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Risk Assessment Criteria for Radioactive Waste Disposal
Author(s) -
Corbett James O.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
risk analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.972
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1539-6924
pISSN - 0272-4332
DOI - 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1988.tb01201.x
Subject(s) - radioactive waste , risk assessment , risk analysis (engineering) , dimension (graph theory) , environmental science , econometrics , computer science , waste management , engineering , business , mathematics , computer security , pure mathematics
The assessment of radioactive waste disposal options in terms of the annual risk to the critical group can lead to ambiguities, which arise largely in defining what is meant by the critical group. Radically different risk estimates can be obtained, depending on whether statistical averaging is carried out before or after the critical group is located in the time dimension. The merits of two different approaches are discussed through simple thought experiments and mathematical models. A criterion based on lifetime risk to the critical group is suggested, which could be used to supplement the currently accepted annual risk Emits. The risks from both stochastic and nonstochastic radiation effects are taken into account.