Nuclear power plants, dismantling

Antinuclear activists warn that the release of tritium-containing water from the retired Indian Point nuclear reactors, and demolition of their structure, will release radioactive materials and they may be damaging. https://www.commondreams.org/news/indian-point-wastewater I can't say that is impossible, but the arguments presented in this article by Caldecott and other opponents are based on an error.

It is true that no amount of radiation exposure is so small as to be absolutely harmless. It does not follow that any increment in radiation or radioactive material, not matter how small, is cause for great alarm. Radiation is everywhere, and radionuclides are everywhere. Adding a tiny fraction of the amount already present has an effect which is nonzero, but the resulting increment in danger may be so small as to be insignificant as regards public health.

Will the tritium releases of the operations now planned cause a significant increment in danger? I don't know the answer; I don't know how to calculate it. But that is the proper basis for judging these issues.

The release of tritiated water is one issue, and dust from the demolition is another issue. It could be that one is dangerous and the other is not. Each one ought to be studied and calculated.