TOWARDS EFFECTIVE RADIATION PROTECTION BASED ON IMPROVED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS -FOCUS ON RADON AND NORM

RadoNorm-prosjektet skal gi ny kunnskap om radon og materiale med forhøyet innhold av naturlig forekommende radioaktive stoffer (NORM). Hensikten med prosjektet er å redusere usikkerhet om eksponering, tiltak, effekter og kommunikasjon om radon og NORM. Omtrent halvparten av strålingseksponeringen til befolkningen kommer fra radon i inneluft. Det er vel kjent at radon øker risiko for lungekreft, men det er mulig at også andre kreftformer kan knyttes til radoneksponering. NORM kan også gi forhøyede stråledoser. Særlig gjelder dette i NORM-industri, i avfallsbehandling eller i områder med spesielt høye verdier av NORM i bergarter. «RadoNorm» vil bidra til en god forvaltning og håndtering av radon og NORM, i samsvar med nye regelverkskrav i Europa. Prosjektet vil også bidra til å utdanne nye forskere i strålevern, noe som er viktig for å sikre kompetansen på lengre sikt.

The research and innovation actions of the RadoNorm project will be divided into work packages with well-designed organisation and regular information exchange strategy. Five Work Packages (WPs) are developed to reach the project main goal and secondary goals. These are given as: WP2 - Assessment of radon and NORM exposure situations; WP3 -Radon and NORM dosimetry; WP4 - Effects and risks from exposures to radon and NORM; WP5 - Mitigation of radon and NORM exposure situations; WP6 - Societal aspects of radiation protection with regard to radon and NORM exposures. The cross-cutting topics of E&T, and dissemination and communication will be dealt with in WP7 and WP8, respectively. The management of RadoNorm will be the responsibility of WP1. The RadoNorm adopts a multidisciplinary approach that covers the following disciplines required for proper exposure and risk assessment, risk management and risk communication of radon and NORM: · applicable metrology measurements, · pragmatic and realistic characterisation of radon and NORM exposure situations, · pragmatic and realistic radioecological assessments, · applicable and feasible dosimetry, · translational and applied radiobiology and toxicology, · epidemiology based on validated dosimetry and combined with molecular methods, · adverse effect-based modelling, validated by observational data, · applicable and feasible mitigation methods and technologies, · behavioural and social science approaches for risk perception, communication, ethics, economy analyses. The project will gather numerous scientists and experts in a collaboration of 56 European institutions from 22 different countries. The project has duration of 5 years, with planned start in autumn 2020. The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) will participate in WP2, WP4 and WP5 as Task Leader and participant in various activities related to both radon and NORM. This proposal is for DSA's participation in the 5-years RadoNorm project programme.