2013 Ingestion Pathway Response NCEMA Spring Conference Mitch Burton

Ingestion Pathway Response

2013 Ingestion Pathway ResponseNCEMA Spring Conference

Mitch Burton


Why We Do, What We Do

NUREG-0654 (in revision)

NUREG-0737

FEMA REP-22

COUNTY SOGs (annual revision)

REP Program Manual(New Revision-30 Months)

EPA-400, Letters, NUREGs

29”

NC STATE AND EPZ COUNTY PLANS (annual revision)

Protect the Public.


Who is involved with a possible Ingestion Pathway Response?• Alamance• Alexander• Anson• Bladen• Brunswick• Burke• Cabarrus• Caldwell• Camden• Caswell• Catawba• Chatham• Cherokee• Cleveland• Columbus• Cumberland

• Johnston• Lee• Lincoln• Macon• Mecklenburg• Montgomery• Moore• Nash• New Hanover• Northhampton• Onslow• Orange• Pasquotank• Pender• Perquimans• Person

• Davidson• Davie• Durham• Forsyth• Franklin• Gaston• Gates• Graham• Granville• Guilford• Harnett• Henderson• Hertford• Hoke• Iredell• Jackson

• Polk• Randolph• Richmond• Robeson• Rowan• Rutherford• Sampson• Scotland• Stanly• Transylvania• Union• Vance• Wake• Wayne• Wilkes• Wilson• Yadkin

65 COUNTIES FOR 10 NUCLEAR FACILITIES IN 4 STATES


The Release to the Environment


10-Mile Plume Exposure Pathway“The Release” Direct Exposure

Wind


Wind

50-Mile Ingestion Exposure PathwayExposure from Consumption of Food, Dairy, Water


What happens when a release occurs?

“Protective Action Decision Time”


• What areas to “Shelter-in-Place”• What areas to “Evacuate”• Should Potassium Iodide (KI) be issued to the

general public?

• All of this direction is provided by a computer software that the utility, state and Nuclear Regulatory Commission uses to determine where the contamination is going in the environment…

The decisions to be made are…


Protective Action Recommendations (PAR) come from the Utility

Why the difference between PARs and PADs?

Protective Action Decisions are from the State and EPZ Counties


• Siren Activation• Tone Alert Weather Radio Activation (if applicable for

your jurisdiction)

• EAS Messages• Press Releases• Media Briefings

Once the decisions are made, INFORM THE PUBLIC


• Restricted Area Verification• Relocation if necessary• Re-Entry into the Restricted Area• Return of residents to the once evacuated areas• It is all about the people and animals at this point…

– Limited resources– Food, dairy and water will be

isolated from getting into the markets at first.

THE RELEASE HAS STOPPEDNow the other activities…


In combination with Radiation Protection Section, Utility Environmental Monitoring Teams, and the RAP teams; NARAC/FRMAC will release their initial assessment ofthe release path based once again on computer modeling.

Restricted Area Verification


Within 6-12 hours FRMAC will send their Aerial Monitoring System to monitor the ground contamination. Very accurate. Used extensively at the Fukushima event. Along with ground sampling teams this will provide enough information to determine if other areas of the population would require Relocation.

Restricted Area Verification, continued


• If the flyovers and sampling indicates increased evacuation is required the order will be given to move the affected population out of the area.

Relocation then…


• Need to gain access to areas inside the restricted area for critical missions.– Farmers putting out more feed– Milking cows– Infrastructure– First responders

• This would require a special entry and exit point to the restricted area, briefings, dosimetry, protective clothing, stay times, etc.

Re-Entry Activities…


• For those that were evacuated the first day the attempt is made to return these evacuees to their homes.

• This will be based on verification through sampling and flyovers that there is no contamination in the area or the levels are low enough to allow entry back into their homes.

Return Activities


Once the people/animals are

taken care of what is next…


Airborne Release

VARIABLES. Time of year. Type of soil. Type of water supply system. Weather conditions. Type of vegetation. Type of contamination

Surface and Ground Water

Reservoirs Cisterns

FishSeafoodDrinking

Aquatic Food Chain

Soil and Vegetation

Forage/Grains Fruits/VegetablesGrains

LivestockPoultry

MeatMilk

Fresh and Processed

Deposition

Irrigation

Runoff

PATHWAYS FOR INGESTION

IDENTIFYING THE CONCERNS…

Deposition

EatingDrinking


THREE INGESTION PATHWAYS…

MILK

FOOD WATER

DAIRY


Preventive Protective Actions

• Actions taken are based on best information available at the time of the release.

Actions are usually based on dose projection and other protective action decisions


DAIRY INGESTION PATHWAYRelease


• Remove From Pasture – Especially Lactating Animals

• Shelter Animals

• Place Animals on Uncontaminated Feed and Water

• Withhold Contaminated Milk From Market

• Storage for Long Periods of Time will Allow for Decay of Radiation (Radioactive Iodine)

○ After 40-50 days Iodine will be gone (8 day half-life)

• Divert Raw Milk

MILK PATHWAY PROTECTION


Deposition on Crops Due to Plume Depletion

Uptake by Plants Due to Irrigation

Contaminated Stream or Well

Deposition on Crop Surfaces Due to Irrigation

FOOD INGESTION PATHWAY


FRUITS & VEGETABLES

• Remove Surface Contamination by…

• Scrubbing• Washing• Brushing• Peeling

WHAT TO DO?


MEAT & MEAT PRODUCTS

• Place Animals on Uncontaminated Feed and Water

• Sheltering

• Monitoring

WHAT TO DO?


POULTRY and POULTRY PRODUCTS• Monitor Poultry if They are Raised Outdoors,

Especially if Used for Egg Production

• If Poultry Live Indoors, and Fed Rationed Feed, Contamination is Unlikely

WHAT TO DO?


SOILS• Non-use of the land for a period of time• Planting alternative crops – (Cotton / Flax)• Deep Plowing to Move Contamination Below Root Level• Removal and proper disposal of soil

WHAT TO DO?


GRAINS

• Allow Plants to Grow to maturity for wind and rain can remove some contamination as will time

“Dilution is the solution”

• Mill and Polish

WHAT TO DO?


Drinking Stream Water Drinking Well Water

Contaminated Stream

Contaminated Well

WATER INGESTION PATHWAY


WATER• Cover Open Wells, Rain Barrels, and Tanks

• Disconnect Filler Pipes from Runoff Supplies

• Close Water Intake Valves from Contaminated Sources

GO TO BOTTLED WATER

• Underground Water Supplies Should not be Affected Since Contaminates on the Ground Travel Slowly

• SAMPLE QUESTIONED SUPPLIES – Part of the comprehensive sampling program instituted after an event

WHAT TO DO?


Decisions on Sampling:• Decisions are based on:• Known releases• Dose Projections• Laboratory analysis• Verification

• Sampling Plan• Mobilizing and Deploying Sampling Teams• Laboratory Support

SO WHAT IS THIS SAMPLING PLAN?


Mapping of Various Locations:• Dairies• Land use (individual crop locations)• Water supply intakes and treatment

plants• Food Processing Facilities

KNOWN LOCATIONS OF BELOW ITEMS…Local Cooperative Extensions/Ag is the key


Emergency Protective Actions

• Actions taken to…– Isolate food from commerce– Institute actions necessary (e.g. embargo,

quarantine…)


• Emergency Instructions and Public Information

• Decontamination

• Food and Feed

• Exposure Control

• Disposal

• Regulatory and Enforcement Actions

Emergency Protective ActionsHow does all of this come together?


Emergency Instructions and Public Information• Timely Press Releases• Public Perception• Involve Key Officials • Exposure Prevention• Control and Decontamination• Recommendations to:

• Distributors and Processors• Restaurant Operators• Food Transporters

• Advise Consumers• Use Local Cooperative Extension Service


• Need for Washing:• Animals• Equipment• Houses• Buildings• Food• Processing Establishments

• Need for Soil Treatments

Decontamination


• Provide Food For:• Emergency Operations Centers• Emergency Response Facilities

• Transporting of:• Safe Drinking Water• Food• Feed

• Assess “Uncontaminated” Feed Supplies

Food and Feed


• Livestock• General Food

Disposal (EPA will provide guidance)


• Quarantine Agricultural Products• Embargo

Regulatory and Enforcement Actions


Ongoing Operations with the end in mind, Recovery…• Continue to plot Contaminated • Advise Agricultural Community

of Preventative Actions • Public Information

Messages/Pamphlets• Collect Samples• Issue Emergency Actions as

Required• Continue to Evaluate Ingestion

Data

CONTAMINATION IDENTIFICATION

• Degree of Contamination

• Human Foods

• Livestock Feeds

• Water Supplies

• Controls of the Food Chain, if Necessary


Operations, continued• Within 50-Mile EPZ

• Areas that may be Contaminated• Protective Actions• Livestock Owners• Farmers• Food Processors• Water Supply• Home Gardeners

• Land Use Map• Dairies & Dairy

Processing Plants• Food Processors• Fruits & Vegetables• Meat Processors• Game Lands• Honey• Fish• Water

Reservoirs/Intake Points


Sampling…• Sample collection for…

• Water• Raw Milk• Raw Foods• Pasture Grasses• Animal Feeds• Processed and/or Packaged

Foods• Processed Animal Feeds

• Sample Collection where?• Farms• Water Reservoirs/Intake

Points• Food & Feed Processing

Plants• Retail Distribution Points• Laboratory Analysis -

Radioactivity Levels


Other Potential Issues

• Prioritization of sampling• Contamination• Public Perception• Consumer Confidence• Insurance and Reimbursement


Prioritization of sampling

• Predominant crops and industries• Time of year• Areas effected• Deposition foot-print size


How much is too much contamination?• FDA has guidance on pre-determined level• Called “Derived Intervention Level” (DIL)

– Varies by isotope and food product• If it’s below the DIL but above background…

– Political issue– ANI reimbursement issue

• Two radioactive isotopes are of primary concern:– Iodine 131 (half life of 8 days)– Cesium 137 (half life of ~30 years)


Public Perception• Public information and education is crucial

– The Public Information Officers must stay ahead of the rumors and false information being presented.

– Fukushima event brought out every “expert” providing misinformation throughout the event.

• General public’s distrust of industry• Response organizations must be unified


Consumer Confidence• May not be based in reality:

– Use of DILs for decision making• May be based on fear:

– “Its Radioactive, glowing green”, I’m not going to eat that!!


Public Health• Mental Health issues may become a concern.• “The stresses of personal involvement in the evacuation,

management and cleanup related to the Fukushima nuclear accident have emerged as the biggest factors in ill health for Japanese people” (World Nuclear News)

• Public Information and Public Health working together can greatly reduce the stress in large scale events.


Compensation… how does it work?

PRIMARY INSURANCE LAYER – AMERICAN NUCLEAR INSURERS$375 million available for “reasonable expenses” during evacuation order (and

other expenses as money is available…)

SECONDARY FINANCIAL PROTECTION LAYER

$12.22 Billion($117.495 Million x 104 Reactors)

Congress is required, under the Price-Andersen Act, to “take whatever action is determined to be necessary…to provide full and prompt compensation” for claims resulting in damages that exceed the $12.22 billion layer


Reference Material…


PEOPLEANIMALS

COMMODITIES/CROPSWATER

DAIRY

In all decisions it comes down to ...

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2013 Ingestion Pathway Response NCEMA Spring Conference Mitch Burton