Environmental monitoring at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO)

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dc.contributor.authorFerris, JMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHarrison, JJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHoffmann, ELen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPayne, TEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSzymczak, Ren_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-10T06:57:37Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-06-10T06:57:37Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2006en_AU
dc.date.statistics2020-03-19en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) operates several facilities, including Australia’s only research reactor, HIFAR, carrying out production of radiopharmaceuticals and research in nuclear science and technology. ANSTO is an agency of the Commonwealth of Australia. Most ANSTO facilities are at the Lucas Heights Science and Technology Centre (LHSTC), surrounded by a 1.6 km buffer zone, about 40 km southwest of Sydney. ANSTO also operates the National Medical Cyclotron (NMC), located on the grounds of Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camberdown, Sydney, which produces shortlived radioisotopes for medical investigations. ANSTO is committed to undertaking its activities in a manner that protects human health and the environment and is consistent with national and international standards and our activities are regulated by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency [1] under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act (1998). ANSTO has a comprehensive monitoring programme for the main pathways for potential exposure from routine and accidental releases for radioactivity. Annually, approximately 6000 samples are taken and some 10,000 analyses are performed. ANSTO monitors the amounts of airborne emissions, the radioactive and non-radioactive contaminants released to the sewer and subsequently to local coastal waters, the quality of stormwater leaving the site, the quality of groundwater and soils and sediment in the general vicinity. The principal sources of potential radiation exposure to members of the general public from routine ANSTO operations at the LHSTC and National Medical Cyclotron are from airborne emissions and low- level liquid effluent discharges. The effective dose rate to a hypothetical individual potentially exposed to radiation in routine airborne discharges from the LHSTC during the 2002-03 fiscal year was less than 0.006 mSv/year, based on stack discharge data and concurrent meteorological information. This effective dose is well below the ALARA objective of 0.02 mSv/year and less than 1% of the public dose rate limit of 1 mSv/year for long term exposure that is recommended by the Australian Occupational Health and Safety Commission. It is also less than 1% of the natural background annual dose in Australia of about 1.5 mSv/year [2]. Thermoluminescent dosimeters placed around the LHSTC and at some local residences also demonstrate that the external gamma radiation levels at residential locations in the vicinity of the LHSTC were at normal background levels and not noticeably affected by ANSTO operations. ANSTO operations at the LHSTC and the NMC make only a very small addition to the background radiation dose, even for the comparatively few members of the public identified as potentially exposed to radionuclides entering the environment from the ANSTO sites. The results of the monitoring programme are published annually in documents within the series Environmental and Effluent Monitoring at ANSTO Sites [3 and references therein], copies of which are available in the local Sutherland Shire Central Library and on request from the ANSTO Communications Manager. The environmental and effluent monitoring programme at ANSTO is very much a team effort and acknowledgment goes to all associated staff for their valuable contributions.en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitleProceedings of an international conference held in Monaco, 25–29 October 2004 organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency and co-sponsored by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO,en_AU
dc.identifier.citationFerris, J., Harrison, J., Hoffmann, E., Payne, T. E. & Szymczak, R. (2004). Environmental monitoring at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO). In Proccedings of an international conference held held in Monaco, 25–29 October 2004 organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency and co-sponsored by the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the Commission Internationale pour l’Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée, "Isotopes in Environmental Studies Aquatic Forum 2004". (pp. 292-293). Retrieved from https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/CSP_26_web.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate29 October 2004en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameIsotopes in Environmental Studies Aquatic Forum 2004en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceMonacoen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate25 October 2004en_AU
dc.identifier.isbn92–0–111305–Xen_AU
dc.identifier.issn1562–4153en_AU
dc.identifier.issnIAEA-CSP-26en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination292-293en_AU
dc.identifier.placeofpublicationVienna, Austriaen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/CSP_26_web.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/10868en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherInternational Atomic Energy Agencyen_AU
dc.subjectANSTOen_AU
dc.subjectNew South Walesen_AU
dc.subjectEcological concentrationen_AU
dc.subjectRadioisotopesen_AU
dc.subjectHuman populationsen_AU
dc.subjectRadiopharmaceuticalsen_AU
dc.subjectARPANSAen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectReactor sitesen_AU
dc.subjectRadiation dosesen_AU
dc.titleEnvironmental monitoring at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation (ANSTO)en_AU
dc.typeConference Presentationen_AU
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