Radiological Protection of the Environment : the Regulator’s Why and How?

Radiation Protection & Waste Management Division, Nuclear Energy Agency, Issy-les-Moulineaux

Abstract

Recent years have seen growing interest in radiological protection of the environment, particularly through developments allowing assessment of harm to non-human species. The long-standing approach of radiological protection (basically, if humans are adequately protected, then so are other species) is reviewed, as is current legislation protecting the environment from radiation, which is then compared to approaches for chemicals. Proposed approaches for radiological protection of the environment are described and a view is given on their implementation. Throughout, the paper emphasises the importance of a proportionate, trade-off approach.