Table 10: Developing Comparisons for Risks due to Plutonium Exposure
Involuntary Risks

Risk
Outrage (1)
Health Study
Appropriateness (2)
Chronic
Natural
 Background
no
3
Outdoor Radon
no
1
Cosmic Rays
no
5
Chronic
Man-made
 Air Pollution
yes
3
Plutonium Fallout
from nuclear tests
yes
1-2
2nd-hand smoke
yes
3
Polonium 210
in 2nd-hand smoke
yes
2
Living with a
smoke detector
no
4
Red Dye #5
yes
5
Asbestos
yes
5
Industrial
toxic chemicals
yes
3
Immediate
"Acts of God"
 Lightning Strike
no
5
Torando
no
5
Meteorite
no
5
Flood
no
5
Immediate
 Sudden/
Imposed		 Plutonium Accidents
at other sites
yes
2
Hit by a Car
yes
5
Food Poisoning
yes
5
  1. For 'Outrage' a judgment was made as to whether or not the risk causes public anger, fear, defensiveness, frustration or suspicion.
  2. Risks were rated from Most Appropriate Comparisons (1) to Least Appropriate (5).

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