Speaker
Description
Over the past few decades, many studies have found elevated natural radionuclide activity concentrations in wastes and residues from a wide range of industrial activities in such as mining, oil and gas exploration. Uncontrolled work activities involving Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) can lead to unwanted exposure and dispersal posing risks and unnecessary doses to human health and the natural environment. These risks or doses stemming from the exposure to ionizing radiation emerging from NORM can be reduced by the adoption of appropriate controls to identify if and where NORM is present. In this regard, most countries have been struggling to find feasible approaches for the proper management of naturally occurring radioactive material wastes and residues. The paper presents an inventory of NORM and establishes approaches on NORM management through the establishment of the Central Radioactive Waste Processing and Temporary Storage Facility (CRWPF). The CRWPF is a milestone commitment by the Government of Kenya towards embracing and implementing a nuclear power programme for electricity generation. Apart from centralizing and ensuring physical security and safety of radioactive waste, disused radioactive sources and intercepted radioactive/nuclear materials, the CRWPF also serves as a temporary storage of radioactive materials including NORM, to protect the environment and human health and enhance the national nuclear security regime.
