Subpart H: National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides Other Than Radon From Department of Energy Facilities

On this page:

• Rule Summary
• Additional Resources
• Compliance

Rule Summary

Subpart H protects the public and the environment from radionuclideradionuclideRadioactive forms of elements are called radionuclides. Radium-226, Cesium-137, and Strontium-90 are examples of radionuclides. emissions other than radon from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. It sets a limit on the emission of radionuclides so that no member of the public would receive an effective doseeffective doseThe amount of radiation absorbed by an object or person, adjusted to account for the type of radiation received and the effect on particular organs. The unit used for effective dose is rem (U.S. unit) or sievert (Sv, the international unit). equivalent of more than 10 millirem/year (0.1 millisievert/year). Radon emissions are addressed in Subpart Q.

The DOE administers 17 national laboratories and a number of other smaller facilities. They include government-owned, contractor-operated facilities across the country and their activities vary:

• Conducting nuclear energy and weapons research and development.
• Processing, storing and disposing of radioactive wastes.

These facilities may be large sites covering hundreds of square miles in remote locations, or smaller sites resembling typical industrial facilities in suburban areas. The type of radionuclide emitted and the pathways affected vary among the facilities.

Additional Resources

See: Subpart H: Resources for supporting documentation and resources. 

Compliance

Models

All sampling must follow EPA-approved procedures. Computer models CAP-88 and AIRDOS-PC are approved for calculating effective dose equivalents.  EPA's COMPLY model may be used under some conditions. Alternative sampling methods and dose models may be used with prior approval by EPA.