​What is NORM and Why NORM need be regulated?

1. What is NORM?​​
   

2. What kind of industries generate NORM?

3. What is secular and transient equilibrium?

4. What is the difference between “exemption” and “clearance”?

5. What is the difference between a NORM residue and NORM waste?​

6. What is the difference between a “planned” and an “existing” scenario? 

7. What are examples of planned exposure situations involving NORM?

8. ​What are example of existing exposure situations involving NORM?

9. ​What is the reason for the dose criterion (1 mSv/year) and does it apply to NORM?

10. Explain the application of a dose constraint as it applies to NORM.
    

1. Is it really necessary to regulate NORM? How is the public impacted in the lack of NORM regulations?
   

2. At what point should a regulatory authority consider regulating NORM?​

​​How NORM can be regulated?

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1. ​Is it necessary for NORM regulations to address uranium production as well?​​

2. Do NORM regulations apply on the exploration phase of uranium production?

3. Are NORM residues considered radioactive waste?

4. Should NORM regulations be exclusively administered by a single regulatory authority? We may have several co-regulators?

5. What is the “graded approach” and how does it apply to the regulation of NORM facilities?

6. ​How can the regulatory body apply the exemption level?

7. ​How can the regulatory body apply the clearance criteria?

8. Establishing a NORM inventory (analysis of scale, sludge and formation water, etc.) can be very expensive. How can member states fund this effort?

9. ​How should the regulatory authority ensure independence in NORM sampling and measurement?

10. What factors should the regulatory authority consider when establishing a fee structure (costs associated with building a NORM inventory, performing

11. Should NORM regulations include provisions for transport of NORM?

12. How should NORM regulations address import and export of NORM residues and wastes?

13. ​What publications exist to aid a member state in drafting NORM regulations?​

14. Can the IAEA review and comment on proposed NORM regulations? Where do we direct this inquiry?​
    

​Strategy and Approach

1. How are NORM wastes classified?

2. What are acceptable strategies for NORM residue management? 

3. Do the management strategies differ between a NORM waste and a NORM residue?​

4. What is a residue management plan?​

5. What are appropriate considerations for the storage of NORM residues?

6. What are examples of NORM NORM reuse or recycling?
   

7. What are examples of NORM disposal?​

8. ​What are appropriate considerations for processing of mineral sands and the resulting ilmenite, zircon and monazite ores?

9. What are appropriate management strategies for discharges to the environment from water treatment plants?

10. What resources are available to identify best practices on NORM residue management in industry?​​​

Decommissioning

1. ​What resources exist to assist member states in decommissioning of NORM facilities? Where can we find best practices in the evaluation of decommissioning plans?​​​​

1. Where do I find detailed information on the characteristics of NORM residues produced in each industry (physical form, volume, radionuclides of concern, and typical concentration values)?​​
   

2. What are difference between workplace monitoring and environmental monitoring in the NORM industries?​

3. How to determine the appropriate instrumentation for performing NORM measurements?

4. What examples exist for NORM characterization and sampling plans?
   

1. How does the activity of NORM wastes / residues translate to a dose?

2. What is the difference between public and occupational exposure?

3. ​What are the exposure pathways and the magnitude of the exposures in the various NORM industries?​

4. When performing a safety assessment, what best practices and critical components should be included?
   

5. How do you assess the impacts of NORM on workers and the public? (Answer to include environmental deposition, effluents, release of NORM contaminated items, etc.) 

6. How do we assess public and environmental impacts from NORM residues?​

7. There are farmers who live in areas where uranium and other radioactive minerals are found naturally. Is it safe for people of other parts to eat the food crops and animal meat grown in these areas? (existing vs. planned in this answers)​

Interested Parties

1. How are stakeholders in NORM regulation identified and appropriately engaged?

2. How do we identify and engage other regulatory bodies in the development of a NORM regulatory framework?

3. What best practices exist to engage NORM-producing industries as stakeholders in the establishment of a NORM regulatory framework?​​