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The objectives of the study are to examine the radiation and health physics situation in the area of ship repair enterprises servicing ships with nuclear power installation; to assess its possible impact on the environment and the population. Materials and research methods. The study of radiation and health physics situation on the territory was conducted by walking gamma survey using portable gamma spectrometric complexes MKS-01A "Multirad-gamma" and MKS-AT6101C. Gamma-spectrometric and radiochemical methods of analysis were used to determine the specific activity of man-made and natural radionuclides in environmental samples. Results of the study and their analysis. Practical medical and hygienic measures to study the radiation and health physics situation were carried out in 2019. It was found that the ambient equivalent dose rate in the areas of ship repair enterprises is at the level of regional values and does not exceed 0.12 μSv/h. Radionuclide specific activity in the soil of the surveyed areas does not exceed 4.5 Bq/kg — for 90Sr and 12 Bq/kg — for 137Cs, which does not exceed the established norms for unrestricted use of solid materials. Radionuclide content in the sea water samples taken in the area of closed administrative territorial unit Krasheninnikov Bay does not exceed on average: for 137Cs — 7 mBq/L, for 90Sr — 2.1 mBq/L. When comparing the results obtained with the official data on the radionuclide content in the water of Avacha Bay (90Sr up to 2.08 mBq/L at the annual average of 1.14 mBq/L), we may state that they are at the same level as the regional ones. Radionuclide content in bottom sediment samples varies within the following limits: for 137Cs — from 0.14 to 3 Bq/kg, for 90Sr — from 0.11 to 1.5 Bq/kg and is similar to the general values for soil samples. Thus, the radiation and health physics characteristics of the study area vary little and remain practically at the level of the results of studies conducted in 2014-2015. The content of man-made radionuclides in the samples of environmental objects is at the level of average values typical for the region. Potentially radiation-hazardous works carried out in 2019 at enterprises of closed administrative territorial unit Vilyuchinsk had no reliable radiation impact on the environment and population.

Purpose: Radiation survey in the area of peaceful nuclear explosion «Takhta-Kagylta» in the Stavropol Region. Material and methods: Radiation survey was performed on the territory of the protected area and on the territory of the 30-km zone from the explosion site. Methods of pedestrian gamma survey with a portable spectrometric complex Multirad-M were used in the course of the survey, along with gamma spectrometric and radiochemical measurements of radionuclide activities in samples and radiochemical separation of 90Sr and 137Cs. The measurement of tritium activity concentration in water was carried out using a low-background liquid alpha-beta radiometer Quantulus-1220. Results: The highest average value of gamma ambient dose equivalent rate was obtained in the area of the peaceful nuclear explosion site. A value of ambient dose equivalent rate at the area between the site and Kevsala village is lower than on the site, but higher than in Kevsala village and in other settlements. The mean value of the surface contamination of soil with 137Cs on the site was 0.43 kBq/m2, while that of 90Sr was 0.055 kBq/m2. Average values of soil surface contamination with radionuclides in the settlements located in the area of the explosion vary over the range between 0.16 and 0.37 kBq/m2 for 137Cs and between 0.035 and 0.066 kBq/m2 for 90Sr. 241Am specific activity values were below the minimum detectable activity (0.01 – 0.04 kBq/m2 at the time of the soil sample measurement of 10–30 h). The contents of 3H, 90Sr and 137Cs radionuclides in drinking water and water of the surface water reservoirs is significantly lower than the intervention levels established in NRB-99/2009. Conclusions: Radiation situation at the location of the technological well complies with the requirements of SanPiN 2.6.1.2819-10 “Radiation Safety and Protection of the Population Living in the Areas of Peaceful Nuclear Explosions (1965 – 1988)”, and does not pose a threat to the health of the population when staying there. It is necessary to arrange the territory of the protection area and technological (charging) well in accordance with the requirements of SanPiN 2.6.1.2819–10. Within the framework of long-term radiation monitoring, it is necessary to provide for the monitoring of the tritium content in the produced gas and in the groundwater of the Krasnogvardeiskoe deposit (located in the direction of the spread of groundwater from the location of the peaceful nuclear explosion).

Introduction. An essential task of hygiene is assessing the health status of the population living in areas with adverse environmental and hygienic conditions. Materials and methods. A study of the health status of 50 children of three age groups was carried out in Dunay city, Primorsky Krai, located near the enterprise “The Far Eastern Center for Radioactive Waste Management, Far East Center “DalRAO.” Health status was assessed using the buccal micronucleus cytome assay (BMCA) to determine the cytogenetic and cytotoxic effects of environmental factors. Results. The frequency of buccal cells with micronuclei in groups of children from the Dunay city varied within 0.33-0.47‰, which does not exceed the control level of 1.1%, determined within the framework of the international project HMNxl. The level of cytogenetic stress is defined as acceptable (but not low). Given the index of accumulation of cytogenetic damages, it is possible to rank the studied groups according to their cytogenetic status in the direction of deterioration: kindergarten children, older and younger schoolchildren. Conclusion. The approach proposed in this study made it possible to quantitatively determine the mutagenic and cytotoxic effects of factors on the children’s population of the Dunay city. It can be recommended as an informative method for the population health status assessment during socio-hygienic monitoring, including in the territories of nuclear (legacy) sites.

Rehabilitation programs for nuclear legacy objects in north-western regions in Russia involve decommissioning; a former coast technical support base belonging to the RF Navy and located on the Gremikha peninsula in Murmansk region is now being removed from service. At present spent nuclear fuel is being extracted from ship reactors with liquid-metal coolant and nuclear wastes that have been accumulated during active operations are being treated. The current activities at the site result in complex influence on the environment determined by both radiation and non-radiation contaminants. The present work focuses on examining a hygienic situation existing in residential areas located close to this nuclear legacy object. In general, radiation situation in residential areas is determined by technogenic contaminants, basically 137Cs and 90Sr radionuclides. Our research has revealed that at the moment their contents in the environmental objects correspond to background levels that are typical for the examined region. Chemical contamination detected in residential areas is characterized with elevated heavy metals contents (Cd, As, Pb, V, Zn, Cu etc.) in soils in urban settlements that are higher than background levels. We detected lead and zinc concentrations that were higher than MPC. Total soil contamination with heavy metals (Zc) is still «permissible» in most residential areas. Carcinogenic health risk for people living in the examined residential areas does not exceed 10-6 as per radiation and chemical factors. Research results allow assessing the current hygienic situation as normal and concluding that decommissioning of SZC «SevRAO» objects (Gremikha section) does not exert negative impacts on the environment and health of people living in residential areas located nearby. The obtained data give grounds for controlling activities when environmental monitoring is accomplished during works aimed at recovering contaminated areas where nuclear legacy objects are located.

Purpose: Purpose of this report is to assess the health status of the residents of the town of Snezhnogorsk, located in the impact area of the shipyard (SRZ Nerpa) involved in the decommission and dismantlement of the floating technical base Lepse (PTB Lepse). Material and method: The following parameters were assessed as public health indicators: total primary and chronic primary morbidity of adult and children population, child disability, reproductive health in terms of the status of pregnant women and newborns, general and child mortality. Annual external radiation background values were evaluated along with contents in soil and water of manmade radionuclides, such as 137Cs and 90Sr, and natural ones, such as 226Ra, 223Th, 40K and 235U. Results: The health of the population of the town of Snezhnogorsk, being measured by incidence indicators and reproductive health, is lower than that in the country as a whole: the adult morbidity (667.7 ± 4.2 and 454.2 ± 19.8 per 1000 residents respectively) and child morbidity (3336.2 and 2052.3 ± 194.4 per 1000 residents respectively) is higher; the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes (stillbirth, early neonatal fetal death, spontaneous abortions) is also higher – 86.2 ± 18.4 and 46.6 per 1000 residents respectively. Conclusion: The main causes of the negative impact on the health of the population of the town of Snezhnogorsk are climatic and geographical conditions of the Kola Arctic and the presence of medium-light iodine deficiency (goiter endemia).

Purpose: To analize radiation situation in the vicinity of mine number one of the Lermontov Production Association “Almaz” in the areas of the public residence and economic activities. Material and methods: During the study, methods of pedestrian gamma surveys with a portable spectrometric complex MKS-01A “Multirad-M” and short-term measurements of radon equivalent equilibrium concentration with aerosol alpha radiometer RAA-20P2 “Poisk” were used. Results: Along the main roads used by the population for walks and rest, the values of the gamma ambient dose equivalent rate vary within the range between 0.10 and 0.86 μSv/h. Local areas with excess of the remediation criterion (0.6 μSv / h), established by the Sanitary Rules for elimination, conservation and changing functions of facilities for radioactive ore mining and milling (SP LKP-91), are located on the ascent of Beshtau Mountain from the side of the Town of Pyatigorsk (near tunnels and dumps). Along other routes, the remediation criteria are met. External effective doses to the population in a single passage of the routes vary from 1.0 to 1.6 µSv. The highest contribution to the dose from manmade radiation does not exceed 30 %. The highest external doses (4.3 μSv at the contribution of manmade radiation about 70 %) can be realized when resting near the most contaminated parts of the dumps or tunnel mouths. The equivalent equilibrium concentrations of radon progenies in air along the routes did not exceed 60 Bq/m3. The effective internal dose due to inhalation intake of radon and its progenies will not exceed 3 μSv when single passing routes. Conclusions: In the main areas of the residence and economic activity of the population in the vicinity of mine number 1 , the radiation situation at some locations does not comply with the requirements of the SP LKP-9, however, it does not pose a threat to public health.

Algorithm for management of decision-making on the decommissioning of nuclear and radiation hazardous objects (RHO) should be both based on an comprehensive approach, with taking into account all the potential dangers, and relied upon on the requirements of a modern regulatory framework, as well as economically sound and socially oriented. The aim of the work was a development of a comprehensive approach to the assessment of the degree of the potential danger of near surface radioactive waste repositories in RHO, on the base of which it is possible to make substantiated management decisions for their decommissioning. Tasks: To develop an array of radio-ecological approaches, including radiation-hygienic, hydrogeological and engineering criteria for the assessment of the potential danger of radioactive waste repositories. Results There are presented radiation hygienic, hydrogeological and engineering and technical criteria on the basis of which there are calculated coefficients of the relative hazard of storages. In dependence to the value of the coefficients there are suggested four categories of danger - a safe, low dangerous, dangerous and very dangerous. There are elaborated approaches on management decisions-making in various variants of decommissioning - the conversion, renovation, conservation and liquidation.

Introduction. The subject of the study was the health of the child population of Dunai village located in the vicinity of radiation hazardous facilities - the Far-Eastern Center for Radioactive waste management (FEC DalRAO) and Shipyard-30 . Мaterial and Methods. The material of the study was age indices of the morbidity, disability, and mortality rate of children of Dunai village over the period between 2009 and 2013. The study uses indices averaged over a five-year period and the dynamics of their changes. results. The birth rate of the healthy child amounted of 54.6% versus 72.0% in the control group. In the morbidity structure, the rate of congenital malformations was higher 68.0 ± 0.4 and 42.8 ± 5.9 per 1000. Child disability was higher and accounted for 15.3 ± 3.3 per 1000 versus 10.4 ± 0.4 per 1000 in the control group. The child mortality rate was higher than in the comparison group and accounted for 1.8 per 1000 and 0.75 per 1000 respectively. Public doses induced by manmade radiation sources were lower than those established for the population in the Russian standards, however, the increased level of natural radioactivity was induced by radon, which generates in a dose of 3.23 mSv/y. conclusion. To protect the child population there are advised additional measures such as an organization of the permanently operating system of recreational and rehabilitation activities in respect to children.

Purpose: To study radiation and health physics situation in the vicinity of the shipyards “The 10th Shipyard, a Holder of Order of the Red Banner of Labor” (JSC “10 SRZ”) and “The Nerpa Shipyard” – a branch of the JSC “The Shipyard Center “Zvezdochka” (SRZ “Nerpa”) after the completion of the main stage of nuclear submarine dismantling and to assess potential effect of on-going activities to the environment and population. Material and methods: The following methods were used in radiation survey: pedestrian gamma survey of the site using portable gamma spectrometry complexes, gamma spectrometry and radiochemistry methods to determine the activity of manmade radionuclides in samples of environmental media. Results: Radiation and health physics studies were carried out from 2013 till 2017. It was shown that gamma dose rate within the health protection zones and supervision areas (SA) of the shipyards including the territories of the nearest cities – Snezhnogorsk and Polyarnyi – was at the level of regional values and did not exceed 0.14 µSv/h. The activities of radionuclides in soil from the surveyed sites did not exceed 23 Bq/kg for 90Sr and 100 Bq/kg for 137Cs. Concentrations of 90Sr and 137Cs in plants (mosses) at the surveyed sites did not exceed 70 and 48 Bq/kg, respectively, this is a bit higher than the background levels of the reference village of Belokamenka (1 and 20 Bq/kg, respectively, for 90Sr and 137Cs). The activity of seawater (Barents Sea) in 2016–2018 reached 60 mBq/l for 90Sr and 4 mBq/l for 137Cs, at mean values from 2 to 4 mBq/l over the period between 1990 and 2000 for the studied radionuclides. Data for 137Cs and 90Sr measured in samples of local wild plants, in particular, mushrooms, did not exceed 100 Bq/kg, this is much lower than the established permissible specific activities. Conclusion: Considerable impact of the work on the dismantling of nuclear submarines, maintenance ships and ships with a nuclear energy installation on the radiation situation in the areas of shipyards and health effects in the population of Snezhnogorsk and Polyarnyi was not revealed. However, along the external border of the surveyed shipyards some local parts of the sites of 5500 m2 area were found, where the specific activities of 90Sr and 137Cs in soil exceeded background levels and bordered by the level of permissible specific activity for unlimited use of solid materials (137Cs – 100 Bq/kg).

There was studied the health of the population of the Dunay settlement located in the vicinity of the “Far Eastern Center for Radioactive Waste Management” (FEC “DalRAO”) at the areа contaminated with radioactive waste and chemicals originated from the activities of the armed forces of the Pacific Fleet over 1950-1980. The subject of the study were health indices of 6207 members of the population of the Dunay settlement obtained from the reporting statistics data (forms 7,12, 19, 30, and 32) over the period of 2009-2013. The health of the population of the Dunay settlement located in the vicinity of the Far Eastern Center for Radioactive Waste Management “DalRAO” over the period 2009-2013 does not differ from the population-based estimates of the public health in the central region of the Russian Federation. Any health effects of manmade radiation exposure has not been found for the population of the Dunay settlement.

This article presents a method for assessing the radionuclide surface contamination density (SCD) on open sites and in premises of a radiation hazardous facility based on measurements of the ambient dose equivalent rate (ADER). The method is intended for use at the initial stage of the assessment of the radiation environment at facilities. The assessed SCD at a given location on the surface can differ from the directly measured SCD at that location, since sources located on the surface and distributed by the depth contribute to the ADER value. The method makes it possible to estimate SCD with reasonable accuracy without increasing the number of measurements, and thus avoid additional occupational exposure and the use of additional resources. SCD and ADER as spatial variables have different support of measurement data. For ADER, measured at a height of 1 m, the support of measurement data can be taken to be a circle in the centre of which a gamma-ray detector is located, with a radius of several tens of meters. In contrast, SCD has the support of measurement data, close to the overall dimensions of the beta detector (100 cm2). To solve the problem of SCD calculation on the basis of ADER measurements, the method of conversion coefficients (MCC) is usually applied, based on the use of conversion factors; however, this method provides an adequate estimate only under conditions of an SCD with low gradient over the surface. The method proposed in this article is applicable for an arbitrary distribution of SCD, and designed to deal with heterogeneous contamination patterns. The developed method is based on the numerical solution of the Fredholm equation of the first kind. The measurement data always contain an error, therefore, the task of the SCD calculation is an ill-posed problem, and the Tikhonov regularisation method (ridge regression) was used to solve it. The article presents the method developed and examples of use. Validation of the method was performed using 38 measurements of the radioactive contamination from 137Cs in soil. It is shown that the method proposed in the article demonstrates a significant superiority in comparison with the MCC method, because it allows more accurate localisation of areas contaminated with radionuclides and is applicable for an arbitrary distribution of SCD.

The site of temporary storage for spent fuel and radioactive waste at Andreeva Bay is a largest nuclear legacy site in the Russian Northwest. The radiation situation within the industrial site and in the surrounding health protection zone (HPZ) is characterised by significant local contamination of the topsoil, which is a source of environmental contamination and potential spread of radioactivity within and outside the HPZ, including the adjacent marine environment. The highest levels of radioactive contamination of soil due to manmade radionuclides have been registered around the spent nuclear fuel storage facilities, where the specific activity of Cs-137 reaches 5 × 107 Bq kg−1, and that of Sr-90, 5.7 × 106 Bq kg−1. Determination of the mobility of these main dose-forming radionuclides has demonstrated that about 90% of the Sr-90 and 30% of the Cs-137 in the soil are in a mobile form. The corresponding figures for bottom sediments are 75% and 60%. The assessment of the impact of contamination in the different areas of the Andreeva Bay site, and the assessment of the adequacy of the previously developed remediation criteria for environmental protection (Sneve et al 2015 J. Radiol. Prot. 35 571) demonstrated that when carrying out remedial work according to any scenario provided for in the Guidelines ‘Criteria and norms for remediation of sites and facilities contaminated with manmade radionuclides’, of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise ‘The Northern Federal Enterprise for Radioactive Waste Management’ for the supervision area, recommendations for environmental protection are followed. For scenarios such as conversion and conservation, reference levels of biota exposure for some species of representative organisms could be exceeded, based on a preliminary conservative assessment.

Purpose: To obtain data of radiation survey in workplaces of the personnel of the Priargun Production Mountain Chemical Association (OJSC PPMCA), who work at the premises of the ground facilities. Material and methods: In the course of the radiation survey. Integral track methods were used to measure radon activity concentration by REI-1 track cameras of the TRACK-REI-1M kit. To assess the activity balance factor between radon and its radionuclide progenies, short term measurements of radon activity concentration (AC) and effective equilibrium concentration (EEC) of radon by handle radiometers of radon and its progenies. Gamma dose rate was measured by handle dosimeters. Results: Annual AC, EEC and effective dose due to radon and external gamma exposures in workplaces at the ground facilities of OJSC PPMCA have been obtained. Total number of the inspected workshops is 138, including 121 workshops occupied by the A group personnel, and 17 – by the B group personnel. Conclusions: It was shown that annual doses 20 mSv could be exceeded for the A group personnel who work at three workshops shaft 8K of the mine-2, one workshop of building 630A of the Hydro-metallurgical Plant and one workshop of shaft 5 B of G mine. In the workshops of the B group personnel, 5 mSv annual effective doses can be exceeded 2 and more times at the premises of canteen number 18 and administrative domestic building of mine-2.

Purpose: To share the experience in regulation of radiation safety and protection of workers involved in management of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste (RW), as well as radiation protection of the population and environment in the vicinity of sites for temporary storage at Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula. Material and methods: Spent fuel from Russian nuclear powered submarines has been stored at shore based facilities for more than 20 years, notably at Andreeva Bay. The storage facilities were for some years poorly maintained and a significant fraction of the fuel that is still in store at the site wais damaged. Over the last years, hugemuch work has been done to improve the technical infrastructure and prepare for removal of the SNF from the temporary stores, management of existing RW. Results: This paper presents progress with projects of the FMBA of Russia and NRPA cooperation for regulation of radiation safety and protection. During the researches, the following issues were addressed: radiological threat assessment to identify the priority directions of regulation; detailed analysis of the radiation situation on sites, at the territories and nearby the sites; radiation control and monitoring of the environmental conditions; development of the computer maps and geo-information system; emergency preparedness and response; improvement of radiation safety culture; etc. Based on the received results of monitoring and assessment of the current risks, site-specific regulatory documents have been developed for the bodies and institutions under the FMBA of Russia involved in the activities to control the facility. Those documents include the requirements for: radiation protection of workers and population; personal dose monitoring; the RW management including the very low level RW; implementation of the environmental monitoring; radiation monitoring nearby the Andreeva Bay SevRAO facility; and remediation of the sites as remediation criteria and regulations. The next stage of work is to carry out the regulation of large-scale removal of SNF during 2017–2021 and its subsequent transfer to Mayak PA, and operations to bring the infrastructure of the site into the hsafe conditions, i.e., ecological remediation of the site – by 2025. Lessons learnt from this work are being used in support of improved international recommendations and guidance on how to address legacy issues. Conclusion: The experience accumulated during regulation of the remediation process of the former Naval Coastal Technical Bases, has helped to identify new relevant areas of improvement of the regulatory supervision at nuclear legacy sites. The study of potential hazard of radiation exposure to the personnel during technological operations of SNF and RW management is very important issue. In this light, the regulator in cooperation of the operator should develop some effective and efficient activities for dose monitoring. When dealing with the protection of the population and environment, a methodology of comprehensive radiation and chemical monitoring should be developed and models of radiation and chemical risks should be improved taking into account features of contamination of the site under remediation. An important link of the social focus of the regulator and the operator is to improve strategies of public communications near legacy sites under remediation.

This paper deals with classification of dose distributions of nuclear workers based on antikurtosis (Q) and entropy coefficients (K) and their relationship presented in QK-diagrams. It is shown that determination of the most appropriate distribution to adopt, for a specific data set of a wide range of input data, requires building and analysing QK-diagrams for distributions of logarithms of individual doses. Actual dose distributions for emergency and occupational exposure situations were then considered, as well as doses for one day of work during clean-up and routine activities. It is shown that, in all cases, three types of distributions of logarithms of individual doses were present: normal, Weibull and Chapeau. The location of the representation point of a dose distribution reflects the degree of dose control of the group of workers whose individual doses are collectively displayed in the QK-diagram. The more the representation point of the analysed distribution of the logarithms of the individual dose of a given contingent of workers deviates from the point of the lognormal distribution, the more there was intervention in the process of individual dose accumulation. Thus, QK-diagrams could be used to develop a dose control function. It is shown that the hybrid lognormal distribution, which is widely used in the field of radiation safety, for the purpose of approximation of real dose distributions, is unable to satisfactorily describe many dose distributions arising in aftermath operations and occupational exposure.

Safe management of nuclear legacies arising from past activities is a critical issue in maintaining confidence for the continuing and future use of radioactive materials. Effective and efficient regulatory supervision of nuclear legacy management is a critical part of that process. The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority plays an active role in bilateral regulatory cooperation projects with sister authorities in the Russian Federation, as part of Norway's Plan of Action to improve radiation and nuclear safety. Based on this experience and by reference to specific legacy sites and facilities, this study provides an overview of the substantial progress made in remediation at the Site of Temporary Storage for spent fuel and radioactive waste at Andreeva Bay and presents radiation protection issues arising from the experience and lessons learned in this work. It is suggested that this experience can be useful in the further development of international recommendations, standards and guidance on remediation of nuclear legacies.

The Coastal Technical Base (CTB) №569 at Andreeva Bay was established in the early 1960s and intended for the refueling of nuclear submarine reactors and temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste (RW). In 2001, the base was transferred to the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy and the site remediation began. The paper describes in detail the radiation situation change at the technical site in Andreeva Bay from 2002-2016, the period of preparation for the most critical phase of remedial work: removal of spent fuel assemblies. The analysis of aggregated indicators and data mining were used. The article suggests the best number and location of checkpoints needed to ensure sufficient accuracy of the radiation situation description. The fractal properties of the radiation field are studied using the Hurst index. The relationship between checkpoints was assessed using the method of searching for checkpoint communities. The decrease in the integral of the ambient dose equivalent rate (ADER) at the technical site was evaluated by the method of time series decomposition. Three components of time series were identified: trend, seasonal and residual. The trend of the ADER integral over the technical site is a monotonic decreasing function, where the initial and final values differ tenfold. Taking into account that 137Cs dominates the radiation situation on-site, it is clear that the ADER due to the radionuclide decay will have decreased by 1.4 times. It is estimated that only a small proportion of 137Cs has migrated off-site. Therefore, approximately a sevenfold decrease in dose rate is mainly due to remediation activities of personnel. During the year, the seasonal component varies the ADER integral by a factor of two, due to snowfall. The residual component reflects the uncertainty of the ADER integral calculation and phases of active SNF and RW management. The methods developed are used to support the optimization of remediation work as well as regulatory supervision of occupational radiation protection.

In compliance with the fundamentals of the government's policy in the field of nuclear and radiation safety approved by the President of the Russian Federation, Russia has developed a national program for decommissioning of its nuclear legacy. Under this program, the State Atomic Energy Corporation 'Rosatom' is carrying out remediation of a Site for Temporary Storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and radioactive waste (RW) at Andreeva Bay located in Northwest Russia. The short term plan includes implementation of the most critical stage of remediation, which involves the recovery of SNF from what have historically been poorly maintained storage facilities. SNF and RW are stored in non-standard conditions in tanks designed in some cases for other purposes. It is planned to transport recovered SNF to PA 'Mayak' in the southern Urals. This article analyses the current state of the radiation safety supervision of workers and the public in terms of the regulatory preparedness to implement effective supervision of radiation safety during radiation-hazardous operations. It presents the results of long-term radiation monitoring, which serve as informative indicators of the effectiveness of the site remediation and describes the evolving radiation situation. The state of radiation protection and health care service support for emergency preparedness is characterized by the need to further study the issues of the regulator-operator interactions to prevent and mitigate consequences of a radiological accident at the facility. Having in mind the continuing intensification of practical management activities related to SNF and RW in the whole of northwest Russia, it is reasonable to coordinate the activities of the supervision bodies within a strategic master plan. Arrangements for this master plan are discussed, including a proposed programme of actions to enhance the regulatory supervision in order to support accelerated mitigation of threats related to the nuclear legacy in the area.

Andreeva Bay in northwest Russia hosts one of the former coastal technical bases of the Northern Fleet. Currently, this base is designated as the Andreeva Bay branch of Northwest Center for Radioactive Waste Management (SevRAO) and is a site of temporary storage (STS) for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and other radiological waste generated during the operation and decommissioning of nuclear submarines and ships. According to an integrated expert evaluation, this site is the most dangerous nuclear facility in northwest Russia. Environmental rehabilitation of the site is currently in progress and is supported by strong international collaboration. This paper describes how the optimization principle (ALARA) has been adopted during the planning of remediation work at the Andreeva Bay STS and how Russian-Norwegian collaboration greatly contributed to ensuring the development and maintenance of a high level safety culture during this process. More specifically, this paper describes how integration of a system, specifically designed for improving the radiological safety of workers during the remediation work at Andreeva Bay, was developed in Russia. It also outlines the 3D radiological simulation and virtual reality based systems developed in Norway that have greatly facilitated effective implementation of the ALARA principle, through supporting radiological characterisation, work planning and optimization, decision making, communication between teams and with the authorities and training of field operators.

To restrict radiation exposure to the population of Russia due to radionuclide ingestion via foods produced from agricultural raw material cultivated in Russia or imported from other states, Permissible Levels (PL) of Sr and Cs specific activities have been developed. The regulations comply with requirements of national Radiation Safety Standards (NRB-99), international recommendations for limitation of the public exposure under conditions of long-term radiation exposure and take into account the special features of food contamination generation in Russia. PL have been developed under condition of non-exceeding of 1 mSv annual internal dose to the public due to food intake. The levels developed for more than 140 kinds of foods have been included into the regulative document “Hygienic requirements of safety and food significance of foodstuffs” (SanPiN 2.3.2.1078-01) and are obligatory in Russia for national and imported foods.

Remediation of the sites for temporary storage (STS) of the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and Radioactive Waste (RW) is one of the most important challenges for the Russian Northwest region. The prime task is to develop radiation environmental regulations on justification of radiation safety assurance during remedial operations at the STS. According to legislative and normative acts of the Russian Federation regulating management of radioactively contaminated territories after identification of the site contamination level at the radiation facility, one of three decisions can be made: conservation of the site; renovation of the site and buildings (brown lawn); unlimited use of the site (greenfield). The criteria and regulations for the SNF and RW STS facilities and site have been developed, which are suitable for each remediation option. At the same time, the environmental models have been taken into account; reference levels have been developed expressed in radiation parameter units, which could be measured during radiation control and monitoring: surface beta and alpha contamination of the STS buildings, gamma dose rate, radionuclide specific activity in soil, annul activity concentration of ground water, radionuclide contents in hydrobionts.

Dynamical examination of contents of the observed natural radionuclides in prime foodstuffs demonstrated their relative stability. Generally, Pb and Ra specific activities in foodstuffs depend upon the food type and options of agriculture management. Many-year researches show that average specific activities of Pb and Ra for different foodstuffs vary over the range 0.04-0.15 Bq/kg and 0.02-0.08 Bq/kg. Soil dependence of Pb and Ra contents in foodstuffs has not been revealed. Taking into account the food patterns of the Russian population, the highest intake of Pb and Ra is due to ingestion of bread, meat and drinking water. Annual effective internal doses are about 50 μSv/a.

Investigation monitoring in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (NPP) includes radiation hygienic monitoring and population health monitoring. Radiation hygienic monitoring is the system of the comprehensive and dynamic surveillance including the long-term continuous control of radiation hygienic situation parameters and doses of residents in the near-by areas of NPP. In the reference points of the NPP surveillance area and in the comparison area, the specialized rules are elaborated. These rules include the types of environmental media, scope and periodicity of sampling, methodological and technical requirements, etc. Two approaches are used for population health assessment: epidemiological and cohort. Medical demography characteristics are based upon indices of the birth rate, general malignant neoplasm mortality, and infant and childhood mortality. Morbidity is used as quantitative and qualitative index of the population health. The radiation hygienic situation in NPP surveillance areas is generally satisfactory and stable. The individual population risk for all radiation sources in surveillance areas of three examined NPPs is (2.5-3.1)·10 cases per year. The individual risk related to the NPP operation is 0.4·10 (Volgodonsk NPP) to 3.2·10 (Novovoronezh NPP) cases per year. Thus, this risk is hundreds and even million times lower if compared to unconditional acceptable risk – 1·10. The assessment of the health baseline as well as in the comparison areas was elaborated applying data of state medical statistics within more than ten years. The peculiar attention was attracted to the malignant neoplasm morbidity, their incidence rate and dynamics. The developed comprehensive investigation monitoring in the NPP vicinity should be the necessary part of the nationwide system of the public radiation protection regulation under nuclear renaissance, because it provides the opportunity to get Environmental Health Risk V 371 © 2009 WIT Press WIT Transactions on Biomedicine and Health, Vol 14, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3525 (on-line) doi:10.2495/EHR090361 the modern objective assessment of the NPP impact in the environment and population health.

In the 1960s, two technical bases of the Northern Fleet were created in Northwest Russia, at Andreeva Bay in the Kola Peninsula and Gremikha village on the coast of the Barents Sea. They maintained nuclear submarines, performing receipt and storage of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and are now designated sites of temporary storage (STSs). An analysis of the radiation situation at these sites demonstrates that substantial long-term remediation work will be required after the removal of the waste and spent nuclear fuel. Regulatory guidance is under development to support this work. Having in mind modern approaches to guaranteeing radiation safety, the primary regulatory focus is on a justification of dose constraints for determining acceptable residual contamination which might lead to exposure to workers and the public. For these sites, four principal options for remediation have been considered—renovation, conversion, conservation and liquidation. This paper describes a system of recommended dose constraints and derived control levels formulated for each option. The unconditional guarantee of long-term radioecological protection provides the basis for criteria development. Non-exceedance of these dose constraints and control levels implies compliance with radiological protection objectives related to the residual contamination. Dose reduction below proposed dose constraint values must also be carried out according to the optimisation principle. The developed criteria relate to the condition of the facilities and the STS areas after the termination of remediation activities. The proposed criteria for renovation, conversion, conservation and liquidation are entirely within the dose limits adopted in Russia for the management of man-made radiation sources, and are consistent with ICRP recommendations and national practice in other countries. The proposed criteria for STS remediation and new industrial (non-radiation-hazardous) facilities and buildings on the remedied sites had, until now, no analogues in the Russian system of regulation of radiation-hygienic standardisation. The proposals made here may serve as a basis for corresponding standards at other sites.

In the 1960s two technical bases for the Northern Fleet were created in the Russian northwest at Andreeva Bay in the Kola Peninsula and Gremikha village on the coast of the Barents Sea. They maintained nuclear submarines, receiving and storing radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. No further waste was received after 1985, and the technical bases have since been re-categorised as temporary storage sites. The handling of these materials to put them into a safe condition is especially hazardous because of their degraded state. This paper describes regulatory activities which have been carried out to support the supervision of radiological protection during recovery of waste and spent fuel, and to support regulatory decisions on overall site remediation. The work described includes: an assessment of the radiation situation on-site; the development of necessary additional regulatory rules and standards for radiation protection assurance for workers and the public during remediation; and the completion of an initial threat assessment to identify regulatory priorities. Detailed consideration of measures for the control of radiation exposure of workers and radiation exposure of the public during and after operations and emergency preparedness and response are complete and provided in sister papers. The continuing requirements for regulatory activities relevant to the development and implementation of on-going and future remediation activities are also outlined. The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority supports the work, as part of the Norwegian Government's plan of action to promote improvements in radiation protection and nuclear safety in northwest Russia.

This work presents the results of original investigations of radiation-hygienic situation, existing near location of SevRAO Facilities — STS of SNF and RW in Andreeva bay and Gremikha village. The obtained data permits to conclude that hard and long-term remedial work will be initiated after SNF removal. Having in mind modern approaches to guaranteeing radiation safety, the primary attention at remediation scenarios development was paid to justification of dose constraints of the residual contamination exposure to workers and the public. Four principal options of STS remediation were considered – renovation, conversion, conservation, and liquidation. Primary and derived quantitative radiation-hygienic criteria were formulated for each option.

This article contains principles, criteria and results for selection of the most acceptable end-states of the site and adjacent area after ecological remediation of Radiation Legacy Facility of the former USSR – the Facility for spent nuclear fuel and radiation waste temporary storage in Gremikha (Gremikha TSF). The strategy of end-state reaching has been developed. Based on consideration of existing situation and positions of stakeholders a conceptual scenario of the ecological remediation of Gremikha TSF was proposed. It is based on elaborated strategy and end-state of environmental remediation, and includes four stages: Stage 1. (2005–2010) – conversion of Gremikha TSF to bring it in correspondence with current normative requirements Stage 2. (2008–2015) – temporary operation of Gremikha TSF to remove spent nuclear fuel and primary radiation waste from the site Stage 3. (2010–2020) – decommissioning of Gremikha TSF with removal of secondary radioactive waste generated at it Stage 4. (2018–….) — remediation of the former Gremikha TSF site

Risk: medical, radiation, ecological, social-hygienic monitoring. Radiation-Hazardous objects. Population. Personal. Shore technical bases. Methodology of medical risk assessment is an important tool of socialhygienic monitoring. Individual lifelong risk of occurrence of stochastic effects in population from all exposure sources for three regions of the North-West region of Russia in 2003 made from 2,3 10 to 3,1·10 cases, including cases due to the work of radiation-hazardous objects ~ 1,0·10 cases (i. . correlated with unconditionally accepted risk). Risk of the professionals changed from 1,6·10 to 5 10, i. . it was ten times lower than acceptable level of personnel risks set at the level 1,0·10.

The means of mass prevention of radiation consequences are biologically active additives to food, usual diet components, etc., micronutrients, as well as some sorbents and radio protective agents, which show various actions: 1) those reducing absorption; 2) those accelerating radionuclide excretion; 3) those enhancing the body's resistance to radiation; 4) those contributing to the prevention (less risk) of late radiation-induced cancer. The paper formulates basic requirements for means of mass prevention and guidelines for their use in terms of benefits and risk.

The role of a subjective factor in the population's rating of various risk factors in radionuclide-polluted and radionuclide-free areas was studied. The residents from both areas consider to live in the radioactively polluted areas to be the first among risk factors. The coefficients of radiation risk rating by the population are 1.3-1.8.

Irradiation of rats by 131I (10 Gy) incorporated in the thyroid and by 137Cs external source (6 Gy) was made. Part of animals received a ration with Laminaria that reduced a rise in frequency of leukemia, other malignant tumors and increased latent period of tumor formation.

Introduction in ration of fish mass, calcium carbonate, bone meal, algae laminaria reduced level of Sr-90 and Cs-137 accumulation in the population living on territories polluted after Chernobyl accident

Enrichment of rat daily diets by 1-2 (up to 5) mg selenium increased nonspecific resistance of animals to ionizing radiation. Incidence of mammary, pituitary, and thyroid tumors as well as of leukemia were lower as compared with control animal group given no selenium.

Experiments were made with 800 white outbred mice inhaling benzo [a] pyrene (BP) and volatile coal ash for a long time. Experiments showed that BP is 10-1000-fold more carcinogenic than volatile coal ash. BP inhalation at a sanitary standard level (0.1 microgram/100 m3 of air) corresponds to equivalent risk of total gamma-emission about 2 Sv. Coal ash inhalation in concentration 0.05 mg/m3 corresponds to the same equivalent risk as for the dose 0.05 Sv.