Since 1992, the PAGs have been updated three times; the following major changes have been made and are incorporated in the 2017 PAGs:
- Clarifying planning considerations related to the lower FDA Potassium Iodide (KI) guidance
- Deleting the thyroid-based evacuation threshold
- Providing additional language on using the Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (FRMAC) derived value tables
- Adding information from the appendices of the 1992 PAG Manual on how the PAG levels were set
- Providing explanation about the removal of the Relocation PAG of 50 mSv (5 rem) over 50 years to avoid confusion with long-term cleanup goals
- Applying the PAG Manual to incidents other than just nuclear power plant accidents
- Referring users to current food guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Providing basic planning guidance on reentry, cleanup and waste disposal
- Incorporating late phase (cleanup) guidance from the Department of Homeland Security’s Radiological Dispersal Device/Improvised Nuclear Device Planning Guidance
- Adding a two-tiered drinking water guidance addressing both people at the most sensitive life stages and also the general population
For more information, visit Protective Action Guides (PAGs).