On 29 September 2011, the European Commission adopted the proposal for a {menulink:custom|link=http://ec.europa.eu/energy/nuclear/radiation_protection/radiation_protection_en.htm|target=_blank}Council Directive laying down the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation{menulink}. tHE TEXT RELATING TO eNVIRONMENTAL pROTECTION IS REPRODUCED BELOW:
*Chapter IX PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT*
_Article 76 Environmental criteria_
Member States shall include, in their legal framework for radiation protection and in
particular within the overall system of human health protection, provision for the
radiation protection of non-human species in the environment. This legal framework
shall introduce environmental criteria aiming to protect populations of vulnerable or
representative non-human species in the light of their significance as part of the
ecosystem. Where appropriate, types of practices shall be identified for which
regulatory control is warranted in order to implement the requirements of this legal
framework.
_Article 77 Authorised limits on discharges_
Member States’ competent authorities, when establishing authorised limits on
discharges of radioactive effluents, in accordance with Article 65(2), shall also
ensure adequate protection of non-human species. For this purpose, a generic
screening assessment may be conducted to provide assurance that the environmental
criteria are met.
_Article 78 Accidental releases_
Member States shall require undertakings to take appropriate technical measures to
avoid significant environmental damage in the event of an accidental release or to
mitigate the extent of such damage.
_Article 79 Environmental monitoring_
When establishing environmental monitoring programmes, or requiring such
programmes to be carried out, Member States’ competent authorities shall include
representative non-human species, if necessary, and also environmental media which
constitute a pathway of exposure for members of the public. |