Revised requirements for radiological protection: regulation of public exposures and the justification of practices

Overview

We are setting out proposals for the transposition of the public exposures and justification aspects of the 2013 Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive.

The 2013 Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/EURATOM) lays down safety standards for protecting against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation.

We're seeking views on proposals for implementing the requirements of the Directive in relation to planned and existing public exposure situations and the justification of practices involving ionising radiation.

The proposals will be of particular interest to a wide range of commercial and public sector organisations, including hospitals, universities, the nuclear industry and other industries that work with radioactive substances or which generate or manage radioactive waste.

There are a number of supporting documents included with this consultation:

• An Impact Assessment details the economic and environmental benefits associated with the government’s regulatory decisions.
• Schedule 23 to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, marked with proposed draft amendments for comment, to be read alongside the consultation proposals.
• BEIS will also publish during the course of this consultation the proposed draft amendments to the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations 2004 for comment.

Policy proposals setting out changes to the Radioactive Contaminated Land (RCL) regime are presented in this consultation. We will consult separately on updated RCL statutory guidance and amendments to the RCL legislation following consideration of the results of this consultation.

A further set of regulations, implementing a handful of miscellaneous policy proposals in this consultation, will also be prepared. We don't propose to consult on these regulations.

We will notify interested parties when the draft amendments to the Justification of Practices Involving Ionising Radiation Regulations are released and when the consultation on the RCL statutory guidance and amendments to the RCL regime is launched.

See related consultation, Revised requirements for radiological protection: emergency preparedness and response.