Abstract

Radiation protection policy in the Netherlands applies to human activities in which ionizing radiation presents a hazard not to naturally occurring sources of radiation. The risk levels (maximum permissible risk and negligible risk) apply to sources of radiation that cause an additional risk. Translation of these levels into practical environmental quality objectives therefore implies that both the extent and the origin of the risk is determined. The distinction between the natural and the additional radiation dose is of particular interest. In this report various possibilities are described for measuring, explaining and predicting the naturally occurring concentrations of the precursors of the element radon in the two radioactive decay series starting with U-238 and Th-232. Several methods are given that may be used to derive environmental quality objectives for the soil with respect to these radionuclides. These environmental quality objectives are an important basis for among others the soil sanitation policy. The nature of the radionuclides considered may have consequences for the choice of sanitation techniques. Because possible sources and cases of soil pollution may have important consequences for the Dutch policy on soil sanitation, a short overview is given of data published on these subjects. The foundation and the control of intervention levels requires insight in the relative importance of pollution pathways. As a result, pathways have been given ample attention.