Investigations and consideration on contamination inspection and decontamination criteria at a nuclear emergency

Togawa, Orihiko; Hokama, Tomonori; Hiraoka, Hirokazu; Saito, Shota

JAEA-Research 2023-011, 78 Pages, 2024/03

JAEA-Research-2023-011.pdf:2.09MB

When radionuclides are released into the atmospheric environment at a nuclear emergency, protective measures such as evacuation and temporal relocation are carried out using motor vehicles such as private cars and buses to reduce radiation exposure to residents. To confirm conditions of contamination for the evacuated/relocated residents and the used motor vehicles, contamination inspection is conducted in the middle of the route from border areas of Nuclear Emergency Planning Zone to evacuation shelters. In the present inspection in Japan, a value of OIL4 = 40,000 cpm is used as decontamination criteria. For the details and derivation methods of the value, however, no official documents are found which give systematically detailed descriptions and explanation. It is also recognized that even few experts on nuclear emergencies can explain these subjects in detail as a whole. In order to explain scientifically and technically the OIL4 value of decontamination criteria used in contamination inspection in Japan, this report aims at investigating and estimating the deviation methods of OIL4, and examining and considering these results. To achieve the objectives, we show the bases for decontamination criteria, and investigate and estimate the derivation methods for limits of a surface contamination density corresponding to the generic criteria for each exposure pathway. Moreover, we give the OIL4 value some consideration and suggestions from a viewpoint of positioning and feature of OIL4 in Japan, and cautionary points at revising the value.

Present status of clearance levels in Japan and other countries and related problems

Okoshi, Minoru

Hoken Butsuri, 37(3), p.197 - 207, 2002/09

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.37.197

The concept of clearance has been introduced by IAEA in 1996 and is very useful for the management of very low-level solid materials generating from the decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Therefore, the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan started the derivation of clearance levels for solid materials arising from nuclear reactors in 1997 and published the reports in 1999 and 2001, respectively. EC also published the several guides to clear metals, concrete, building and other solid materials from regulatory control. Some organizations including IAEA and USNRC are still discussing how to derive the clearance levels. In this exposition, the present status of clearance in Japan and other organizations and countries is summarized. And some information to realize the concept of clearance is given, and the problems related to the clearance are also discussed.