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Question 4: How is the dose from radon considered? What
about technologically enhanced radon at a licensed
facility? [Note: Technologically enhanced natural
radiation sources have been defined as "truly natural
sources of radiation . . . which would not occur without
(or would be increased by) some technological activity not
expressly designed to produce radiation." Reference: T.F.
Gesell and H.M. Prichard, Health Physics 28, 361-366, April
1975.]
Answer: How the dose from radon is treated depends upon
the source of the radon. If the source is NRC-licensed
material such as mill tailings or ores, then the dose from
radon and its particulate daughters should be included in
estimates of doses to workers or to members of the general
public (except for 40 CFR Part 190 evaluations which
exclude radon). If the source of the radon is from radium
that is not licensed or controlled by any agency, then the
dose from radon and its daughters is considered background
radiation and may be excluded from occupational or public
dose estimates, whether there is any technological
enhancement of the concentrations or not. Many states are
working toward licensing certain materials containing
radium and these sources will need to be known to licensees
even if they are not the persons licensed by the States.
(See definitions of "background radiation," "source
material," and "byproduct material" in 10 CFR 20.1003).
(References: 10 CFR 20.1001, 10 CFR 20.1002, 10 CFR
20.1003)