This document discusses radioactive wastes and their health and environmental effects. It defines key terms like radiation, ionizing radiation, and radionuclides. It describes different sources of radiation exposure including natural sources like radon and human-made sources like medical devices. It outlines the different types of radiation such as alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. It also discusses the health effects of radiation exposure such as acute radiation syndrome from high doses and increased cancer risk from low doses.

1. RADIOACTIVE WASTES
Health and Environmental Effects
ARVIN RAY M. DELOS SANTOS,RMT
Master in Public Health

2. INTRODUCTION
• Ionizing radiation is a type of energy
released by atoms in the form of
electromagnetic waves or particles.
• People are exposed to natural sources of
ionizing radiation, such as in soil, water,
and vegetation, as well as in human-made
sources such as x-rays and medical
devices.

3. INTRODUCTION
• Ionizing radiation has many beneficial
applications, including uses in medical,
industry, agriculture and research.
• As the use of ionizing radiation increases,
so does the potential for health hazards if
not properly used or contained.
• Acute health effects such as skin burns
and acute radiation syndrome can occur
when doses of radiation exceed certain
levels.

4. INTRODUCTION
• Low doses of ionizing radiation can
increase the risk of longer term effects
such as cancer.
• Natural sources account for most of the
radiation we all receive each year.
• Radiation protection standards assume
that any dose of radiation, no matter how
small, involves a possible risk to human
health and the environment.

5. OBJECTIVE
• To define radiation and other terms
associated to it.
• To know understand the effects of
radiation to health and environment.
• To identify where radiation came from and
pinpoint the types of radiation.
• To categorize the exposure to ionizing
radiation and exposure situations.

6. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• RADIATION – it is energy in the process
of being transmitted. It may take such
forms as light, or tiny particles much too
small to see. Visible light, the ultra-violet
light we receive from the sun, and
transmission signals for TV and radio
communications are all forms of radiation
that are common in our daily lives.

7. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• IONIZING RADIATION – it is a type of
energy released by atoms that travels in
the form of electromagnetic waves
(gamma or xray) or particles (neutrons,
beta or alpha)
• RADIOACTIVITY – the spontaneous
disintegration of atoms
• RADIONUCLIDES – unstable elements
which disintegrate and emit ionizing
radiation.

8. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• GRAY – is the international unit used to
measure absorbed dose.
• SIEVERT – an international unit used to
measure effective dose
• RADON – is a naturally occurring
radioactive gas resulting from the decay of
uranium-238

9. RADIATION IS EVERYWHERE

10. RADIATION SOURCES
• People are exposed to
natural radiation sources
as well as human-made
sources on a daily basis.
• Natural radiation comes
from many sources
including more than 60
naturally-occurring
radioactive materials found
in soil, water and air.

11. RADIATION SOURCES
The most dangerous metal on earth Accidental exposure
may result to
severe toxicity
EXAMPLES OF N.O.R.M.

12. RADIATION SOURCES
• People are also exposed
to natural radiation
sources from cosmic
rays (high altitudes).
• 80% of the annual dose
of background exposure
of person receives is due
to naturally occurring
terrestrial and cosmic
radiation sources.

13. RADIATION SOURCES
• Human exposure to radiation also comes
from human-made sources ranging from
nuclear power plant generation to medical
uses of radiation for diagnosis or
treatment.

14. RADIATION SOURCES
• The most common
human-made
sources of ionizing
radiation are medical
devices, including
X-ray machines.

15. TYPES OF RADIATION
ALPHA PARTICLES
These are helium nuclei consisting of two
protons & two electrons & are emitted
from naturally occurring heavy metals
such as uranium and radium. They are
intensely ionizing but cannot penetrate
the skin, it is dangerous only if emitted
inside the body.

16. TYPES OF RADIATION
BETA PARTICLES
These are fast-moving electrons emitted
by many radioactive elements. They are
more penetrating than alpha particles, but
easily shielded – the most energetic of
them and can be stopped By a few
millimeters of wood or aluminum.

17. TYPES OF RADIATION
GAMMA PARTICLES
These are high-energy electromagnetic
waves much the same as X-rays. They
are emitted in many radioactive decays
and may be very penetrating, so require
more substantial shielding.

18. TYPES OF RADIATION

19. RADON
It is radioactive and it is real
• It is a gas that is produced naturally by the
breakdown of uranium in the ground and
gets into your home undetected.
• You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it.
• Some level of radon can be found in most
homes and high levels of radon increase
your risk of developing lung cancer.

20. RADON
It is radioactive and it is real
• The risk from radon exposure is long term
and depends on 3 things:
1. The level of radon
2. How long you are exposed
3. Your smoking habits

21. RADON
It is radioactive and it is real
Almost 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.
Radon exposure in linked to approximately 16% of lung cancer
deaths and is the second leading cause of lung cancer for
smokers.

22. RADON
It is radioactive and it is real

23. EXPOSURE TO
IONIZING RADITIONS
INTERNAL EXPOSURE
This occurs when a radionuclide is
inhaled, ingested or otherwise enters into
the bloodstream. Internal exposure stops
when the radionuclide is eliminated from
the body, either spontaneously (excreta)
or as a result of a treatment.

24. EXPOSURE TO
IONIZING RADITIONS
EXTERNAL EXPOSURE
This occurs when airborne radioactive
materials (dust, liquid or aerosols) is
deposited on skin or clothes. This type of
radioactive material can be removed from
the body by simply washing.

25. EXPOSURE TO
IONIZING RADITIONS
• People can be exposed to ionizing
radiation under different circumstances, at
home or in public places (public
exposure), at their workplaces
(occupational exposures), or in a medical
setting (as patients, caregivers, and
volunteers).

26. EXPOSURE SITUATIONS
PLANNED EXPOSURE SITUATION
Result from the
deliberate introduction
and operation of
radiation sources with
specific purposes

27. EXPOSURE SITUATIONS
EXISTING EXPOSURE SITUATION
This is when exposures to radiation already
exist, and a decision on control must be
taken.

28. EXPOSURE SITUATIONS
EMERGENCY EXPOSURE SITUATION
It is a result from
unexpected events
requiring prompt
response such as
nuclear accidents or
malicious acts
An earthquake and tsunami knocked out the
Fukushima nuclear power plant cooling
systems in March 2011, causing meltdowns
in three reactors.

29. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME
(from Large Exposures)
• A very high level of radiation exposure
delivered over a short period of time can
cause symptoms such as nausea and
vomiting within hours and can sometimes
result in death over the following days or
weeks.
• Also known as Radiation Sickness

30. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME
(from Large Exposures)
• It takes a very high radiation exposure to
cause ARS – more than 0.75 gray in a
short time span (minutes to hours).
• Equivalent to 18,000 chest x-rays
distributed over the entire body in a short
period of time.
• This is rare, and comes from extreme
events like nuclear explosions or
accidental handling or rupture of highly
radioactive source.

31. ACUTE RADIATION SYNDROME
(from Large Exposures)

32. RADIATION CANCER RISK
• Exposure to low levels of radiation does
not cause immediate health effects, but
can cause a small increase of risk of
cancer over a lifetime.
• The risk increases as the dose increases:
the higher the dose, the greater the risk.

33. RADIATION CANCER RISK
• Radiation doses are commonly expressed
in millisieverts.
• A dose can be determined from a one-time
radiation exposure, or from accumulated
exposure over time.
• An individual would not get cancer from a
uniform whole body exposure of
100millisieverts or lower.

34. RADIATION: CANCER RISK

35. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES
• Atomic bomb
survivors or
radiotheraphy
patients, showed
significant
increase of cancer
risk at doses
above 100mSv.
Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

36. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES
• Children (pediatric CT scan) suggested
that cancer risk may increase even at
lower doses (between 50-100mSv).

37. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES
• Pre-natal exposure to
ionizing radiation may
induce brain damage
in fetus following an
acute dose exceeding
100 mSv between
weeks 8-15 of
pregnancy and 200
mSv between weeks
16-25 of pregnancy.

38. RADIATION EFFECTS
ON THE ENVIRONMENT
PLANT GROWTH
• It gradually stops seed
growth and sprouting,
depended on the how
much radiation is
released.
• Prolonged radiation
can completely destroy
the fertility of a plant.

39. RADIATION EFFECTS
ON THE ENVIRONMENT
ANIMALS
• Radiation exposure has caused genetic
damage and increased mutation rates in
many organisms.

40. RADIATION EFFECTS
ON THE ENVIRONMENT
MARINE LIFE
• High levels of UV
radiation can cause a
reduction in reproduction
capabilities
• It can also reduce the
amount of food and
oxygen that plankton
produces. Fukishima accident effects on
marine life

41. RADIOACTIVE DISASTERS
THREE MILE ISLAND
• The March 1979 accident at
Three Mile Island nuclear
power plant (USA) caused
some people near the plant
to receive very minor doses
of radiation, well under the
internationally
recommended level.

42. CHERNOBYL
• Immediately after the
nuclear plant disaster in
1986, much larger doses
were experienced.
• 134 severely exposed
workers and firemen, 28 of
the most heavily exposed
died as a result of ARS
within 3 months of the
accident.
RADIOACTIVE DISASTERS

43. RADIOACTIVE DISASTERS
HIROSHIMA & NAGASAKI
• The United States detonated two
nuclear weapons over the Japanese
cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on
August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively,
with the consent of the United
Kingdom, as required by the
Quebec Agreement. The two
bombings killed between 129,000
and 226,000 people, most of whom
were civilians, and remain the only
use of nuclear weapons in armed
conflict.

44. WORLDWIDE
RADIATION STATUS
MAP SHOWS REAL TIME RADIATION GLOBAL DATA
(September 7, 2019)

45. BATAAN NUCLEAR
POWER PLANT
It was considered as a solution to the 1973 oil crisis, in which the Philippines
was affected. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was built in the early 1980s but
never went into operation because it sits on a tectonic fault and volcano. The
Fukushima nuclear disaster gave pause to efforts to revive the plant. There
have been proposals in 2009 and 2016 to operate the Bataan Nuclear Power
Plant.

46. HUMAN EXPOSURE
TO RADIATION
Natural radioactivity
in the air
40%
Radioactive gases
released from stone,
soil and building
materials
Direct radiation
from traces of
radionuclides in
rocks and soil
30%
Medical
15%
Food
&
Drink
10%
Cosmic
3%
Others
2%

47. HOW CAN WE PROTECT
OURSELVES FROM RADIATION?
• LIMITING TIME
In occupational situations, dose is reduced by
limiting exposure time.
• DISTANCE
The intensity of radiation decreases with
distance from its source.

48. HOW CAN WE PROTECT
OURSELVES FROM RADIATION?
• SHIELDING
Barriers of lead, concrete or water give good
protection from high levels of penetrating
radiation such as gamma rays.
• CONTAINMENT
Highly radioactive materials are confined and
kept out of the workplace and environment.

49. W.H.O. RESPONSE
• WHO has established a radiation program
to protect patients, workers, and the public
against the health risks of radiation
exposure under planned, existing and
emergency exposure situations.
• The programme covers activities related to
radiation risk assessment, management
and communication.

50. CONCLUSION
• The health effects of exposure both to
radiation and chemical cancer-inducing
agents or toxins must be considered in
relation to time.
• There is cause for concern not only about
the effects on people presently living, but
also about the cumulative effects of
actions today over many generations.

51. CONCLUSION
• Some radioactive materials which reach
the environment decay to safe levels
within days, weeks or a few years, while
others continue their effect for a long time,
as do most chemical cancer-inducing
agents and toxins.

52. RECOMMENDATION
• The essential task for those in government
and industry is to prevent excessive
amounts of such toxins harming people,
now or in the future.
• Standards should be set in the light of
research on environmental pathways by
which people might ultimately affected.