Environment International (May 2023)

Tools for harmonized data collection at exposure situations with naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM)

  • Jelena Mrdakovic Popic,
  • Hallvard Haanes,
  • Christian Di Carlo,
  • Cristina Nuccetelli,
  • Gennaro Venoso,
  • Federica Leonardi,
  • Rosabianca Trevisi,
  • Flavio Trotti,
  • Raffaella Ugolini,
  • Alla Dvorzhak,
  • Alicia Escribano,
  • Danyl Perez Sanchez,
  • Almudena Real,
  • Boguslaw Michalik,
  • Lea Pannecoucke,
  • Pascale Blanchart,
  • Antti Kallio,
  • Ruth Pereira,
  • Joana Lourenço,
  • Lindis Skipperud,
  • Simon Jerome,
  • Laureline Fevrier

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 175
p. 107954

Abstract

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Naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) contribute to the dose arising from radiation exposure for workers, public and non-human biota in different working and environmental conditions. Within the EURATOM Horizon 2020 RadoNorm project, work is ongoing to identify NORM exposure situations and scenarios in European countries and to collect qualitative and quantitative data of relevance for radiation protection. The data obtained will contribute to improved understanding of the extent of activities involving NORM, radionuclide behaviours and the associated radiation exposure, and will provide an insight into related scientific, practical and regulatory challenges.The development of a tiered methodology for identification of NORM exposure situations and complementary tools to support uniform data collection were the first activities in the mentioned project NORM work. While NORM identification methodology is given in Michalik et al., 2023, in this paper, the main details of tools for NORM data collection are presented and they are made publicly available.The tools are a series of NORM registers in Microsoft Excel form, that have been comprehensively designed to help (a) identify the main NORM issues of radiation protection concern at given exposure situations, (b) gain an overview of materials involved (i.e., raw materials, products, by-products, residues, effluents), c) collect qualitative and quantitative data on NORM, and (d) characterise multiple hazards exposure scenarios and make further steps towards development of an integrated risk and exposure dose assessment for workers, public and non-human biota.Furthermore, the NORM registers ensure standardised and unified characterisation of NORM situations in a manner that supports and complements the effective management and regulatory control of NORM processes, products and wastes, and related exposures to natural radiation worldwide.

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