Speaker
Description
Regulation of NORM presents a range of challenges for both regulators and operators. Since NORM industries have generally had little, if any, radiological control and may not be equipped for radiological monitoring in the world. In Turkey, regulatory framework doesn't exclude NORM management, in that some radiological criteria and rules have been set for radon at workplaces, homes, and radioactivity in building materials, and mines in Radiation Safety Regulation issued in 2000. To fulfill the requirements of this Regulation, Turkish Atomic Energy Authority which took on a task as both regulator and operator of Turkey till 2018, conducted vast amount of monitoring work all over the country for many years, and prepared few guidelines on natural radiation including cosmic radiation and radioactivity in building materials.
Taking full account of the wide scope of NORM industries in the country, and the fact that NORM management shall be regulated by overall national system rather than nuclear regulator solely, new regulatory infrastructure which was established in 2018, has assigned roles and responsibilties to different ministries. According to Decree Law No.702 issued in 2018, management of NORM will be regulated by related ministries based on the radiological criteria and rules determined by newly established Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
Draft radiation protection regulation, aiming to improve the existing system by complying with the 2013/59 EC Directive and IAEA GSR-Part3, whose work has been going on since 2018, has provisions related to NORM management. In this draft, radiological criteria for radon at home and workplaces, mines and hot springs, caves, radioactivity in building materials, flight personnel exposed to cosmic radiation, radioactivity in drinking and usage waters, rare earth mining etc., and by whom these activities would be regulated are determined. Regulation of NORM will therefore be consistent with the consideration of existing exposure or planned exposure situation, and has to consider the fact that determining how NORM related activity or facility is categorised as planned exposure situation may require cautious approach.
Coordination with different ministries and Turkish Atomic Energy Authority by Nuclear Regulatory Authority is planned for safety of NORM management in the near term. Furthermore, aformentioned guidelines on natural radiation including cosmic radiation and radioactivity in building materials are planned to be updated and new ones may also be developed by Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
