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Radon in Lithuania. Ms. RITA SKETERSKIEN Ė, HEAD DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF LITHUANIA REPUBLIC. Policy on radiation protection in Lithuania. Radiation Protection Law, 1999, new Edition in 2018
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Radon in Lithuania Ms. RITA SKETERSKIENĖ, HEAD DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF LITHUANIA REPUBLIC
Policy on radiation protection in Lithuania Radiation Protection Law, 1999, new Edition in 2018 Government of Lithuania establishes the principles of radiation protection policy Ministry of Health Care establishes obligatory norms and rules for the radiation protection of public and the environment in the planned, existing and emergency situations of exposure
Legal acts related to radon Law on Radiation Protection (adopted on 1 April 1999)new Edition 2018 Law on Construction of Republic of Lithuania (adopted on 19 March 1996) Hygiene Standard HN 73:2018 “Basic Standards of Radiation Protection” Hygiene Standard HN 24:2011 “Quality requirements for drinking water” Regulation STR 2.01.01 (3): 1999 Fundamental building requirements. Hygiene, health, environmental protection
Roles of Ministry of Health in decision-making process regarding regulation of indoor radon in buildings and in workplaces Ministry of Health approves the reference levels for radon in dwellings, for public and work places; organizes andimplementsprograms for Radon Risk Assessment, including the identification of Radon ProneAreas; approves guides and scope for Radon Action Plan.
Delegating key mandates and responsibilities to national authorities (in executive branch) Supervision and control of radiation protection is delegated to Radiation Protection Centre 1. The Radiation Protection Center is a regulatory body which performs regulatory control of exposures of people and the environment, and activities with sources of ionizing radiation. The following functions of RPC: 1) participate in the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of radiation protection, except for the implementation of this policy in the field of nuclear activities with sources of ionizing radiation; 2) carry out monitoring of human exposure as a risk factor for public health in the planned, existing and emergency situations of exposure; …
The main functions of the Radiation Protection Centrerelatedwith radon • performs radon measurements for radon risk assessment; • supervises the radiation protection measures for control of radon exposure in underground workplaces and work places in the basement; • in radon prone areas supervises the radiation protection measures for control of public and occupational exposure; • organizescommunication on radon issues
Experiences in regulating radon and building materials in your country Hygiene Standard HN 73:2018 “Basic Standards of Radiation Protection” The external exposure of gamma radiation emitted by building materials to the population should not exceed the reference level - 1 mSv per year Manufacturers of building materials, importers, distributors or authorized representatives must, prior to placing on the market the construction materials listed in Annex 10 to the hygiene standard, ensure that these construction materials undergo a radiological examination before being placed on the market. Annex 10 include list of building materials as in EU directive and IAEA standards
Key milestones and achievements Reference levels
National survey and other measurement campaigns A different range and purpose indoor radon surveys were performed or are going on in Lithuania since 1995 year • National survey of indoor radon in 1995-1998 • Survey in region of higher radon risk in Northern part of Lithuania in 2001-2002 • Survey in multi-store houses in 2001-2004 • Survey in regions with higher concentrations of indoor radon in 2002-2007 • Children’ and teenagers’ institutions survey in 2002-2003 and 2014 year • Indoor radon mapping, data transference to EC JRC in 2007 and 2017 year • Radon map using 10x10 grid 2008 – 2016 year • In 2017 year new radon survey program was approved till 2023 year
Radon Action Plan – Radon related program In 2017 year, The Minister of Health approved Exposure Monitoring Program for Public and Workers Working with sources of ionizing radiation. The program includes Radon exposure as well. According this Program Director of Radiation Protection Centre have approved special Radon Risk Assessment Programfor 2017 – 2023 year, which includes those measures: • Information for the public, homeowners, building professionals; • Trainings for building professionals; • Performance national survey/measurements of radon in dwellings and workplaces; • Measurements in the potential Radon Prone Area; • New survey for updating the average radon concentration • Creation of Radon Risk Map Additional Radon Action Plan according the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom ANNEX XVIII should be prepared only if the Radon Prone areas was detected
Indoor radon measurements During 1995-2018 year more than 5000 radon measurements was done in Lithuania
Radon prone area Radon prone area is considered as an area where 10% of all tested buildings annual indoor radon concentration exceeds the reference level 300 Bq/m3 Average indoor radon concentration in Lithuania 63 Bq/m3 Northern part of Lithuania in (karst region) average indoor radon concentration 94 Bq/m3 NO RADON PRONE AREAS EXIST IN LITHUANIA
Communication strategy in Lithuania Books related to radon issues
Leaflets for public information 2009 2002 2015 2008
Cooperation with Lithuanian Association of Civil Engineers, municipalities, universities, public health specialists Lectures Scientific research (with Kaunas technology university on indoor radon concentrations before and after reconstruction works in dwellings) Trainings PhD and bachelor thesis Field exercises with school children
Thank you for attention Ms. RITA SKETERSKIENĖ, HEAD DIVISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH MINISTRY OF HEALTH OF LITHUANIA REPUBLIC http://www.sam.lt rita.sketerskiene@sam.lt