Laka Foundation

Publication Laka-library:
Some long-term consequences of hypothetical major releases of radioactivity to the atmosphere from Three Mile Island. PU/CEES #109 (1980)

AuthorJan Beyea
DateDecember 1980
Classification 3.01.8.11/31 (UNITED STATES - SITES - HARRISBURG (TMI))
Front

From the publication:

Introduction

This report provides, for those who are not experts in the field, a description of 
the nature and distribution of some of the major consequences of hypothetical 
releases of radioactivity following a major reactor accident. Because of public 
interest in the events which occurred at Three Mile Island (T.M.I.), the population 
distribution around the T.M.I. site has been used to provide a specific example. 
In addition, the report discusses emergency measures which can be taken to 
reduce the severity of the consequences of a major release of radioactivity.
This type of descriptive background information is needed for policymaking in 
four areas relating to nuclear safety:
i) To motivate and aid in the development of emergency plans for the protection
of the population downwind should a large release of radioactivity occur from a 
reactor accident;
ii) To provide information helpful in determining the distance from a reactor site
to which emergency planning should be required;
iii) To establish the value of making improvements in the safety-related design of
nuclear power plants which will further reduce the probability of such releases; and
iv) To provide part of the information base required for the comparison of the risks
of nuclear power to the risks from alternative sources of electrical power production.

The report focuses on some of the more important long-term consequences of a 
major release of radioactivity at the Three Mile Island site. These long-term 
consequences: cancer death, thyroid damage and contamination of land and 
property by radioactivity would mostly be associated with doses of radiation low 
enough so that they would not cause early health effects such as radiation illness.

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