unece monitoring of radiologically contaminated scrap metal. geneva 5-7 april 2004 belgium unece...

UNECE Monitoring of Radiologically Contaminated Scrap Metal. Geneva 5-7 April 2004

BELGIUM

UNECE Monitoring of Radiologically Contaminated Scrap

Metal

Geneva 5 - 7 April 2004


Addressed Risks

• First– Radioprotection – exposure of the population– Industrial damage-interests, customers

– Also potential security issues


Legal FrameworkONDRAF/NIRAS• Responsible for all radioactive

waste (RW) on Belgian territory– Qualification of installations for

treatment and conditioning of RW

– Establishment of acceptance criteria for conditioned and unconditioned RW

– Specific decommissioning missions

– Study of disposal solutions for enriched fissile material

FANC• Authorisation of any activity

using ionising radiation– Safety criteria definition– Control of conformity– Inspections (with AVN)– Radioprotection– RW evacuation, transport,

releases, clearance– RW producers required to

register to ONDRAF/NIRAS


Government

Minister of Energy Minister of Interior

NIRAS FANC

STATE

SYNATOM

BELGOPROCESS

AVN / AVC

convention

INSPECTIONS

Waste owners / producers Licensees / operators

Wastemanagement

Authorities

SafetyAuthorities

Organizational Structure of the Relationships between the

Waste management Authorities and the Safety Authorities

ELECTRABEL


Safety Authorities

• The Federal Agency for Nuclear Control is created, and operational since 20 July 2001.

• It has enlarged competencies and autonomy.

• It regroups different bodies which were previously in charge of regulatory activities.


Main legal and organisational changes

Legal Organisation

Law of March 1958

Royal Decree of February 1963

SPRI Ministry of Public Health

SSTIN Ministry of Labour

Past

Present

Law of April 1994

Royal Decree of July 2001 Encompass all activities related to ionising radiations

Federal Agency for Nuclear Control FANC Independant body


Agency : Legal Missions (cont)

Article 15

To perform all useful investigations required:

• To define all the operating clauses.

• To study the safety and security relative to the establishments where ionising radiation is used.


Agency : Legal Missions (cont)

It includes :• Surveillance,• Controls,• Inspections,• Radioprotection,• Training and information,• Contacts with the Authorities and national organisations

concerned,• Interventions in case of emergency.

Article 15 (cont.)


The place of EURATOM

• Supranational structure – specific fields• Provisions transposed in national legal framework

according to chapter III –radioprotection-, [and also chapter VII –safeguards- ]– Article 37 related to project of radioactive release.– Directive 96/29 Basic safety standards (radioprotection)– Directive 92/3 RW shipments and regulation 1493/93– Directive on the control of high activity sealed

radioactive sources (to be implemented on 31 December 2005).


Solid RW evacuation, recycling, reuse

• Authorisation from FANC required based on :– Impact study

– Alternative scenarios (including decay on site)

– Description of procedures and techniques

– Traceability

– Activity and volume kept as low as reasonably achievable

– Radioprotection criteria


What does happen if Radioactive Material leave the tracks? (1)

• Causes: orphan sources (not often), medical waste (short life), industrial waste (NORM), Ores, lightning rods.

• Places: metal scrap yard, recycling installations, waste storage, incinerators.

• Detection: Monitors (portals), largely used although not mandatory unless for waste storage places (Wallonie).

• FANC develops in consultation with stakeholders procedures, already available, to be followed in case of detection of RM.– Detection advices (triggering levels, calibration…)


What does happen if Radioactive Material leave the tracks? (2)

– Procedure to isolate the RM if dose rate is < 2Sv/h.

– Call FANC and inspection body if dose rate is > 5Sv/h.

– Procedure to characterize the RM if dose rate is > 2Sv/h and dose rate is < 5Sv/h.

– Criteria to manage the RW and to send to ONDRAF/NIRAS


Responsibilities and Financing

• “Polluter-pays” principle• Identification of responsibilities sometimes

difficult• Once detected RM must be immobilized and

managed (no return before consultation and agreement of concerned authorities, national management framework are examined before sending back orphan sources).

• Financing on a case by case base.


Future steps

• Implementation of Directive on the control of HASS– Better traceability,

– Reinforced protection provisions for the use of high activity sealed sources

– Financing mechanisms for the recovery of orphan sources.

• Futher develop protocols and conventions with industries and involved sectors.


• Article 9• Orphan sources• 1. Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities are prepared, or

have made provision, including assignment of responsibilities, to recover orphan sources and to deal with radiological emergencies due to orphan sources and have drawn up appropriate response plans and measures.

• 2. Member States shall ensure that specialised technical advice and assistance is promptly made available to the persons, not normally involved in operations subject to radiation protection requirements, who suspect the presence of an orphan source. The primary aim of advice and assistance shall be the protection of workers and members of the public from radiation and the safety of the source.

• 3. Member States shall encourage the establishment of systems aimed at detecting orphan sources in places such as large metal scrap yards and major metal scrap recycling installations where orphan sources may generally be encountered, or at significant nodal transit points, wherever appropriate, such as customs posts.

• 4. Member States shall ensure that campaigns are organised, as appropriate, to recover orphan sources left behind from past activities.

• The campaigns may include the financial participation of Member States in the costs of recovering, managing and disposing of the sources and may also include surveys of historical records of authorities, such as customs, and of holders, such as research institutes, material testing institutes or hospitals.


• Article 10• Financial security for orphan sources• Member States shall ensure that, on the basis of

arrangements to be decided by Member States, a system of financial security is established or any other equivalent means to cover intervention costs relating to the recovery of orphan sources and which may result from implementation of the requirements set out in Article 9.

• Article 11• International cooperation and information exchange• Each Member State shall promptly exchange information

and cooperate with other relevant Member States or third countries and with relevant international organisations as regards loss, removal, theft or discovery of sources and as regards related follow-up or investigations, without prejudice to relevant confidentiality requirements and relevant national regulations.

unece monitoring of radiologically contaminated scrap metal. geneva 5-7 april 2004 belgium unece...

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