Practical radioecology support in the management and regulatory supervision of legacy sites.

Legacy sites are a global issue. Experience has shown that every legacy site is different and case-specific management and remediation options have to be considered. Each site presents a unique mix of physical, chemical and radiological hazards and the significance of those hazards is likely to change over time. A life-cycle approach to remediation is therefore appropriate, with priority consideration allocated according to the major hazards, as technically determined by reference to policy on protection objectives and the corresponding regulatory requirements. Additionally, consideration will typically need to be given to wider issues as may be raised by stakeholders. The remediation approach also needs to take account of the waste management options on-site or involving off-site management and disposal. Radiological and wider environmental impact assessments are a crucial part of the holistic evaluation of hazards and risks (along with economic and societal impacts), which in turn underpin project planning, regulatory and wider decision making. This paper examines the role of radioecology in the assessment process, its contribution to reduction of scientific uncertainties in modelling ecosystem processes of release, transport and fate of radionuclides and evaluation of potential ensuing impacts on humans and the environment. Relevant examples are presented to illustrate the complexities of the processes in regulatory decision making, the various conditions that significantly affect the final solutions and how radioecology can be used in these situations. Whilst a case-specific approach will usually need to be taken to legacy sites, future remediation and clean-up work can be helpfully informed through sharing of experience from other sites. Continued international collaboration between all parties involved in legacy site management is therefore needed to inform on the development of practical regulatory guidance and to ensure that radioecological research is focussed on addressing the key issues that give rise to uncertainties that challenge regulatory and wider decision making.

NORWEGIAN-RUSSIAN COOPERATION IN NUCLEAR LEGACY REGULATION: CONTINUING EXPERIENCE AND LESSONS.

Safe management of nuclear legacies arising from past activities is a critical issue in maintaining confidence for the continuing and future use of radioactive materials. Effective and efficient regulatory supervision of nuclear legacy management is a critical part of that process. The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority plays an active role in bilateral regulatory cooperation projects with sister authorities in the Russian Federation, as part of Norway's Plan of Action to improve radiation and nuclear safety. Based on this experience and by reference to specific legacy sites and facilities, this study provides an overview of the substantial progress made in remediation at the Site of Temporary Storage for spent fuel and radioactive waste at Andreeva Bay and presents radiation protection issues arising from the experience and lessons learned in this work. It is suggested that this experience can be useful in the further development of international recommendations, standards and guidance on remediation of nuclear legacies.

International Collaboration on Regulatory Supervision / Colaboración Internacional de la Supervisión Reguladora

ABSTRACT This paper describes the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority’s experience in regulatory cooperation projects in Russia, with special emphasis on inherited problems. This inheritance includes a large amount of waste sources, such as those used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators, and remediation of former military sites used for storage of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The goals of the cooperation programme are to promote effective and efficient regulatory supervision, taking into account international recommendations and good practice in other countries. The specific projects in the program are aimed at specific challenges, which require practical local interpretation of ICRP recommendations, the IAEA Basic Safety Standards and other IAEA requirements and guidance documents. In some cases, new regulatory documentation has been required, as well as new regulatory procedures. In the long term, the program is intended to lead to an enhanced and enduring safety culture. The positive experience in Russia encouraged the Norwegian government in 2008 to extend the regulatory collaboration programme to the countries in Central Asia, based on the experience gained from Russian regulatory authorities as well as from support of Russian Technical Support Organisations. The programmes are evolving into a regional regulatory support group. Noting this experience, the paper includes suggestions and ideas about how such regional groups can be effective in addressing common radiation safety objectives while addressing local differences in technical, geographical, economic and cultural matters in each country.

RESUMEN El trabajo describe la experiencia de la Autoridad Reguladora Noruega en el proyecto de cooperación reguladora en Rusia, con un enfoque especial en los problemas legados. Esta herencia incluye gran cantidad de fuentes como desechos, como las utilizadas en los generadores termoeléctricos radisotópicos (RTG) y la remediación de antiguos emplazamientos militares utilizados para el almacenaje de combustible nuclear gastado y desechos radiactivos. Los objetivos de los programas de cooperación son promover una supervisión reguladora efectiva y eficiente, teniendo en cuenta las recomendaciones internacionales y las buenas prácticas en otros países. Los proyectos específicos en el programa están dirigidos a retos específicos, los cuales requieren de una interpretación práctica local de las recomendaciones del ICRP, las Normas Básicas de Seguridad y otros requerimientos del OIEA, así como sus documentos guías. En algunos casos se han nacesitado nuevos requerimientos reguladores, así como nuevos procedimientos reguladores. El programa pretende que alcance a largo plazo, una mejorada y duradera cultura de seguridad. La experiencia positiva de Rusia fue estimulada por el Gobierno Noruego en el 2008, a extender ese programa de cooperación reguladora a países de Asia Central, usando la experiencia que se obtuvo tanto de las autoridades reguladoras como de apoyo técnico rusas. Los programas evolucionan hacia un grupo de apoyo regulador regional. Teniendo en cuenta esta experiencia, este trabajo incluye sugerencias e ideas de cómoel grupo regional puede ser efectivo en el tratamiento de los objetivos comunes de seguridad, inclusive cuando se traten con diferencias técnicas, geográficas, económicas y en materia cultural en cada país.