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Bureau of Environmental Radiation
The Bureau of Environmental Radiation addresses the protection of the public from excessive exposure to radiation, exclusive of x-ray and nuclear power plant sources. This includes the State's program to reduce radon gas exposure in homes and other buildings; licensing the use of certain radioactive materials in medicine, industry and research; supporting the clean-up of the State's radioactively contaminated sites; and the control of nonionizing radiation from industrial microwave and radiofrequency sources of such radiation.
Radioactive Materials Programs
Medical, Industrial & Reciprocity
Staff in the Medical, Industrial & Reciprocity section license and inspect medical and industrial facilities in the state that possess, utilize, produce, transfer or receive radioactive materials. In addition, the staff are responsible for the issuance of reciprocities to out-of-state licensees who hold a specific license from the NRC or an Agreement State and wish to use radioactive materials in New Jersey.
Additional responsibilities include the investigation and response to incidents and allegations to determine possible radiation hazards. Radioactive Materials Program (RMP) staff perform approximately 80 investigations of radiation incidents annually. Members of the RMP are prepared to respond to any radiological emergency throughout the State 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Radiological and Environmental Assessment Section (REAS)
The REAS Section license and inspect Diffuse NARM licenses, decommissioning financial assurance, as well as review and inspection of complex radioactive materials licenses implementing decommissioning activities. Diffuse NARM is defined as naturally occurring or accelerator-produced radioactive material that has been concentrated, but not for the purpose of use in commercial, medical, or research activities. Examples of diffuse NARM would be activation products from particle accelerators, residuals from mineral processing or water treatment facilities. Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) is a subset of diffuse NARM. The section also provides technical assistance to the Department for review/oversight of site remediation cases or other investigations which involve radionuclides. Most such cases are managed by Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRP).
Nonionizing Radiation Section
The Nonionizing Radiation Section (NRS) maintains a registration and inspection program for all radiofrequency and microwave heaters, sealers and industrial ovens within the State of New Jersey operating at a frequency of 300 kHz to 100 GHz.
In addition, NRS provides general information to the public on power lines, cellular telephones, laser safety, microwave towers, electromagnetic fields, and other nonionizing radiation topics of interest to New Jersey citizens.
Radon Section
The Radon Section provides information to the public on the health risk of radon in the home; performs radon health risk and various technical studies; and certifies radon testing and mitigation businesses operating in New Jersey.
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