Is it necessary to raise awareness about technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials?

Abstract

Since radiation risks are usually considered to be related to nuclear energy, the majority of research on radiation protection has focused on artificial radionuclides in radioactive wastes, spent nuclear fuel or global fallout caused by A-bomb tests and nuclear power plant failures. Far less attention has been paid to the radiation risk caused by exposure to ionizing radiation originating from natural radioactivity enhanced due to human activity, despite the fact that technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials are common in many branches of the non-nuclear industry. They differ significantly from "classical" nuclear materials and usually look like other industrial waste. The derived radiation risk is usually associated with risk caused by other pollutants and can not be controlled by applying rules designed for pure radioactive waste. Existing data have pointed out a strong need to take into account the non-nuclear industry where materials containing enhanced natural radioactivity occur as a special case of radiation risk and enclose them in the frame of the formal control. But up to now there are no reasonable and clear regulations in this matter. As a result, the non-nuclear industries of concern are not aware of problems connected with natural radioactivity or they would expect negative consequences in the case of implementing radiation protection measures. The modification of widely comprehended environmental legislation with requirements taken from radiation protection seems to be the first step to solve this problem and raise awareness about enhanced natural radioactivity for all stakeholders of concern.

Assessment of radionuclide and metal contamination in a thorium rich area in Norway

“…Further, need for regulation and radiation protection and necessity to raise awareness about TENORM have been stated previously. 19,20 On the other side, data on concentrations of NORM and TENORM in the environment are important for assessment of radiation impact on non-human species, as emphasized by Brown et al, 21 ICRP 22 and Beresford et al 23,24 The annual total effective radiation dose to population in the Fen area is up to a factor of 4 higher than the average radiation dose (2.9 mSv per annum) estimated for the Norwegian people. [25][26][27] Focus of many investigations, previously done in this area, has been on Fen complex unique geology formation and its relationship with the enhanced content of 232 Th, 238 U and REE, [28][29][30] increased gamma radiation dose rates and human radon risk estimation.…”

Pathways of Radioactive Substances in the Environment

“…4 Migration of and exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides can be significantly enhanced by industrial activities, such as mining and mineral processing, in particular in production of phosphate, 31,32 oil production and combustion of coal (which contains trace quantities of radionuclide) in power stations. 31,33,34 The radionuclide concentrations in different types of coals range from 12-435 Bq kg -1 for 238 U; 21-309 Bq kg -1 for 226 Ra; 7.5-56 Bq kg -1 for 232 Th and 6-398 Bq kg -1 for 40 K. 34 When coal fuel is burnt in power plants the ashes generated are enriched in metals and radionuclides. The amount of ash released into the atmosphere from coal-fired power plants can vary from 10% in an old plant, to 0.5 % in modern emission-controlled power plants.…”

Remediation of TENORM residues: risk communication in practice

“…To ease this lack of adjustment to the neighboring protection disciplines, rather than considering an additional radiological regulation, it is essential to improve coordination and harmonisation. For risk assessment scenarios in environmental protection issues, linking up neighboring protection disciplines would facilitate the transfer of existing regulatory guidance values and diminish the publicly perceived special handling that radioactive substances need in any given case (Michalik 2009).…”