To Enhance unceRtainties Reduction TOwards graded Risk management of humans and wildlife In long-lasting radiological Exposure Situations

The TERRITORIES project had the aims for an integrated and gradual management of contaminated territories characterized by long-term radioactivity in the environment, meeting the needs of the latest post-Fukushima experience, and publishing international and European basic safety standards. A gradual approach to assessing human and animal doses and dealing with prolonged exposure situations (where radiation protection is primarily managed as existing situations) was achieved by reducing uncertainty to a level that may be considered appropriate for the purpose. The project reports and articles produced, can be found on the TERRITORIES web page: https://territories.eu/ In addition, TERRITORIES has collected data from all its study sites, and collected these data in a database: TERRITORIES library. These data are available to anyone who wants to use them for modelling. Included in the library are lots of data from the Fen area (Ulefos, Norway). This project linked different disciplines that support the research in radiation (such as radioecology, human or ecological dose and risk assessments, social and humanities, etc.), which provided methodological guidance, supported by relevant case studies. The overall outcome was a framework forming basis for producing new dose guidance, risk management, and remediation of natural radioactivity (NORM) and radioactively contaminated sites as a result of an accident, in terms of uncertainty and commitment to decision making. The results of the project were widely disseminated to the various stakeholders and accompanied by an educational program. At the end of the project period, there was a large dissemination seminar, where all results and the guidance document were presented and discussed.

The guidance documents produced in the project are now available for all EC Member States, authorities and their TSO (technical support organisations), and will strengthen the credibility of risk assessment and management including remediation till decision making in exposure situations by settling a dialogue with stakeholders either from the expert community or lay people. Dissemination to the scientific community will be achieved through presentations at international conferences and publications both during the project and after the project has ended. Indeed, the project have contributed towards integration and capacity building by maintaining a high level and quality of dissemination and international profile for radiological protection through the website, workshops and sponsored courses.

Radiological protection of the public and wildlife exposed to environmental radioactivity has recently evolved due to the publication in 2014 of IAEA1 and European2 Basic Safety Standards, and the lessons learned in the recent international experience, mainly after the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident. The TERRITORIES project targets an integrated and graded management of contaminated territories characterised by long-lasting environmental radioactivity, filling in the needs emerged after the post-Fukushima experience and the publication of International and European Basic Safety Standards. This project will interlink research in sciences supporting radiation protection (such as radioecology, human or ecological dose and risk assessments, social sciences and humanities, etc.), providing methodological guidance, supported by relevant case studies. The overall outcome will be an umbrella framework, that will constitute the basis to produce novel guidance documents for dose assessment, risk management, and remediation of NORM and radioactively contaminated sites as the consequence of an accident, with due consideration of uncertainties and stakeholder involvement in the decision making process. The results will be widely disseminated to the different stakeholders and accompanied by an education and training programme.