Research and analysis

Environmental dosimetry: the current position and the implications for developing a framework for environmental protection

The report explores the control of radiation dosimetry to the environment from radiation waste management activities.

Documents

Environmental Dosimetry: The Current Position and the Implications for Developing a Framework for Environmental Protection

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Details

A previous report has shown that, in principle at least, there is a basis in current UK regulations and statutes for the development of criteria, and the application of controls, for the protection of the natural environment from any incremental radiation exposure from radioactive waste management activities [Woodhead, 1998].

The aims of this report are to:

  • consider what flora and fauna could be usefully included as reference types across Europe for radiation dosimetry modelling for the purpose of developing a framework for environmental protection;
  • consider to what level of complexity such models can reasonably be developed given the recognized constraints on the information that is likely to be available (or easily obtainable) concerning the radionuclide distributions in space and time both within, and external to, the organisms; and,
  • propose a transparent procedure by which the dose factors required for environmental dose assessment can be developed for the identified reference flora and fauna, and up-dated as required.
Published 1 January 2000