Radiation Protection

Background

The first projects that IFEU scientists carried out in 1978 dealt with independent assessments of radiation exposures due to the nuclear facilities in Germany. Since then radiation protection has been a major focus of our work. This includes dose and risk assessments for a wide range of clients in the public sector as well as serving as experts in courts of law.

IFEU carried out the assessment of radiation exposures due to potential accidents in the proposed fast breeder reactor at Kalkar, a study funded by the Federal German Department of Research and Technology. In 1986, IFEU evaluated radiation exposures and associated health risks for residents in Hamburg due to fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident, for the State of Hamburg Department for Environmental Protection. IFEU scientist Bernd Franke was a member of the Scientific Management Team of the Rongelap Resettlement Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Interior and administered by the Government of the Marshall Islands and the Rongelap Local Government.

Many projects were carried out in collaboration with the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER), IFEU's partner institute in the Unites States.

From 2001 to 2006, IFEU scientist Bernd Franke served as a member of the Radiation Protection Commission (Strahlenschutzkommission), advising the Federal Minister of the Environment in Germany. He also served as a member of the Radar Commission (Radarkommission), which was established by the German government to address concerns about potential exposures to ionizing radiation and the associated health effects resulting from the operation of certain radar devices.

Projects

IFEU has conducted a substantial number of dose assessment and exposure review projects. A representative selection is listed below:

•  the assessment of radiation exposures due to potential accidents in the proposed fast breeder reactor, Kalkar, Germany, for the Federal German Department of Research and Technology

•  the assessment for radiation exposures for residents of the German State of Hamburg due to fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear accident, for the State of Hamburg Department for Environmental Protection

•  the assessment of global fallout doses and risks in "Radioactive Heaven and Earth", a joint project of IEER and the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the recipient of the 1985 Nobel Peace price

•  the dose assessment for residents and workers regarding the Feed Materials Production Center (FMPC) in Fernald, Ohio, for the law firm Waite, Schneider, Bayless and Chesley, Cincinnati, Ohio

•  the assessment of habitability of Rongelap Atoll as a member of the scientific management team of the Rongelap Resettlement Project ( Majuro , Marshall Islands ) funded by the U.S. Department of Interior and administered by the Government of the Marshall Islands and the Rongelap Local Government

•  the dose assessment for residents near the Apollo uranium plant in Apollo, Pennsylvania , for the law firm Baron&Budd, Dallas, Texas

•  the evaluation of risks after cleanup a radioactive waste disposal site near Point Hope, Alaska, under contract with the North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska

•  the monitoring the Independent Audits of Los Alamos National Laboratory for Compliance with the Clean Air Act, 40CFR61, Subpart H, under contract with Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Santa Fe, NM (see IEER audit reports 1, 2 and 3)

•  the review of properties of TA-55-43 wastes shipped from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), under contract with the Attorney General of New Mexico, Santa Fe, NM

•  the review of environmental monitoring of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, under contract with the City of Berkeley, CA

•  the review of outdoor radon levels and external gamma radiation under contract with Eastern Navajo Diné Against Uranium Mining Crownpoint, NM, and Southwest Research and Information Center, Albuquerque, NM

Contact

Bernd Franke (06221/4767-23; bernd.franke@ifeu.de )