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Environmental Science

RESRAD: A Tool for Site Cleanup

RESRAD
The RESRAD family of computer codes is a regulatory tool for evaluating radiologically contaminated sites, specifically designed to help determine the allowable RESidual RADioactivity in site cleanup.

Since 1988, EVS has developed the RESRAD family of codes, which consider risks of exposure to residual radioactivity through nine environmental pathways: direct exposure; inhalation of particulates and radon; and ingestion of plant foods, meat, milk, aquatic foods, water, and soil.

The RESRAD codes are the industry standard, with extensive peer-reviewed histories and a large base of active users. The code family is internationally recognized and is applied in radiological assessments for both humans and nonhuman biota.

The RESRAD codes have been used to evaluate remediation alternatives and emergency responses to nuclear incidents at hundreds of sites in more than 100 countries. In the United States, the codes are accepted for use by DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and state regulatory agencies. In addition, many universities use RESRAD codes as teaching and research tools.

Their wide acceptance results from the codes’ strong reputation for technical credibility, user-friendly interface and documentation, user support through hands-on training workshops, and reliable customer support. More than 1,000 journal articles, dissertations, and other publications based on the RESRAD codes have been published. EVS distributes the codes and provides training (more than 150 workshops to date) and user support.

Slide showing the impact and purpose of the RESRAD tools [Source: Argonne National Laboratory]