Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety. 2021. Vol. 66. № 4. P. 54–57

Justification of Remediation Criteria of Uranium Legacy Sites

A.V. Titov, N.K. Shandala, Yu.S. Belskikh, D.V. Isaev, М.P. Semenova,
T.A. Doronieva, K.Yu. Oskina, Yu.V. Gushchina 

A.I. Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center, Moscow, Russia

Contact person:  Alexey Viktorovich Titov: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To present approaches to establishing the criteria for remediation of sites contaminated due to past activities of uranium mining and milling facilities. These facilities are considered today as uranium legacy.

Results: This paper presents the justified reference levels expressed in terms of annual effective dose values, which are recommended for using as remediation criteria for sites contaminated due to past activities of uranium mining and milling facilities (uranium legacy sites). 

Depending on further use of the sites after remediation, these criteria range from 1 µSv/year, in case of temporary presence of the population, to 10 µSv/year, in case of permanent residence of the population and conducting economic activities.

Conclusions: In accordance with the international basic safety standards, accepted more than 10 years ago, exposure situations from radioactive material retained from previous activities refer to the existing exposure situation.

Nevertheless, neither Federal Law “On Radiation Safety of the Population” nor Radiation Safety Standards have so far introduced terms “existing exposure situation” covering exposure at nuclear and uranium legacy sites and “reference level”, which is used to assure radiation safety of the population living at legacy sites or using these sites for the purpose of the economic activities.

Key words: uranium legacy, remediation criteria, site using areas, natural radionuclides, radioactive contamination, remediation, past activities, manmade radionuclides, specific activity

For citation: Titov AV, Shandala NK, Belskikh YuS, Isaev DV, Semenova МP, Doronieva TA, Oskina KYu, Gushchina YuV Justification of Remediation Criteria of Uranium Legacy Sites. Medical Radiology and Radiation Safety 2021;66(4):54-57.

DOI: 10.12737/1024-6177-2021-66-4-54-57

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Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Financing. The study had no sponsorship.

Contribution. Article was prepared with equal participation of the authors.

Article received: 16.02.2021. 

Accepted for publication: 20.04.2021.