Radiation Protection

COMPLY

A computerized screening tool for evaluating radiationradiationEnergy given off as either particles or rays. exposure from atmospheric releases of radionuclides. May be used for demonstrating compliance with some EPA and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations, including the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPS) in 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart H and Subpart I.

Version 1.7.1 has been tested on systems running Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. A local hard drive or other local storage is required. Version 1.7.1 may not be compatible with all printers. Users encountering difficulty printing should write the output to a file rather than direct to a printer.

Download
Background & Application
Strengths & Limitations

COMPLY, Version 1.7.1(1 pg, 454 K)

Guide for Determining Compliance With the Clean Air Act Standards for Radionuclide Emissions From NRC-Licensed and Non-DOE Federal Facilities: Revision 2

User's Guide for the Comply Code: Revision 2

PDF Windrose Files (ZIP)(304 K)

Background

In 1985, EPA asked the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) to develop simple screening methods for assessing compliance with the Clean Air Act by users of small quantities of radionuclideradionuclideRadioactive forms of elements are called radionuclides. Radium-226, Cesium-137, and Strontium-90 are examples of radionuclides.s. NCRP published these procedures in 1986 and 1989 in "Commentary No. 3" (NCRP 89). EPA's COMPLY model was developed based on the procedures in "Commentary No. 3."

Application

COMPLY calculates the effective doseeffective doseThe amount of radiation absorbed by an object or person, adjusted to account for the type of radiation received and the effect on particular organs. The unit used for effective dose is rem (U.S. unit) or sievert (Sv, the international unit). equivalent (ede) from radionuclides released from stacks and vents. Atmospheric concentrations are estimated using a Gaussian plume model and equations that account for building wake effects.

The COMPLY computer software includes four increasing levels of complexity. A user can demonstrate compliance at any level. Level 1 requests the least amount of information, however "worst case" assumptions are used in the dose estimate. Level 4 requests the most information and uses site specific data instead of assuming the worst. The values estimated by this screening model are strictly for comparison with environmental standards and are not intended to represent actual doses to real people.