What makes radiation protection so challenging?

Abstract

This commentary explores the challenges in radiation safety that derives from the inherent complexity of social–ecological systems. The framework needed to address the challenges acknowledges the characteristics of wicked problems in this era of postnormal science. My objective for this piece is to summarize relevant characteristics of social–ecological systems that underscore the importance, even the necessity, of adopting a holistic approach to radiation safety. This work builds on several publications that have come out of the ecosystems approach working group of the International Union of Radioecology. The nature of wicked problems is that they require meaningful engagement among diverse groups of affected stakeholders so that negotiated consensus regarding assessment and management for radiation safety can be achieved. I conclude by stating that this approach is complementary to the reference animal and plant approach, that it is consistent with the views for postnormal science, and it conforms with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) that were adopted in 2015.

Keywords:

• Wicked problems
• social–ecological systems
• radiation safety
• reference animal and plant (RAP)
• postnormal science

Acknowledgement

The author thanks Andrej Rusin for his assistance in reviewing and formatting the manuscript prior to submission.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lawrence A. Kapustka

Lawrence A. Kapustka received his Ph.D. in Botany and Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma. He held faculty positions at the University of Wisconsin-Superior and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he advanced to the rank of Full Professor. He led the Plant Toxicology and Hazardous Waste Teams at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Corvallis, Oregon and contributed to the Risk Assessment Forum. He has worked as a consultant since 1991 in the areas of ecotoxicology, ecological risk assessment, ecosystem services, and sustainability. With 40+ years of experience in basic and applied ecological aspects of environmental assessment and management, his work has extended across a wide range of topics involving natural sciences and environmental policy. For the past 10 years, he has been a member of the Ecosystems Approach Working Group of the International Union of Radioecology.