The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is extending the existing contaminated land regime under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to cover radioactivity.
Information about the future regime is available at Defra's Website.
A methodology is required for the quantitative risk assessment of land that falls under the regime and might be radioactively contaminated. Defra has commissioned Quintessa Limited, with support from URS Corporation, to develop a 'Radioactively Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment' (RCLEA) methodology for this purpose. It will complement the existing Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) methodology for non-radioactively contaminated land.
Stakeholder's views on the overall approach for RCLEA were sought in the summer of 2005. Comments have been addressed, and a full draft of the RCLEA methodology has been developed. RCLEA is documented in a Technical Report and less-technical Summary Report. A software tool has also been developed, using Microsoft Excel, to enable RCLEA to be applied.
Prior to their formal release, Defra wishes to invite further comments on the documents and software. These are available at:
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/land/contaminated/documents/circular01-2006.pdf
Given that the overall approach has already been consulted upon, comments are invited on the ease with which the methodology can be understood and applied. Responses should be sent to Defra - details are given on the Defra website.