BfS coordinates European radon research project

Under the leadership of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), 56 European institutions will collaborate over the next five years to improve the protection of workers and the general public against the radioactive gas radon and residues from industrial processes involving elevated natural radioactivity (NORMs):

The European Union (EU) has announced to provide a total of €18 million in funding to a research consortium initiated and led by the BfS.

Important signal for radiation protection

President of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Dr Inge Paulini

"This funding commitment from the EU is a huge success for the BfS and its partners," says BfS President Inge Paulini. "It sends an important signal that underlines the value of radiation protection and of research into radiation protection in the EU."

"The RadoNorm project offers a unique opportunity to approach improvements in radiation protection in the areas of radon and NORM from a holistic perspective: thanks to the large number of partners involved, it will allow us to bring together skills, experience and infrastructure from various disciplines, nationalities and social frameworks to our mutual benefit," says Paulini.

Radon and NORMs

Radon pathways from the soil to the surface

About half of the average natural radiation exposure in Germany is caused by radon, a radioactive gas. Radon occurs in the ground, from where it can move up into buildings and accumulate in indoor air. Increased radon concentrations in the inhaled air lead to a greater risk of lung cancer.

The abbreviation NORM stands for "naturally occurring radioactive materials" – i.e. residues from industrial processes with an increased level of natural radioactivity. Examples of this include the precipitates in production tubing from the crude oil and natural gas industries. Depending on the deposit, these precipitates can exhibit relatively high levels of the radioactive element radium.

Radiation protection for everyday situations

The multidisciplinary research project RadoNorm aims to improve general knowledge of the effects of low doses of natural radiation as well as the influence on everyday and work situations in which they occur. Building on this knowledge, the participating institutions will seek to develop effective safeguards and science-based recommendations for regulatory measures.

In addition to approaches based on natural sciences, the research will also focus on measures to increase societal acceptance and feasibility.

The successful improvement of radiation protection also relies on the dissemination of knowledge, gained within the research project to stakeholders and the general public. This should also increase the acceptance of measures aimed at reducing radiation exposure – in residential buildings, for example.

The analyses of the effects of radiation will take account of both occupationally exposed persons and the general public, including groups with higher radiosensitivity, such as women, children and pregnant women. Doctoral and postdoc programmes are intended to provide targeted support to young scientists in order to maintain – and, where necessary, develop radiation protection skills in Europe in the long term.

RadoNorm in detail

The multidisciplinary research project RadoNorm, whose full title is "Towards effective radiation protection based on improved scientific evidence and social considerations – focus on radon and NORM", involves 56 radiation protection institutions, research centres and universities from 22 EU Member States and associated countries.

In addition, collaborations with partners in the USA and Canada are planned. RadoNorm has a project term of five years, and will be funded from the EU's Horizon 2020 Framework Programme. The corresponding funding agreements will be signed in the coming weeks.

Work packages and their management

The management of RadoNorm is the responsibility of the BfS, whose staff are also involved in all other work packages. In total, RadoNorm comprises eight work packages:

• Coordination and management of the EU project, including scientific and financial administration: Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Germany
• Detailed characterisation of radon and NORM exposure: Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), France
• Optimisation of dosimetry for specific exposure scenarios: Hungarian National Nuclear Research Programme (MTA-EK), Hungary
• Evaluation of effects and risks of radon and NORMs for humans and the environment: Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), Finland
• Improvement of technical measures to reduce exposure: Státní ústav radiační ochrany, v.v.i. (SÚRO), Czech Republic
• Incorporation of social and societal aspects into scientific recommendations and risk communication: Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie - Centre d'Étude de l'énergie Nucléaire (SCK - CEN), Belgium
• Education and Training of young scientists: Stockholms universitet (SU), Sweden
• Dissemination of knowledge to stakeholders and general public: Elektroinštitut Milan Vidmar (EIMV), Slovenia

Horizont 2020

Horizon 2020 is the European Union's Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. As a funding programme, it is aimed at building a knowledge- and innovation-based society and a competitive economy across the EU. The sustainability of this development is ensured through targeted education and training measures as well as the provision of suitable infrastructure. RadoNorm is funded under Horizon 2020 as part of the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).