ICRP And Protection of The Environment D r Jack Valentin Scientific Secretary emeritus, ICRP

1. ICRP And Protection of The EnvironmentDr Jack ValentinScientific Secretary emeritus, ICRP The European Research Programme FASSET – ERICA - PROTECT The ICRP approach ICRP C5 Objectives Reference Animals and Plants Derived Consideration Levels What next INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

2. The European Research Programme INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

3. EC 5th & 6th Framework Programme Projects • FASSET, Framework for Assessment of Environmetal Impact, 2000 - 2003 • ERICA, Environmental Risks from Ionising Contaminants – Assessment and Management, 2004 – 2007 • PROTECT, Protection of the Environment from Ionising Radiation in a Regulatory Context, 2006 - 2008 INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

4. Objectives • FASSET, to create an assessment framework • ERICA, to create an integrated approach to environmental assessment and management, and, • a software tool for assessment • PROTECT, to assist in policy making and the derivation of environmental standards INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

5. Why? • Environmental protection internationally driven by actors outside the RP world • Human protection at best an INDICATOR of env. prot • Needs to be put in perspective – comparable endpoints, assessment tools, protection levels • Needed by decision makers • HELPS decsion-makers, informs prospective assessment of planned exposure situations and evaluation of existing exposure situations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

6. The Erica Tool • a software programme that guides the user through the assessment process, keeps records and performs calculations; • detailed help assists in making appropriate choices and inputs, as well as interpret the outputs; • interacts with a number of databases and other functions that helps estimating media and biota activity concentrations, and dose rates to biota; • interfaces with the FREDERICA radiation effects database. INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

7. The ERICA Integrated Approach Purpose: to give appropriate weight to environmental exposure, effects and risks from ionising radiation Object of protection: the structure and function of ecosystems Application: Planned and existing exposure situations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

8. The Concept of Reference Organisms Hypothetical entities with defined characteristics of biological significance used for computation of exposure, dose, and effects INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

9. ERICA Ref. Organisms & ICRP RAPs INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

10. The 10 Habitats of The Integrated Approach INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

11. Exposure And Dose Conversion Coefficients Small burrowing mammal exposed from planar source at soil surface ‘Animal’ with ‘liver’ and ‘testes’ INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

12. The FASSET Radiation Effects DatabaseExtended to FREDERICA INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

13. Using The ERICA Tool Problem formulation – stakeholder involvement No exposure route? Exit! No societal acceptance (discharge veto)? Exit! … • Tier 1 – simple screening Sum of Risk Quotients <1? Exit! • Tier 2 – assessment screening Negligible concern? Exit! Potential concern? Review! Concern? Go to tier 3! • Tier 3 – full assessment INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

14. All of This Can Be Yours For Free… • see http://www.ceh.ac.uk/PROTECT/ • All reports from FASSET, ERICA and PROTECT • The ERICA tool • The FREDERICA radiations effects database • Other material (links, tutorials….) INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

15. The ICRP Approach INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

16. ICRP C5 (Since 2005): Environment Protection Aims to ensure that approaches are compatible with: • RP approaches for man • Environmental protection approaches for other hazardous agents INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

17. Objective of The ICRP Approach Prevent, or reduce frequency of, deleterious radiation effects so that they have negligible impact on: • Biological diversity • Conservation of species • Health and status of natural habitats and communities INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

18. The ICRP P103 Position • Builds on ICRP P91 • Protection of man: An indicator of environmental protection • Protection of man: not always relevant, depends on environment and exposure • Reference Animals and Plants • Background dose rate: a benchmark • No dose limits, but advice on considerations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

19. Directions of C5 Work • Develop a framework for assessment of radiation exposure and effects on biota • For planned, emergency, and existing exposure situations • To serve as a benchmark for international and national efforts • Paralleling the framework for radiological protection of man INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

20. Reference Animals and Plants (RAPs) • As with man, necessary to examine relationships: Exposure – dose Dose – effect Effect – consequence • Different types of animals and plants, typical of major environments • An approach similar to that used for man: use Reference Animals and Plants INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

21. The Approach for Man Radionuclide intake and external exposure Reference male and Reference female Male and female equivalent doses (HMT & HFT) Reference person Effective dose (E) Dose limits, dose constraints, and reference levels INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

22. Reference male and Reference female Male and female equivalent doses (HMT & HFT) Reference person Effective dose (E) Dose limits, dose constraints, and reference levels Representative person Radionuclide intake and external exposure Planned, emergency, & existing exposure situations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

23. The Approach for Non-Human Species Reference Animals and Plants ‘Derived Consideration (Reference) Levels’ ‘Representative organisms’ Radionuclide intake and external exposure Planned, existing, & emergency exposure situations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

24. Definition of a RAP • A hypothetical entity • With assumed basic characteristics of a specific animal of plant, described to the taxonomic level of Family • With precisely defined anatomical, physiological, and life-history properties • To be used for relating exposure to dose, and dose to effect, for that type of organsm INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

25. The ICRP Set of RAPs INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

26. INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

27. For The Set of RAPs, Define & Describe: • Exposure pathways • Dosimetry • Radiation effects Mortality Morbidity Reproductive problems Chromosome damage • Numerical guidance: Starting point for considering management options for all exposure situations INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

28. Provide Dose (Conversion) Coefficients • mGy day-1 / Bq kg-1 • All Reference Animals and Plants Some: Several different habitats • 75 radionuclides • External and internal exposure INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

29. Derived Consideration Levels • To estimate the level of concern • A band of dose rate for a type of RAP, within which there is likely to be some chance of deleterious radiation effects • Markers at which one should pause to consider known radiation effects data and other information Actual or theoretical data? Type of exposure situation Size of affected area Status of population Population fraction exposed Pertinent legal framework INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

30. Recent Benchmark Values Earthworm Invertebrate screening value Seaweed Bee Crab mGy/d Plant screening value Frog Trout Flatfish Grass Generic screening value Vertebrate screening value Deer Rat Duck Pine tree Backgroundlevel INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

31. Commonalities, RPMan and RPEnvironment Planned, existing, and emergency exposure situations Environmental radionuclide concentration(s) Reference Person Reference Animals and Plants Dose limits, constraints, reference levels Derived Consideration Reference Levels Decision-making regarding public health and environment for the same environmental situation INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————

32. Thank you! INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION ——————————————————————————————————————