The new Directive EURATOM BSS: current situation of the implementation and ERA's activities

THE NEW DIRECTIVE EURATOM BSS: Current situation of the
implementation and ERA’s activities
José-Luis GuJérrez Villanueva, on behalf of the European Radon Association
2nd International Workshop on the European Atlas of Natural
Radiation

1. RADON GAS: Fundamentals
Radiation

• Radon is …….
No more repetitions on what radon is. We all know
Radiation

Radiation

2. Upcoming legislation
Radiation

THE NEW DIRECTIVE EURATOM BASIC SAFEY STANDARDS
Radiation

Ø This document introduces radon gas into the system of radiological protection for the first time (radon in
dwellings)
Ø The council of European Union issued the final document in January 2014
Ø It aims to offer better protection for both: public and workplaces
Ø Radon reference levels: 300 Bq m−3 or lower
Ø Occupational exposure arrangements in workplaces
> 6 mSv y−1: Situation to be managed as a planned exposure situation
≤ 6 mSv y−1: Exposures need to be kept under review
Ø Establishment of a national radon action plan
Radiation

It is appropriate for this Directive to establish reference levels for indoor radon concentrations
and for indoor gamma radiation emitted from building materials . . .
Recent epidemiological findings from residential studies demonstrate a statistically significant
increase of lung cancer risk from prolonged exposure to indoor radon at levels of the order of
100 Bq m-3 . . .
National action plans are needed for addressing long-term risks from radon exposure . . .
Where, . . . , a Member State establishes a reference level for indoor radon concentrations in
workplaces that is higher than 300 Bq m-3, the Member State should submit the information to
the Commission . . .
Radiation

Article 2: . . . This Directive applies in particular to: . . . the exposure of workers or members of
the public to indoor radon, . . .
Article 74: Member States shall establish national reference levels for indoor radon
concentrations. The reference levels for the annual average activity concentration in air shall
not be higher than 300 Bq m−3
Article 103: Member States shall establish a national action plan addressing long-term risks
from radon exposures in dwellings, buildings with public access and workplaces for any source
of radon ingress . . . The action plan shall take into account the issues set out in Annex XVIII
Radiation

THE NEW DIRECTIVE EURATOM BASIC SAFEY STANDARDS: NAP (National Action Plan)
Radiation

THE NEW DIRECTIVE EURATOM BASIC SAFEY STANDARDS: NAP (National Action Plan)
List of 14 items to be covered:
Ø Estimation of indoor radon concentrations (surveys indoor radon, radon in soil gas)
Ø Criteria to identify areas with high radon exposure
Ø Reference levels: dwellings and workplaces
Ø To assign responsibilities in the administration
Ø Strategies to reduce radon exposure: prevention, remedial actions
Ø Revisions and updates of the action plan
Ø Strategy to communicate radon risk
Ø Guidance on methods
Ø Financial support
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3. Current state of EURATOM
BSS implementation
Radiation

IS
NO
CH
RU
BY
UA
MD
BA
XK
Brexit L
source:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europäische_Union;
modified
EU:
4.5 mill. km²
512 mill. pop.
GDP 20.8×1012 US$
[Wikipedia]
yellow:
candidate countries
VALIDITY OF EU LAW
Radiation

AUSTRIA
By NuclearVacuum - File:Location
European nation states.svg, CC BY-SA
3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/in
dex.php?curid=8105020
q Radon measurement at work places is mandatory at specific work
places with potentially elevated radon levels
q Steps on the implementation of EURATOM BSS:
Ø National radon action plan
Ø New reference level for dwellings and work places
Ø Mandatory radon measurements at work places located in
basement and ground floor rooms in radon areas
Taken from Valeria
Gruber’s presentation
at AARST 2017
Radiation

BELGIUM
Radiation
By NuclearVacuum - Location
3.0,
Ø Reference level for dwellings and work places
Ø Classification of the territory
Ø Radon measurement at work places is mandatory in certain
areas of the territory with high radon risk
Ø Graded approach for radon in workplaces (reference level,
notification, exposure (dose), licencing)
Ø Radon action plan for measurements, prevention, mitigation
and communication

CROATIA
Radiation
By Atoine85 - Own work, CC BY-SA
3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/i
ndex.php?curid=18821445
q Requirements of the Article 103 (Radon action plan) EC Directive 2013/59/
EURATOM and list of items to be considered in preparing action plan (Annex XVIII )
are incorporated into the draft version of Act on Amendments of the Act on
radiological and nuclear safety in procedure at the Croatian Parliament (expected
to be adopted until the middle of December 2017)
q Other provisions concerning radon issues will be transposed into Ordinances based
on Act on Amendments.
q Activities planned after the adoption of the Act: Radon workgroup; Radon action
plan (Reference level is tentative); IAEA expert mission organized (end of March
2018)

CZECH REPUBLIC
Radiation
3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde
x.php?curid=8105100
q New atomic law: 2017
q The entire country is declared Radon Risk Area
q Workplaces: radon measurements are mandatory
q Homes: radon measurements recommended but
not mandatory

DENMARK
Radiation
By NuclearVacuum -
File:Location European nation
states.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org
/w/index.php?curid=8097567
q Danish national strategy is in the final stages and will not make it compulsory
to measure radon in workplaces
q Danish radon map to be updated. 3 years measurement campaign to be
finished this year

FINLAND
Radiation
q STUK is the regulatory authority for work places, municipal health protection
for homes and public buildings (kindergartens, schools, museums etc.)
q Reference level for homes and public buildings 300 Bq/m3
q Areas in work places occupied more than 600 hours/year area specific
reference level (in unit of concentration) 300 Bq/m3
q Workers, whose working hours is divided between several areas and in some
areas occupied <600 hours/year à exposure specific reference level (in unit of
exposure) 500 kBqh/m3.
q If these reference levels cannot be met with practice and the work place
needs to apply for a license.
q Reference level will not be understood as action level, 300-400 Bq/m3, radon
mitigation will not be enforced, only recommended.
By NuclearVacuum - File:Location European
nation states.svgThis vector image was
created with Inkscape., CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.ph
p?curid=8105130

FRANCE
Radiation
European nation states.svgThis vector
image was created with Inkscape., CC BY-
SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.
php?curid=8096031
26/01/2016
- Publication of a « Guide for Radon risk assesment for local authorities »
- Publication of a « Guide for Radon risk assesment for employers »
10/02/2016
- Ordinance n° 2016-128 - Radon risk information has to be provided during real estate
transactions
à An order will be published with the new radon map.
à A decree implementing the directive of the ordinance 2016-128
26/01/2017
- Publication of the 3rd NAP (National Action Plan) 2016-2019
à The Action level will decrease from 400 Bq.m-3 down to 300 Bq.m-3 for ERP*
à Radon risk assesment in underground, basement and ground floor workplaces in Radon
prone areas
à An new Radon map will be released soon . (precision level : from federal level to county
level)
* Etablissement recevant du public à public-access building

European nation states.svg, CC BY-
SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w
/index.php?curid=8087888
q New radiation protection law already finished
q Radon Risk Areas: German states will identify them (2 years)
q Radon Risk Areas: 18 months deadline to investigate radon issues at
workplaces
q Workplaces: to measure on floors with ground contact
q Mitigation. If this does not wok: PERSONAL DOSIMETRY
Radiation
GERMANY

Radiation
HUNGARY
European nation states.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.p
hp?curid=8105146
q The EURATOM BSS is implemented in the Govt. decree 487/2015. (XII. 30.)
http://www.oah.hu/web/v3/HAEAportal.nsf/CE4542A95AC3D4EBC1257F0
A0040FAF3/$File/487_2015_Govt_decree_corr.pdf
q The reference level in any kind of building is 300 Bq/m3 (building material:
1 mSv/y).
q The RPA is not nominated officially, but it is part of the Radon Action Plan,
which is under preparation.
q Hungarian RAP: to be published in Feb 2018

IRELAND
Radiation
By NuclearVacuum -
File:Locauropean nation states.svg,
CC BY-SA 3.0,
q Lead Department for transposition: Dept. of Communicatios, Climate Action
and Environment. Also with a role: HSE (Health and Safety Authority), EPA and
the Health Services Executive (medical)
q The consultation process has just closed and feedback is being worked through
by the stakeholders (see 2)
q Reduction on reference level
q Requirements to perform radon measurements
q Where to measure: Underground workplaces and aboveground workplaces in
HRA (EPA’s Rn map)
q Action plan: NRCS
q The consultation process has just closed and feedback is being worked through
by the stakeholders. Legislation will be implemented in January 2018

ITALY
Radiation
nation states.svgThis vector image was
created with Inkscape., CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php
?curid=8097099
q Transposition leaded by Ministry of Health, but involving (through working groups)
several other Ministries (Work, Environment, Economic Development, Research,
Justice, Civil Protection), Institutes (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISPRA, INAIL) and
Regional delegates.
q Transposition work not finished yet. A global law on radiation protection will be
approved by the Government and Parliament (in February-March 2018), referring to
some specific Decrees (e.g. for National Radon Action Plan).
q Reference level (RL) higher for existing buildings and lower for new buildings, also in
order to promote preventive measures against radon in new buildings.
q Some optimisation will be required also for Rn levels below RL (probably for levels
between RL/2 and RL), due to the definition of RL.
q Radon priority areas defined with a “temporal priority” approach: i.e., the
municipalities with higher percentage of dwellings exceeding RL (estimated on the
basis of representative survey data) will have a higher priority than those with a lower
percentage.
q All data (measurement, remedial actions) collected in a National Radon Archive.

LUXEMBURG
Radiation
image was created with Inkscape., CC
BY-SA 3.0,
x.php?curid=8097312
q Update legal framework: Law of 25 March 1963 (Protection of the population
against the dangers arising from ionising radiation) and law of 10 August 1983
(medical use of ionising radiation)
q End of 2017: new radiation protectioj law will be issued by the parliament
q Spring 2018: New executing decree
q Reference level for private houses and workplaces

POLAND
Radiation
European nation states.svg, CC BY-
SA 3.0,
q Amendment of the Act "Atomic Law" where the issues on
radon are put.
q Probably till the end of this year, the amendment will be
discussed in the parliament and hoping the law will be
established.
q Measurements of indoor radon are obligatory for
workplaces located on groundfloor
q Radon index (Neznal’s method) must be determined in the
places where new schools, kindergartens, hospitals are
planned to be built.

PORTUGAL
Radiation
By EU-Portugal.svg:
NuclearVacuumderivative work:
Pethrus (talk) - EU-Portugal.svg, CC
BY-SA 3.0,
q The Commission responsible for the transposition of the
Directive for the Portuguese legislation: April 2017 !
q No first draft available at the moment of the preparation of
this presentation (4th Nov 2017)
q RPA’s: social and economical impact must be evaluated
q No news about reference level

ROMANIA
Radiation
q Intention: reference level to be established for workplaces, not homes
q Intention for RPA’s: all workplaces on ground and underground level.
Mandatory measurements
q Seminar organised at U. Cluj-Napoca “Implementation of Basic Safety Standards
on Public Exposure due to Radon and due to Radionuclides in Building
Materials” (January 2017)
q Working group: authorities, universities, research institutes. Aim: to prepare
the radon action plan
q Winter 2017-2018: Government will adopt the RAP
3.0,
x.php?curid=8105250

SERBIA
Radiation
By Bosonic dressing - Own work,
Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/
w/index.php?curid=7026474
q New Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Law according EU Directive
will be adopted 2018-2019 and then Radon Action Plan
q Current: action levels for radon in workplaces to 1000 Bq m-3 and action
levels for chronic exposure to radon in homes to 200 Bq m-3 newly built
and 400 Bq m-3 for existing buildings
q First national indoor radon survey performed during 2015-2016 with
annual average radon concentration 105 Bq m-3
q Radon mitigation and remediation – in progress...
q Radon in workplaces – national schools and kindergartens radon survey
will be done 2018-2019

nation states.svg This vector image includes
elements that have been taken or adapted
from this: BlankMap-World-v2-
2011.svg.This vector image was created
with Inkscape., CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.p
hp?curid=8097690
Radiation
SPAIN
q Current situation:
Ø Reference level of 300 Bq/m3 for dwellings and 600 Bq/m3 for workplaces
Ø Radon measurements compulsory in underground workplaces (1) and those
processing groundwater (2)
q Following BSSD transposition (by 2018):
Ø Reference level of 300 Bq/m3 for dwellings and workplaces
Ø Designated radon-priority areas (RPA)
Ø Compulsory radon measurements in (1), (2) and workplaces at ground floor or
basement in RPA
Ø Where doses > 6 mSv/y personal dosimetry (for specific cases, personal doses
assigned based on area monitoring)
Ø Radon protection enacted in TBC. Public consultation process has not started yet.

image was created with Inkscape., CC
BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ind
ex.php?curid=8105263
q 0.36 MBq m-3 h: action level for radon exposure at workplaces
(workplaces above ground level)
(workplaces under ground level)
(special workplaces under ground level: mines, construction areas)
q What happens if … above reference level after mitigation? report
and register at SSM
q What happens if … risk exposure > 0.72 MBq m-3? PERSONAL
DOSIMETRY FOR EMPLOYEES + PLANNED EXPOSURE SITUATION
Radiation
SWEDEN

Radiation
UK
By NuclearVacuum - File:Europe-
EU.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0,
q Current regulations require all employers to carry out a radon risk assessment.
Where? premises located in designated 'affected areas' and/or those with
basements or below-ground spaces occupied for at least 52 hours/year.
q Currently - if results >400 Bq/m3 as a Winter maximum - must mitigate or restrict
access to limit exposure.
q From January 2018 the introduction of Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 will
change:
q Results > 300 Bq/m3 as annual average - must mitigate or restrict access.
Employer only needs to notify HSE immediately regardless of plans to mitigate.
q Action Level for homes remains at 200 Bq/m3, with a Target Level of 100 Bq/m3.

4. Conclusions
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1.- 15 countries have provided information on the implementation’s state
Radiation
2.- Countries without information have no ERA members or no time to reply
3.- Reference levels
• 300 Bq m-3 is the most accepted. Two countries have 200 Bq m-3
4.- A significant number of countries have not implemented the EURATOM
BSS yet … DEADLINE February 2018!
5.- ERA: a radon community with willing to collabroate and share
information

Radiation
Thank you very much for your patience
Acknowledgements:
We are grateful for additional information from
• Francesco Bocchichio (ISS, Italy)
• Peter Bossew (BfS, Germany)
• Bety D. Burghele (U. Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
• Rebecca Coates (PropertECO, UK)
• Bernard Collignan (CSTB, France)
• Boris Dehandschutter (FANC, Belgium)
• David Fenton (EPA, Ireland)
• Martin Freeman (PropertECO, UK)
• Marta García-Talavera (CSN, Spain)
• Valeria Gruber (AGES, Austria)
• Maria Hansen (TASL, UK)
• Stephanie Hurst (Smul, Germany)
• Zsolt Homoki (NPHI, Hungary)
• Krzysztof Kozak (I. Nuclear Physics IFJ PAN, Poland)
• Marielle Lecomte (Health Minsitry, Luxemburg)
• Stephanie Long (EPA, Ireland)
• Jadwiga Mazur (I. Nuclear Physics IFJ PAN, Poland)
• James McLaughlin (ERA President, Ireland)
• Per Nilsson (Independia International, Sweden)
• Matej Neznal (Radon v.o.s., Czech Republic)
• Dobromir Pressyanov (U. Sofia, Bulgaria)
• Luis Quindos (U. Cantabria, Spain)
• Vanja Radolic (U. Osijek, Croatia)
• Wolfgang Ringer (AGES, Austria)
• Tryggve Rönnqvist (Radonova AB, Sweden)
• Zoltan Sas (U. Belfast, UK)
• Tuukka Turtiainen (STUK, Finland)
• Vladimir Udovicic (U. Belgrade, Serbia)
• Julien Villert (Saphymo, France)
• Katalin Zsuzsanna Szabó (I. Environmental Science, Hungary)
Coming together is a beginning
Keeping together is a progress
Working together is succes
Henry Ford
José – Luis Gutiérrez Villanueva
ERA Secretary
secretary@radoneurope.org

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