The Trump administration has proposed eliminating a key radiation safety principle that has been in place for decades. This principle mandates that companies and institutions using radioactive materials minimize radiation exposure as much as practical, even if current levels are already below legal safety limits.
On July 15, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published this proposed change in the Federal Register. The change would replace the existing ‘As Low As Reasonably Achievable’ (ALARA) standard with a new ‘graded approach.’ The NRC claims this new approach will reduce ambiguity in regulations.
ALARA currently requires facilities such as nuclear power plants, hospitals, universities, and research institutions to maintain radiation exposure not only below legal limits but also to minimize it as much as feasibly possible.
The NRC suggests that these proposed changes could allow companies building smaller reactors to expedite their operations. They assure that standards for exposure to workers and the public would remain unchanged. However, critics express concern that removing ALARA might lead to increased permissible doses in certain situations.
The NRC is accepting public comments on this proposal until August 31. This story will continue to receive updates as it develops.
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