Programme

Preliminary program

Keynote speakers

Hildegarde Vandenhove – IAEA

Optimization of Radiation Protection in the Management of Radioactive Waste and Environmental Releases, Decommissioning and Remediation: A Key Contribution to Enabling Sustainability

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organised the first International Conference on Ensuring Safety and Enabling Sustainability in Radioactive Waste Management, Decommissioning, Environmental Protection and Remediation. The conference explored the relationship between safety and sustainability from two perspectives: how does radiation protection and safety contribute to sustainable development and, how does sustainability inform our approach to radiation protection and safety? The use of nuclear science and technology is not sustainable unless it is safe throughout its life cycle. Referring to the back-end: unless there is a clear plan for the safe management of associated radioactive waste and environmental releases, the safe decommissioning of facilities, and remediation of contaminated sites. It refers back to Fundamental Safety Principle 7: “People and the environment, present and future, must be protected against radiation risks.” Safety is not the only factor that contributes to sustainable development. Making something safe does not automatically make it sustainable. For example, fundamental Safety Principle 5 requires that when assessing whether the safety measures applied to facilities and activities that give rise to radiation risks are optimized - we take account of economic, societal, and environmental factors (three pillars of sustainability).

This keynote will explore the relationship between safety and sustainability in the context of waste, decommissioning and remediation and highlight the major outcomes of the conference. There was a strong consensus that safety is a key component of sustainability and an equally strong consensus that safety on its own is not sufficient to enable sustainability. It was postulated that the relationship between safety and sustainability could be more explicit and proposed that optimisation of protection and safety should be considered in the context of sustainability and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, concluding that optimisation of radiation protection and safety is necessary to enable sustainability. We will explore the opportunities that this perspective unfolds. We will highlight how the IAEA Safety Standards integrate the aspects of safety and sustainability and provide some specific examples on the consideration of optimisation of safety in the context of overall sustainability.

Deborah Oughton - Norwegian University of Life Sciences

Does Nuclear Power have a Future in Norway? 

Over the past few years there has been an increased focus in the applicability of nuclear power in Norway. Politicians, NGOs, the public and scientists have all expressed an interest, leading to, at times, heated debate on the applicability of the technology. The deployment of small modular reactors has been proposed both for remote communities and as power sources for ships. Using Norway as a test case, this talk will examine some of the societal and technical challenges facing new nuclear technologies, with a particular focus on the potential environmental impacts and the research needs from radioecology. 

Georg Steinhauser - Technische Universität Wien

Understanding the wild boar paradox

After the Chornobyl nuclear accident in 1986, it was soon discovered that all kinds of forest animals exhibited high pollution levels with radiocesium. With many of these (deer, hare, etc.) contamination levels declined fairly rapidly, however, not with wild boar. Especially in the Alpine regions of Austria and Germany, they exhibited not only very high (up to 20 kBq/kg) but also very persistent levels of 137Cs. In some cases, the decline of 137Cs activity concentrations was slower than what would be expected only due to the half-life of 137Cs (30 years). In other words: wild boar seemingly violate the law of radioactive decay. This discrepancy was hence termed "wild boar paradox." Using 135Cs/137Cs as an isotopic fingerprint, we could show that wild boars are contaminated not only by "new" Chornobyl cesium, but also by disproportional amounts of "old" nuclear weapons fallout cesium (Stäger et al., 2023). This novel insight finally allows understanding the wild boar paradox. It seems the root to the problem is an underground food source.

Mike Wood - University of Salford, United Kingdom

Radioecology – in memoriam? 

Radioecology has been a driving force for broader ecological science development and has provided the scientific foundations for environmental radiation protection internationally. However, to those outside the field, radioecology is often viewed as a niche area – a “cottage industry” with limited wider relevance. Except for periods following the accidents at Chornobyl and Fukushima, radioecological research funding over the last 50 years has been limited. The temporal fluctuations in funding have resulted in periods of expansion and contraction of the radioecological community. Despite an increasing global shift towards nuclear power within the energy mix, the current period is characterised by dwindling sources of funding for radioecology and, seemingly, fewer and fewer researchers identifying themselves as ‘radioecologists’.

Other global events have also taken their toll on radioecology, most notably the war in Ukraine. The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, which is arguably the most important natural laboratory for radioecological research, has become a ‘no go’ area once more for most of the international research community. Field studies have necessarily been abandoned and access to sample archives and equipment has been lost. Although papers evaluating the impacts of radiation on the wildlife of Chornobyl continue to be published, these papers are predominantly based on data collected prior to the Russian invasion in February 2022 and the availability of such data is finite.

Radioecology has potentially also suffered from honesty within the research community. Even in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, many radioecological studies have struggled to demonstrate significant impacts of radiation on wildlife populations. Ecological research generally yields highly variable data and, where effects sizes are low, impacts may be obscured as a result. However, it is challenging to convince funders and other stakeholders of the need to invest significant resources in the pursuit marginal effects. With widespread recognition of the global biodiversity crisis and highly ambitious conservation targets set for 2030, increasing focus is being placed on more readily identifiable drivers of population impacts.

In the face of these various pressures, the radioecolgist’s niche has become increasingly constrained. Adaptation is an inevitable consequence in the quest for research survival. This adaptation has been reflected in two key strategies: (i) attempt to reenforce the central importance of radioecology; and (ii) expand into different research niches. I will explore the implications of these strategies for radioecology, addressing the fundamental question of whether radioecology is dead and, if it isn’t, what the future of radioecology may look like.

Thematic sessions

1. Management of NORM impacted areas, including legacy sites, high-background areas and radon impacted sites and NORMs in drinking water and food: from risk assessment to remediation
Chaired by Sanjay Kumar Jha (BARC) and Jelena Mrdakovic Popic (DSA) 

This session focuses on the topic of managing areas affected by Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). NORM encompasses multiple aspects in this session, including legacy sites, high-background areas, sites impacted by radon as well as drinking water and food. The focus extends from comprehensive risk assessment to sustainable and effective remediation strategies, considering the concept of circular economy and possible reuse of NORM waste. Insights on the dynamic interactions of NORM with the environment and human health are also welcome.

2. Radioactive waste management and disposal
Chaired by Joanne Brown (IAEA) and Julia Carpenter (ARPANSA)

This session is dedicated to the impact of radioactive waste management and disposal on humans and the environment. It serves as a forum for the exploration of challenges, innovations, and best practices in handling radioactive waste from the different waste categories (including LLW, ILW, VLLW, HLW, SNF). Within this session, experts, researchers, and practitioners will share their insights into the latest advancements and strategies for the safe and sustainable management of radioactive waste. Topics covered will encompass the treatment, storage, and ultimate disposal in surface or deep ground with a focus on the behavior and transfer of radionuclides in the environment and impact on humans and the environment.

3. New development on measurements and metrology
Chaired by José Marcus Godoy (PUC-Rio) and Filip Vanhavere (SCK CEN)

This session deals with relevant innovations and methods in the field of metrology. Rapid methods and more sophisticated analysis and measurement techniques, as well as in situ measurements, are concerned. Advances in sampling, data processing, computer applications, laboratory facilities and field monitoring techniques are welcomed. Various types of quality assurance issues are important in metrology and also part of the scope of the session.

4. Emergency preparedness and revitalization: lessons from the past and current world events 
Chaired by Olivier Isnard (IRSN) and Hirofumi Tsukada (IER-Fukushima University)

Recent events on Ukrainian territory have triggered a complex, multi-faceted crisis that require the utmost attention in terms of emergency preparedness and response. This session presents an invaluable opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the preparedness and response strategies deployed to mitigate the impact of this crisis. Additionally, it serves as a platform for discussing the crucial task of environmental restoration following nuclear and radiological disasters. Topics to be addressed encompass decontamination measures and the reduction of activity concentration of radionuclides, drawing insights from lessons learned in the past and current world events. Indeed, the significance of preparedness takes center stage when reflecting on the aftermath of events like Chernobyl and Fukushima. Of outmost importance is the active exchange of knowledge and insights among decision makers, practitioners, stakeholders, and the scientific community. Participation from each of these diverse communities is critical and particularly welcome.

5. Effects of radioactivity on the ecosystems: from a mechanistic understanding to a holistic approach of radiation protection
Chaired by Rodolphe Gilbin (IRSN)/(ALLIANCE) and Carmel Mothersill (McMaster)/(IUR)

The session will focus on mechanistic understanding of the processes inducing radiation effects at different levels of biological organization, including the consequences on ecosystem integrity. It includes multigenerational responses, hereditary effects, adaptive responses, genomic instability, and epigenetic changes, as well as effect of co-stressors. New approaches of upscaling from molecular mechanisms of effect to impact at populational level are of particular importance, as well as approaches allowing to encompass all aspects of radiation protection at the ecosystem levels (conservation of biological diversity, ecosystems structure and functioning, both for their intrinsic value and because of the key role they plays in providing the ecosystem goods and other services upon which we all ultimately depend).

6. Understanding and modelling radionuclide mobility and bioavailability in the environment
Chaired by Laureline Février (IRSN) and Mathew Johansen (ANSTO)

Assessing radiological impact of radionuclide releases in a realistic way relies on a good understanding of their distributions in the environment, from their dispersion and transfer in the atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial media up to their uptake and accumulation in biotic organisms. The session will focus on new experimental findings, as well as development of models able to describe and predict these transfers in different contexts (from short-term after a release to long-term scenarios). All types of models, from conservative assessment models to more detailed research models are welcome.

7. Consequences of global changes on radioecology
Chaired by Mathew Johansen (ANSTO) and Olivier MASSON (IRSN)

This session looks at the relationship between global changes and the field of radioecology. At a time of profound transformations in our planet's climate, ecosystems and human activities, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how these changes may affect either directly or indirectly (by affecting the ecosystems themselves or their functioning) the distribution and fate of radionuclides in the environment, as well as their effect. The evolving methodologies and tools that are enabling us to adapt to these challenges will also be discussed.

8. Advancing radioecology with artificial intelligence and Big Data
Chaired by Olivier Radakovitch (IRSN) and Trevor Stocki (Radiation Protection Bureau - Health Canada)

This session looks at the cutting-edge crossroads of radioecology and advanced technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and Big Data are transforming the understanding of radioecology, and this session will explore the dynamic role of these technologies in advancing our knowledge; and how these innovative tools are contributing to more precise risk assessments and informed decision-making in the nuclear industry and environmental science.

9. Fostering engagement between radioecology and society: promoting communication and citizen science initiatives
Chaired by Thierry Schneider (CEPN)/(ICRP) and Yevgeniya Tomkiv (NMBU)

This session seeks to promote trust, understanding, and engagement among radioecologists, the nuclear industry, policymakers, and the public through the promotion of effective communication, transparency, and citizen participation. It will promote actions regarding improved communication, collaboration, and the active involvement of citizens in understanding and addressing radioecological issues, making the session an important and timely topic in the context of environmental and nuclear science. Development of innovative approaches and methods to facilitate the exchange of essential information between various entities, including governments, industry, and the public are welcome.