Regulatory control of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in the Nordic countries : Report from working group Nordic NAT

Radiological risks associated with naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) have been fully recognized in recent decades, and hence, resulted in the integration of NORM radiation protection requirements within the EU Directive 2013/59 and IAEA BSS (2014). Still, it has been internationally emphasized that NORM-related knowledge gaps and uncertainties might present issues in coping with the existing regulatory requirements during their transposition and implementation into national legislations and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, NORM is one of the main subjects in the recently formed Nordic working group on natural ionizing radiation (WG Nordic[1]Nat). NORM regulatory approaches for radiation protection control, possibilities for collaboration, scientific projects and joint research, monitoring programmes, communication issues, etc. are considered within the group, based on the defined mandate. The current report is a result of the first joint WG Nordic-Nat activity related to NORM, and it provides an overview of national legislations, regulatory approaches and practices concerning NORM across Nordic countries i.e., Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Denmark, Finland and Sweden are member states of the European Union (EU), and hence, the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom (EU BSS) containing NORM specific requirements has been adopted and implemented in the legislation of these countries. Although Norway and Iceland are not member states of the EU, and thus not bound by the EU BSS, legislation and regulatory approaches for NORM have also been developed in these countries according to the international standards and specific country circumstances. Both differences and similarities related to the legislation, adopted regulatory control approaches for handling of NORM in the industries, NORM waste management and disposal as well as for environmental discharge control have been seen across Nordic countries, and are presented in this report. Furthermore, a provided description of the approahes in regulatory control of NORM-processing industries, NORM waste and pollution in the Nordic countries allows an identification of the common interest for NORM specific issues. The potential topics for future WG Nordic-Nat collaboration have been identified as (a) use of dose criteria for exemption and clearance of NORM and NORM industries from notification and authorization; (b) safety and environmental assessments for radioactive NORM waste disposal and discharge; (c) regulatory control of multi[1]contaminants in NORM waste; (d) environmental monitoring in NORM processing industries and disposal sites; (e) inspections in facilities involving NORM; (f) NORM legacy sites and remediation; (g) stakeholder engagement and risk communication in NORM; (h) transboundary movement of NORM waste for disposal and NORM contaminated materials for processing, and finally, (i) potential update of Nordic flag book - publication “Naturally Occurring Radiation in the Nordic Countries (Recommendations, 2000)

Miljøkonsekvenser knyttet til radionuklider og sporelementer i det thoriumrike Fensfeltet i Norge

The Fen Complex which is situated in the south of Norway, represents a magmatic bedrock area enriched in thorium (Th), iron (Fe), niobium (Nb) and rare earth elements (REE), and is well known for the elevated levels of natural ionizing radiation. This area has been of public interest from the 17th century when Fe mining started in the central wooded zone of the Fen Complex. Intensive mining of Fe continued until the 20th century, while mining and the production of ferro-niobium were conducted at the site Søve in the western part of the Complex in 1950s. Recently, intensive focus has been directed to the estimated large quantities of Th and REE ores, their value and possibility for future use, but also to environmental issues linked to the legacy enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in the area. Many studies investigating different aspects of specific bedrock geology, as well as human health risk related to elevated ionizing radiation levels in the area, have been published. Still, no comprehensive investigation of different environmental compartments and radionuclides impact on biota at both legacy enhanced and undisturbed NORM sites in the Fen Complex has been undertaken. The present work was initiated as an integrated ecological and human impact assessment whose main objectives were to assess the possible radionuclide and trace elements contamination of the Fen Complex environment, impact on biota and radiation doses to humans due to outdoor radiation exposure. The Fen Complex area which is comprised of both legacy NORM and undisturbed 232Th-rich sites served as a natural laboratory where environmental compartments and biota could be investigated in the natural state, under realistic conditions. With respect to the specific Fen area and previously published data, the main focus of this work was on radionuclides such as 232Th and uranium (238U) and their progenies, as well on trace elements such as arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb). The generated data provided information on the current environmental status at both undisturbed and legacy NORM sites in the area, and could be used in planning of eventual remediation activities or for future monitoring. To assess the impact of radionuclides and trace elements on the ecosystem and humans, information was needed regarding the characterization, mobility and biological uptake of radionuclides and trace elements, as well as their different exposure pathways. These aspects were studied and presented in five scientific papers on which this thesis is based on.Fensfeltet, lokalisert i Sør Norge, representer et magmatisk berggrunnsområde beriket med thorium (Th), jern (Fe), niob (Nb) og sjeldne jordelementer (REE). Det er velkjent for forhøyet nivå av naturlig ioniserende stråling. Fensfeltet har vært av offentlig interesse siden 1600-tallet da gruvedriften av Fe begynte i sentral skogkledd sone. Det ble drevet intensiv gruvedrift av Fe frem til 1900-tallet, mens gruvedrift og produksjon av ferro-niob ble gjennomført på 1950-tallet i Søve gruver, i den vestlige delen av komplekset. Nylig ble fokus igjen rettet mot Fensfeltet og store estimerte konsentrasjoner av Th og REE, deres verdi og muligheter for fremtidig bruk, samt mot miljøproblematikk knyttet til historiske NORM områder som eksisterer i området. Det har blitt publisert flere studier som forsket på forskjellige aspekter av spesifikk berggrunnsgeologi, samt helserisiko for mennesker relatert til forhøyede nivåer av forhøyet ioniserende stråling i område. Fortsatt har ingen omfattende forskning på forskjellige miljøaspekter og påvirkning av planter i verken tidligere gruveområder eller uforstyrrede NORM områder i Fensfeltet blitt gjennomført. Dette arbeidet ble initiert som en integrert studie for miljøvurdering. Hovedmålet var å få til risikovurdering av av Fensfeltet fra radioaktivitet og metaller blant annet ved å se på påvirkning av biota og stråledoser for mennesker gjennom utendørs eksponering. Fensfeltet, bestående av både tidligere gruveområder med NORM og uforstyrrede områder rike på 232Th, ble brukt som naturlige laboratorier hvor jord, vann, luft og biota kunne undersøkes under realistiske forhold. Basert på tidligere publiserte data og opplysninger om området, ble hovedfokus rettet mot radionuklider som 232Th, uran (238U) og deres døtre samt sporelementer som arsen (As), krom (Cr), kadmium (Cd) og bly (Pb). Genererte data ga opplysninger om nåværende miljøstatus i både uforstyrrede og historiske NORM områder. Disse dataene kan bli brukt til planlegging av eventuelle aktiviteter for utbedring og fremtidig overvåkning. For å vurdere radionukliderelatert påvirkning av økosystemet og mennesker, var det nødvendig å gjøre karakterisering av forskjellige prøver, undersøke mobilitet og biologisk opptak av radionuklider og sporelementer, samt deres eksponeringsvei og påvirkning av biota og mennesker. Disse aspektene ble studert og presentert i fem vitenskapelige artikler som denne doktoravhandlingen er basert på

Micro-analytical characterization of thorium-rich aggregates from Norwegian NORM sites (Fen Complex, Telemark)

In this study we performed microscopic characterization of mineral particles that were collected in the thorium-rich Fen Complex in Norway and identified and isolated based on autoradiography in function of their radioactivity. For this we combined information obtained with X-ray absorption $μ$-CT, $μ$-XRF and $μ$-XRD, both in bi- and in three-dimensional (tomographic) mode. We demonstrate that radionuclides and metals are heterogeneously distributed both within soil samples and within individual Th-enriched aggregates, which are characterised as low-density mineral bulk particles with high density material inclusions, where Th as well as several metals are highly concentrated. For these sites, it is important to take into account how these inhomogeneous distributions could affect the overall environmental behaviour of Th and progeny upon weathering due to human or environmental factors. Moreover, the estimated size of the Th-containing inclusions as determined in this work represents information of importance for the characterization of radionuclides and toxic metals exposure, as well as for assessing the viability of mining for Th and rare-earth metals in the Fen Complex and the associated environmental impact

A methodology for the systematic identification of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM)

International audienc

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

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