Abstract

The geothermal and oil and gas industries produce large quantities of waste every year. This includes so-called 'wet sludge'. The composition of wet sludge varies considerably and, depending on its origin, can sometimes contain radioactivity of natural origin. In 2018 the Netherlands has to comply with new European regulations regarding radioactive substances. These regulations are being implemented into Dutch legislation, according to a "minimum additional national requirements approach" ('minimal implementation'). As a consequence of this minimal implementation, more waste will have to be managed specifically as radioactive material.

The Dutch Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) has therefore asked RIVM to investigate whether more specific values can be used for radioactivity in wet sludges. This could involve using European "community guidance", which was drawn up in 2001. The European specific clearance levels derived in this guidance appear largely to be applicable to sludges from the Dutch oil and gas industry and geothermics. If these specific clearance levels were to be introduced in Dutch national legislation, less waste would have to be managed as radioactive material. On the other hand, this would lead to a slight increase in the exposure of workers in the sludge processing industry to ionising radiation.