Legislative aspects

It is well known that, owing to their natural radionuclide content, building materials give the most significant contribution to the indoor gamma dose. This is why for some 30 years researchers have investigated building materials from a radiological point of view and why, more recently, regulators have recognized building materials to be an important issue from the radiation protection point of view. The recycling of NORM residues in building materials may be a sustainable option to counteract the further depletion of valuable raw materials. For the evaluation of recycling options for NORM residues, it is, however, vital to carefully consider current legislation and recommendations. Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom, laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation, considers the gamma exposure from building materials. Article 75 and Annex VIII of the Directive are devoted to this issue. This Directive shall be transposed into national legislations of Member States and in force before February 2018. This chapter presents an overview of the (development of the) EU legislation related to radionuclides and ionizing radiation in building materials. Linked legislation such as the Euratom drinking water is also discussed. An overview of regulations already in force in EU Member States and in some other countries is given. Finally, a review is offered of different tools elaborated in different EU and non-EU countries in order to characterize the radioactivity content of building materials and to evaluate their radiological impact.