Action 51601 - Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring (REM)
The Radioactivity Environmental Action has moved to the Institute for Transuranium Elements.
Did you know that the IES hosts the data center for environmental radioactivity measurements in the EU?
The REM action was started shortly after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident (26 April 1986) to support the European Commission in its responsibilities to provide qualified information to the European Parliament and the Member States on the levels of radioactive contamination of the various compartments of the environment (air, water, soil). This role of the EC is laid down in EC legislation (in particular in the Euratom Treaty and the Council Decision 87/600 on the Community arrangements).
Hence the main line of REM’s activities concerns the improvement of procedures for the collection, evaluation and harmonisation of environmental radioactivity concentration data and the modelling of the migration of radioactivity in the environment for routine and emergency conditions, as well as making this information available to the general public. In this way REM ensures that users from Member States and other European countries have the necessary inter-communication tools and access to this information. Specific attention is given to further integrate the new Member States with the existing information exchange systems and to assist Candidate Countries in fulfilling these obligations in view of their membership of the EU. This initiative is based on research which involves the development and intercomparison of real-time atmospheric dispersion models, development and implementation of advanced statistical tools, radioecological assessment and the continued development of decision support systems.
Specific objectives of the Action
• Routine monitoring of the environment through the management of the Radioactivity Environmental Monitoring databank, which acts as the information centre for the levels of radioactivity in the EU Member States and beyond.
• Providing assistance and technical supportt o the relevant European Commission services and Member State contact points in keeping its radiological emergency information exchange systems (ECURIE, EURDEP, ENSEMBLE) operational.
• Implementation of a common procedure to match EU and other international requirements (e.g. IAEA).
• Improvement and extension of the existing emergency information exchange networks and the underlying network architecture, incorporating Candidate Countries.
• Performing periodic modelling exercises on long-range atmospheric dispersion, including regional atmospheric dispersion.
A major part of REM’s work programme is dedicated to the maintenance and development of international information exchange systems in order to support decision making in the event of a large nuclear accident with transboundary release to the atmosphere. Over the past few years the exchange systems for notification (ECURIE), monitoring data (EURDEP) and atmospheric model evaluation (ENSEMBLE) have been further improved.
The EURDEP network is made up of 30 countries who exchange radiological monitoring data on a continuous basis in almost real-time from some 4,100 stations, making the network an extremely valuable tool for emergency management. A major achievement of the ENSEMBLE modelling system has been the coupling of ENSEMBLE with the EURDEP database. The ECURIE alert notification system is being automated to the ENSEMBLE modelling groups. Activities are also being carried out in the field of local and mesoscale atmospheric dispersion for emergency and routine conditions.
Together with the IAEA and DG TREN, the JRC uses a common data format for exchanging information in the event of a radiological accident, thereby allowing EU Member States to fulfil their legal obligations to both the IAEA and the EC through a single procedure.
More information can be found on the Transport and Air Quality Unit web page.
Main Customers
- DG Transport and Energy
- DG Information Society and Media
- DG External Relations
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- Competent Authorities of the EU Member States and Candidate Countries
EU Legislation and Documents supported by this Action
- Commission Recommendation on the application of Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty concerning the monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in the environment for the purpose of assessing the exposure of the population as a whole - 2000/473/Euratom
- Council Directive laying down basic safety standards for the health protection of the general public and workers against the dangers of ionizing radiation - 96/29/Euratom
- Council Decision on Community arrangements for the early exchange of information in the event of a radiological emergency - 87/600/Euratom
- Council Regulation laying down the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs and of feeding stuffs following a nuclear accident or any other case of radiological emergency - 87/3954/Euratom
- Commission Recommendation on the protection and information of the public with regard to exposure resulting from the continued radioactive caesium contamination of certain wild food products as a consequence of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station - 2003/120/EC
- Commission Recommendation on the protection of the public against indoor exposure to radon - 90/143/EURATOM
Contact Info:
Marc De Cort - Tel.: +39-0332-785095 E-mail: marc.de-cort(at)jrc.ec.europa.eu
