ICRP workshop on the review and revision of the system of radiological protection: A focus on research priorities — Feedback from the international community

Werner Rühm, Hyungjoon Yu, Christopher Clement, Elizabeth A. Ainsbury, Sylvain Andresz, Peter Bryant, Claire Louise Chapple, Pascal Croüail, John Damilakis, Marcela G. Ermacora, Tapani Eurajoki, Florian Gering, Susan Molyneux-Hodgson, Oliver Hupe, Nathalie Impens, Michael Lassmann, João O. Martins, Lorenzo Nicola Mazzoni, Christopher Mogg, Julie MorganTanja Perko, Miroslav Pinak, Joana Santos, Nicolas Stritt, Rick Tanner, Catrinel Turcanu, Fernand Vermeersch

Research outputpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

In September 2022, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) organised a workshop in Estoril, Portugal, on the ‘Review and Revision of the System of Radiological Protection: A Focus on Research Priorities’. The workshop, which was a side event of the European Radiation Protection Week, offered an opportunity to comment on a recent paper published by ICRP on areas of research to support the System of Radiological Protection. Altogether, about 150 individuals participated in the workshop. After the workshop, 16 of the 30 organisations in formal relations with ICRP provided written feedback. All participants and organisations followed ICRP’s view that further research in various areas will offer additional support in improving the System in the short, medium, and long term. In general, it was emphasised that any research should be outcome-focused in that it should improve protection of people or the environment. Many research topics mentioned by the participants were in line with those already identified by ICRP in the paper noted above. In addition, further ideas were expressed such as, for example, that lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic with regards to the non-radiological social, economic and environment impacts, should be analysed for their usefulness to enhance radiological protection, and that current protection strategies and application of current radiological protection principles may need to be adapted to military scenarios like those observed recently during the military conflict in the Ukraine or the detonation of a nuclear weapon. On a broader perspective, it was discussed how radiation research and radiological protection can contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals announced by the United Nations in 2015. This paper summarises the views expressed during the workshop and the major take home messages identified by ICRP.

Original languageEnglish
Article number043001
Number of pages20
JournalJournal of Radiological protection
Volume43
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Cite this