SECTION 3 Existing exposure situation
Article 72Environmental monitoring programme
Member States shall ensure that an appropriate environmental monitoring programme is in place.
Article 73Contaminated areas
1.Member States shall ensure that optimised protection strategies for managing contaminated areas shall include, where applicable, the following:
(a)objectives, including long-term goals pursued by the strategy and corresponding reference levels, in accordance with Article 7;
(b)delineation of the affected areas and identification of the affected members of the public;
(c)consideration of the need for and extent of protective measures to be applied to the affected areas and members of the public;
(d)consideration of the need to prevent or control access to the affected areas, or to impose restrictions on living conditions in these areas;
(e)assessment of the exposure of different groups in the population and assessment of the means available to individuals for controlling their own exposure.
2.For areas with long-lasting residual contamination in which the Member State has decided to allow habitation and the resumption of social and economic activities, Member States shall ensure, in consultation with stakeholders, that arrangements are in place, as necessary, for the ongoing control of exposure with the aim of establishing living conditions that can be considered as normal, including:
(a)establishment of appropriate reference levels;
(b)establishment of an infrastructure to support continuing self-help protective measures in the affected areas, such as information provision, advice and monitoring;
(c)if appropriate, remediation measures;
(d)if appropriate, delineated areas.
Article 74Indoor exposure to radon
1.Member States shall establish national reference levels for indoor radon concentrations. The reference levels for the annual average activity concentration in air shall not be higher than 300 Bq m–3.
2.Under the national action plan referred to in Article 103, Member States shall promote action to identify dwellings, with radon concentrations (as an annual average) exceeding the reference level and encourage, where appropriate by technical or other means, radon concentration-reducing measures in these dwellings.
3.Member States shall ensure that local and national information is made available on indoor radon exposure and the associated health risks, on the importance of performing radon measurements and on the technical means available for reducing existing radon concentrations.
Article 75Gamma radiation from building materials
1.The reference level applying to indoor external exposure to gamma radiation emitted by building materials, in addition to outdoor external exposure, shall be 1 mSv per year.
2.For building materials which are identified by the Member State as being of concern from a radiation protection point of view, taking into account the indicative list of materials set out in Annex XIII with regard to their emitted gamma radiation, Member States shall ensure that, before such materials are placed on the market:
(a)the activity concentrations of the radionuclides specified in Annex VIII are determined, and that,
(b)information to the competent authority on the results of measurements and the corresponding activity concentration index, as well as other relevant factors, as defined in Annex VIII, are provided if requested.
3.For types of building materials identified in accordance with paragraph 2 which are liable to give doses exceeding the reference level, Member States shall decide on appropriate measures, which may include specific requirements in relevant building codes or restrictions on the envisaged use of such materials.