1. IAEA Programme on Occupational Radiation Protection in NORM Industries
Jizeng Ma
Occupational Radiation Protection Unit
Radiation Safety & Monitoring Section, NSRW

2. Content
Application of GSR Part -3 requirements into NORM industry sectors
Agency Definitions
Industry Characteristics
Graded Approach & Regulation of NORM (with national authority and industry approaches)
Related IAEA Safety Requirements & Guidance,
On-going activities of the Agency in regard to NORM, and
Findings & suggestions of NORM VIII symposium
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3. NORM - Definition of the Agency
NORM (Naturally occurring radioactive material) definitions:
NORM: Radioactive material containing no significant amounts of radionuclides other than naturally occurring radionuclides (regulatory decision & activity concentration of process material is the key)
NORM Residues: Material that remains from a process and comprises or is contaminated by naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM).
NORM waste: Naturally occurring radioactive material for which no further use is foreseen.
Natural Sources
NORM
NORM Residues
NORM Waste
Therefore, a NORM residue may - or may not - be waste.
Source - IAEA Safety Glossary 2007 Edition
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4. The IAEA NORM Programme
NORM is a cross-cutting issue
Various groups in the Technical Departments of the Agency have NORM-related activities
Radiation protection
Waste management
Waste management technology
Radioactivity measurement
The IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme implements training events and some other assistance to the Member States related to NORM.
Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology
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5. NORM Industry Characteristics
The regulation of NORM industries often involves multiple regulatory authorities.
NORM industries are strongly driven by economic viability of individual projects. When profit margins are small the pressures to keep costs low are large.
Generally multi-hazards situations.
Radiological risk generally not dominant.
Doses always expected to be below thresholds for deterministic effects.
NORM residues are almost always long-lived.
Lack of RP culture and difficult to achieve the same level as nuclear industry.
Clear zoning may be difficult (classification of areas).
A graded approach is needed.
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6. Safety Requirements – GSR Part 3
An integrated and consistent set of Safety Requirements that establishes the requirements that must be met to ensure the protection of people and the environment, both now and in the future.
BSS follows ICRP 103 recommendations
Protection and Safety requirements of the BSS apply to all facilities and activities
Planned, emergency and existing exposure situations
Occupational, public and medical exposure categories
52 overarching requirements – for governments, regulatory bodies, industry, health and safety professionals, workers and public
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7. Graded approach to regulation
One of the key principles in the BSS
application of the requirements for planned exposure situations “shall be commensurate with characteristics of the practice or source and with the magnitude and likelihood of exposures.”
Particularly relevant for NORM industries
the exposures are generally moderate with little or no likelihood of extreme radiological consequences from accidents.
The graded approach optimizes the use of regulatory and operator resources
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8. Regulation of NORM
Activity concentration are specified in the GSR Part 3 as being values below which it is usually unnecessary to regulate, irrespective of the quantity of material or whether it is in its natural state or has been subject to some form of processing:
1 Bq/g for any radionuclide of the uranium and thorium series decay chains
10 Bq/g for 40K
These values can also be used as clearance levels for release of NORM residues from practices
Exposure to natural sources – normally considered as an existing exposure situation
However, with certain exceptions : requirements for planned exposure situations are applied
These values were derived by considering the upper end of the worldwide distribution of activity concentrations in soils.
Activities involving material in which either of the above activity concentration values is exceeded would, by implication, need to be considered by the regulatory body.
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9. Scope of regulation for NORM
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10. National regulatory approaches
Adopt BSS directly or with some modification
Wide acceptance of the Industry sectors most likely to require some form of regulatory consideration
Uranium mining and processing
Rare earths extraction
Thorium extraction & use
Niobium extraction
Non-U mining – incl. radon
Oil and gas
Production and use of TiO2
Phosphate Industry
Zircon & zirconia
Metals production (Sn, Cu, Al, Fe, Zn, Pb)
Burning of coal etc.
Water treatment – incl. radon
Still differences between countries or even within a country
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11. National regulatory approaches
General acceptance of the 1 Bq/g criterion
Need for an evidence based approach for regulatory decisions
Uncertainties in worker and public dose assessment
Conservative modelling and prediction of exposure scenarios far from real situations
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12. Industry-specific approach
No single approach is appropriate for all industrial processes – a challenge in deriving a uniform approach
The nature and level of the radiological risk varies considerably from one industrial process to another
Most of the actions taken to comply with regulation is situation specific and hard to generalise
Examples – Oil and gas industries,
Mining industries
Need for industry specific approach
IAEA - industry specific safety reports – widely recognized.
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13. Exposure of workers
Methodologies for realistic assessment of worker doses suffer from non-standardised approaches
Worker doses < 1 mSv in most workplaces of NORM industries with few exceptions of U/Th mining and processing, rare earths extraction etc.
Potential for higher exposures if adequate control measures are not implemented.
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14. Previous Agency work on NORM
Safety Reports Series 49 addresses the question under what circumstances does it become necessary to regulate?
The characteristics of NORM and the implications for their management are specific to the industrial process.
(2006)
(2007)
(2011)
(2012)
(2013)
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15. Previous Agency work on NORM management
The NORM VIII symposia – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Oct 2016.
The Agency also develops many topical reports on aspects of NORM Management
(2015)
(2011)
(2010)
(2013)
(2013)
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16. Safety Guides applicable to NORM
Brief description of each document
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17. Documents Safety Standards: Occupational Radiation Protection (DS453)
Safety Reports and other supporting documents (under preparation):
Uranium mining & processing (completed, under publication),
Coal and Coal Ash industry (on going ),
RP and NORM Residue Management in the Industrial Uses of Thorium (completed, under publication)
Available Training Materials
Training course series No.40 – Oil and gas industry
Training Package on ORP in NORM Industries (5 days programme with case studies)
NORM Publications IAEA official web-site)
Exposure to Radiation from Natural Sources
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18. New audience with weak awareness of radiation and radiation safety
DS459 Safety Guide on Management of Radioactive Residues from Uranium Production and Other NORM Activities
Background
Focus on residues generated from uranium production and other activities
For residues of new generation and new facilities, including from operation, decommissioning and remediation
New audience with weak awareness of radiation and radiation safety
Less developed knowledge and experience to NORM residues compared with those for radiation sources and nuclear fuel cycle
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19. Based on the Requirements on NORM Residues in GSR Part 3)
3.1(f) the mining and processing of raw materials that involve exposure due to radioactive material;
3.4 (a) Exposure due to material in any practice specified in para.3.1 where the activity concentration in the material of any radionuclide in the uranium or thorium decay chains is greater than 1 Bq/g or the activity concentration of 40 K is greater than 10 Bq/g.
3.4 (b) Public exposure delivered by discharges or in the management of radioactive waste arising from a practice involving material as specified in para. 3.4 (a)
I-4. For radionuclides of natural origin, exemption of bulk amounts of material is necessary considered on a case by case basis by using a dose criterion of the order of 1 mSv in a year, commensurate with typical doses due to natural background levels of radiation.
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20. Structure of DS459 1. Introduction 2. Overview of NORM Residues
3. Governmental, legal and regulatory framework
4. Protection of people and the environment
5. System for regulatory control
6. Strategies for NORM residue management
7. The safety case and safety assessment for NORM residues management
8. Safety consideration for long term Management of NORM Residues
Appendix A. Special considerations of residues from uranium production
Appendix B. Residue management plan for uranium production
Appendix C. Decommissioning plan for uranium production facility
References
Annex I. Residue be assessed for possible regulatory control
Annex II. Reuse and Recycling of NORM Residues
Annex III. Sampling and determining radionuclide activity concentrations
Annex IV. Bibliography
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21. System for Regulatory Control
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22. International initiatives
ICRP Task Group 76 “Application of the Commission’s Recommendations into the NORM industries”
Launched in 2010, membership updated in 2013 & still active
To develop a report on the application of the Commission’s recommendations (ICRP 103) on radiological protection against enhanced exposures from industrial processes using NORM (existing exposure situation)
To complete the series of reports on existing exposure situations (Pub. 111, 126, TG 83)
After 2017 ICRP symposium, the report will be introduced for consultation (through ICRP web-page)
EC Working Party on exposure to natural sources of ionising radiations (WP NAT), quite new (first meeting in Feb 2017)
Established under Article 31 of the EURATOM Treaty
To discuss and propose solutions to current issues related to radiation protection of individuals subject to exposure to natural sources of ionising radiations.
To be used by the Commission to develop guidance supporting the implementation of Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM
Priority areas; Rn at workplaces, Building materials, NORM industries, Rn Action Plans
IAEA has observer status for both of the committees
Application of the Commission's Recommendations to the Protection of People Living in Long-term Contaminated Areas after a Nuclear Accident or a Radiation Emergency, ICRP Publication 111
Radiological Protection against Radon Exposure, ICRP Publication 126
Draft Report for Consultation: Radiological Protection from Cosmic Radiation in Aviation, TG 83 (consultation is over)
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23. NORM VIII (18-21 Oct 2016, Brazil)
Organized by IRD of Brazil , cosponsored by IAEA and some other international organizations
Attended by 180 experts from 31 countries
Findings & suggestions
Standards; very well understood, exemption level for regulation with graded approach (many countries have similar type of understanding, regulations, ordinance, regulatory guıdance, etc.), however still fractured
Robust regulatory systems (avoid from regulatory burden with good structured policy and strategies)
Guidance on applications, practical cases studies (dilution, blending, building materials etc.), NOT gold standards
Transferring knowledge in a timely manner
Industry oriented guidance (need to work more closely)
Regulator is driving the system, but much more industry input is needed.
NORM requires long term commitment.
Slight deviation from Radiation Protection to OH&S requirements (radiation is not the dominant and one of the risk agent)
Balancing risk and its management (holistic approach)
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24. Next NORM Symposium
Session on NORM – Environment, Radioecology, Remediation, decommissioning, waste management strategies
Industry representation for experience sharing: Invited speakers from RP Offices from key NORM industries
(Zircon , IFA – International Fertilizer Association, Titanium Dioxide Association)
Rare-earth NORM industry
Regulators from Developing countries
Site visit to a NORM facility
Practical information courses -Refresher course about NORM practical, studies
Remote sessions (such as webinars)
Change the style of the symposium, more time for discussions, poster presentations is a good practice that should continue
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25. Conclusions
Radiation protection experience is limited in many NORM industry sectors, uranium mining being an exception.
Industry specific guidance is needed to address the radiological issues of NORM industries
Synergies with the conventional worker health and safety issues should be strengthened.
NORM industries are lacking to develop a common language for engaging open and transparent dialogues with stakeholders (e.g. decision makers, regulators, the public, industry, etc.).
Building stakeholder trust is important for management and operation of NORM sites.
Continuing to provide appropriate standards for management of NORM, and providing for the application of these standards are drivers of Agency’s programme for NORM.
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26. Thank you!
Thank you!