of radiation standards that are likely to be used as ARARs to
establish cleanup levels or to conduct remedial actions.
This Common Radionuclides booklet is part of a continuing effort between the Office of
Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) and the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) to
provide updated guidance for addressing radioactively contaminated sites consistent with our guidance
for addressing chemically contaminated sites, except to account for the technical differences between
radionuclides and chemicals. This effort is intended to facilitate compliance with the NCP at
radioactively contaminated sites while incorporating the improvements to the Superfund program that
have been implemented through Administrative Reforms.
Today's Common Radionuclides booklet is similar to a booklet issued by EPA entitled
"Common Chemicals Found at Superfund Sites" (OSWERNo. 9203.1-17, August 1994). This 1994
booklet contains information regarding common chemicals found at Superfund sites across the nation.
IMPLEMENTATION
For questions regarding radiation site policy and booklet for CERCLA cleanup actions,
readers are referred to the RCRA/Superfund Call Center at 1-800-424-9346 or the Superfund
Radiation web page at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/resources/radiation/index.htm. The subject
matter specialists for this booklet are Ben Hull of ORIA and Stuart Walker of OERR.
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Addressees:
National Superfund Policy Managers
Superfund Branch Chiefs (Regions I-X)
Superfund Branch Chiefs, Office of Regional Counsel (Regions I-X)
Radiation Program Managers (Regions I, IV, V, VI, VII, X)
Radiation Branch Chief (Region IT)
Residential Domain Section Chief (Region m)
Radiation and Indoor Air Program Branch Chief (Region VET)
Radiation and Indoor Office Director (Region IX)
Federal Facilities Leadership Council
OERR Center Directors and Senior Process Managers
OERR NARPM co-chairs
cc: Jim Woolford, FFRRO
Elizabeth Cotsworth, OSW
Craig Hooks, FFEO
Barry Breen, OSRE
Joanna Gibson, HOSC/OERR
Earl Salo, OGC
Jeff Josephson, Region U
Marianne Horinko, OSWER
Mike Shapiro, OSWER
Tom Dunne, OSWER
Jeff Denitt, OSWER
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