Services related to regulations on radioactive pollution and waste
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Radionuclides of natural origin are present everywhere in the environment – in soil, minerals, ores, rocks, water, air, and vegetation. When materials contain no significant amounts of radionuclides beyond those that occur naturally, they are referred to as Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM).
For most industrial processes, exposure to these radionuclides does not significantly exceed the background and thus is not a concern from the radiation protection perspective. However, certain processes may redistribute and/or enrich the levels of radionuclides in different process streams, by-products, and end-products. This may lead to situations where exposure levels are increased and require attention and/or actions.
Regulations concerning the application of the Pollution Control Act to radioactive pollution and radioactive waste (Regulations 11-01-1394) were made applicable from 01.01.2011. The regulations mean that activities that entail or can lead to the supply of radioactive substances with total activity or specific activity that are greater or equal to the values stated in Appendix II, in relation to the Pollution Control Act § 8 last paragraph, shall always be considered to result in notable damage or disadvantages, and cannot take place without permission pursuant to section 11 of the Pollution Control Act.
This means that almost all Norwegian industry that processes minerals / rock material thus needs permission to release radioactivity to the environment, since all rocks contain some uranium and thorium. The limits are set so low that in practice they mean that emission permits are required for emissions of only a few kilograms of rock material.
IFE can provide expert support in assessing and quantifying the level of radioactivity raw materials, products, emissions, and waste. We offer analysis of both anthropogenic and naturally occurring radionuclides across a wide range of sample types, supporting emission control, environmental monitoring, research projects, and needs of external customers. For the mineral industry, IFE offers the opportunity to establish a framework agreement that guarantees access to specific analytical services and follow-up support. Note that finished products are regulated by the Radiation Protection Regulations.
IFE operates one of Norway’s largest laboratories for radioactivity measurements. With state-of-the-art methods and equipment, we are able to analyze samples containing very small amount of activity, down to few millibecquerels (mBq). The laboratory is a qualified member of the IAEA’s ALMERA (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity) network. Membership requires consistent and high-level performance in international proficiency tests organized by IAEA, ensuring the quality of our results.
Our NORM experts are also active members of the European NORM Association (ENA), contributing to international collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of NORM management.