Task Group 105
Considering the Environment when Applying the System of Radiological Protection

A Task Group under Committee 4

Building on ICRP Publication 124 the Task Group will consider how radiological protection of the environment in implanted in the system of protection. The TG will use case studies to illustrate how protection principles should apply in the context of both humans and biota. Several case studies are available for existing and emergency exposure situations (e.g. Andreeva Bay, Mayak and Little Forest) along with the potential to learn lessons from the likes of Chernobyl and Fukushima. 

Key topics to be addressed include:

• site-specific decision making
• situations in which biota may be potentially more limiting than humans
• approach to considering humans and biota in an integrated manner
• how to handle decisions on what needs to be done where humans are considered protected but biota may not be
• DCRLs and their use as a dose rate rather than dose for application (for communication) in emergency exposure situations.
• converting the DCRLs into environmental concentrations and other measures (e.g. ambient dose equivalent) to aid communication and application.

The Task Group will interface with ongoing IAEA safety guide development on the different exposure situations.

David Copplestone (Chair), University of Stirling, United Kingdom

Andy Mayall (Co-Chair), Environment Agency, United Kingdom

Gillian Hirth (Member), ARPANSA, Australia

Mathew Johansen (Member), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, AUSTRALIA

Kazuo Sakai (Member), Tokyo Healthcare University, Japan

John Takala (Member), Cameco Corporation, Canada

Tamara Yankovich (Member), Austria

Megan Cook (Member-Mentee), ARPANSA, Australia

Abdulkadir Alaydarous (Technical Secretary), USA

Christopher Mogg (Representative), OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), France