Large populations all over the globe continue to be exposed to low-level radiation. Sources include natural background radiation, widespread medical uses of ionizing radiation, releases and leakages from nuclear power and weapons manufacturing plants and waste storage sites. An added potential hazard to public health in the United States stems from government plans to deregulate low-level radioactive waste generated in industry, research, and hospitals and allow it to be mixed with general household trash and industrial waste in unprotected dump sites.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) plans to deregulate some of this radioactive waste and treat it as if it were not radioactive. The makers of radioactive waste have asked the NRC to treat certain low levels of radiation exposure with no regulations. The NRC plan, called Below Regulatory Concern (BRC), will categorize some of this waste as acceptable for regular dumping or recycling...