erica – an overvie · erica: environmental risk from ionising contaminants: assessment and...

1EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

ERICA – an overview

Brenda Howard, NERC

2EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

ERICA: Environmental Risk from Ionising Contaminants: Assessment and Management

Overall objective

”to provide an integrated approach to scientific, managerialand societal issues concerned with the environmental effectsof contaminants emitting ionising radiation, with emphasis onbiota and ecosystems.

The final outcome of the project will be the ERICA integratedapproach to assessment and management of environmentalrisks from ionising radiation, using practical tools.”

3EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

Division of tasks

WP1Assessment Tools WP2

Risk CharacterisationWP3 Communication and

Decision-making Stakeholder

Dialogue

WP4 Case Studies

Bridge Gap

Apply

Validate

Test

RefineWP5

Management:

Co-ordinate

Deliver the ERICA

Integrate

Integrated Approach

4EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

WP1: the assessment tool

Five Tasks1. Modification and re-population of FREDERICA2. Transfer assessment3. Development of complex geometry dose models4. Dosimetry - reconstruction and experimental support5. Development of environmental assessment tool

5EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

WP1: the prototype software

6EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

WP2: risk characterisation

Three Tasks1. Risk characterisation methodologies

– Review carried out2. Extrapolation issues, with experimentation

– Protocols developed– Experiments started

3. Development of good practice guidance

7EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

The proposed tiered approach

Problem Formulation

Tier 1 = Screening

Tier 2 = Generic Assessment

Tier 3 = Site Specific/Full

Assessment

EXIT

Management Action Required

8EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

WP3: decision-making guidance and Communication

Objectives• Liaison with stakeholders

– EUG established = 53 organisations– Seven Events in three years for receiving inputs

• Delivery of D8: decision-making guidance – Proposed table of content– Based on themes for the EUG events– To tie in with interim tiered approach, i.e. D4a

9EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

The Consortium and the EUG

End-Users Group(EUG)

WP5 Management Group (SSI lead)

WP1NRPA (lead)

Facilia

CIEMAT

SUC

NRPA

CIEMAT

NRPA

EA

SSI

NRPA

STUK

SSI SSI

UNILIV

NERC

WSC

STUK

IRSN

GSF

EA

IRSN

GSF

NLH

EDF

EA

UNILIV

WSC

IRSN

GSF

NLH

EDF

WP2IRSN (lead)

WP3SSI (lead)

WP4NERC (lead)

SKB

NLH

CIEMAT

10EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

WP4: case studiesFive Case Studies

– Sellafield (UK)– Loire River (France) – The Chernobyl exclusion zone (Ukraine)– Oil rigs (North-East Atlantic) – now abandoned to be

replaced with other marine studies?– Komi Republic (Russia)

Objectives• Test FASSET framework • Test ERICA integrated approach

11EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

Elements of the FASSET Framework

Uncertaintiesand

interpretation

Source

Ecosystem

Referenceorganismselection

Transfermodelling and

assessment

Radionuclideconcentrations

in media

Internalradionuclide

concentrations

Externaldose(rate)

Internaldose(rate)

WeightingTotaldose

(rate)

Effectsanalysis

12EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

ERICA deliverablesAlready after one yearD1 – FREDERICA

D4a – interim tiered approach

D4b – risk characterisation methodologies

D7a – First Thematic EUG event

* Part 1: ERICA workplan

* Part 2: Assessment frameworks / knowledge gaps

D7b – Second Thematic EUG Event

* Part 1: Ionising Radiation and other Contaminants

* Part 2: Contribution to D4 on Risk Characterisation

D9 – Application of FASSET framework at case study sites

And, the progress report on EUG inputs and resulting ERICA actions

13EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

Active dissemination

14EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

Passive disseminationwww.erica-project.org

15EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

• Protection of the Environment from Ionising Radiation in a Regulatory

Context• PROTECT

16EC Contract: FI6R-CT-2003-508847

Objective

The primary objectives of this proposed co-ordinated action are to evaluate the practicability and relative merits of different approaches to protection of the environment from ionising radiation and to compare these with methods used for non-radioactive contaminants. This will provide a basis on which the EC could develop protection policies and revise its Basic Safety Standards, and ensure a fruitful collaboration with, and constructive input into, current ICRP and IAEA task groups.