Training course on environmental risk assessment and the ERICA tool
Overview
The need for a system to demonstrate that the environment is protected from ionising radiation is now broadly recognized at the international level. Increasing production of nuclear energy and plans for further new build or decommissioning of old installations make it now more necessary than ever to align methodologies for the assessment of Environmental impact of ionizing radiation with the state-of-the art in an European context.
The course will focus on Environmental Risk Assessment with focus on the ERICA integrated Approach to assess the impact of ionising radiation on the environment, which emphasizes the safeguarding of the structure and function of ecosystems. This system combines elements of environmental management, risk characterization and impact assessment that have been built upon the basis of an EU-wide scientific consensus.
Topics
The following topics will be treated:
- Foundations for the assessment of radiation exposure to the environment;
- Methods for derivation of benchmarks in environmental radiation protection;
- Overview of radiation dosimetry methods for non-human biota;
- An important element of this training course will be a series of practical sessions on how to carry out ERICA Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 impact assessments (including attribution of probability functions for parameter values) for the aquatic and terrestrial environments, with feedback provided after the practical sessions and guidance on what to look for when interpreting an assessment.
Audience
PhD students and scientific researchers, authorities, industries that are interested in or confronted with radiological environmental impact assessments or with the challenges of assessing or predicting biological effects in mixed exposures situations.
Programme
The full programme can be downloaded here:
Programme Enviromental Risk Assessment en the ERICA tool.pdf
Required Knowledge
As the general concepts discussed in this workshop apply to different fields, participants of all fields of radiation protection, radioecology or (eco)toxicology are welcome.
Preparation
A minimum of one laptop for two trainees would be necessary. It is recommended that each trainee has their own laptop (with WI-FI option for being able to access the Internet).
Participants should have pre-downloaded and installed the ERICA assessment tool before starting the course. The download is free, but requires a simple registration: http://www.erica-tool.eu/erica/download/.
Learning outcomes
Foundation knowledge on assessment of the risk of ionising radiation on the environment (non-human biota), including the use of the ERICA tool for carrying an assessment of exposures and effects.
Price
No fees charged but subscription is mandatory.
Registration info
There's a maximum of 25 attendees. A first come first served base will be applied.
You can register by clicking on the registration button above until October 16, 2015.
Accommodation
The training course venue is the University of Physics, Ülikooli 18 at 0090 Tartu, Estland.
Participants are requested to make their own travel arrangements. Information on local hotels can be asked to the local organizer.