A study concerning NORM in refractories industries

A specific study concerning refractories industries has been performed by a group of Italian Regional Environmental Protection Agencies together with the National Agency for Environmental Protection and Technical Services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental impact for some activities dealing with NORM. A radiological survey was carried out in a company in northern Italy. Activity concentration measurements by gamma spectrometry (of the more relevant gamma emitting radionuclides of the natural decay chains) and radiochemical analysis (210Pb, 210Po) on raw materials, finished products, residues and treatment water were made. Information and technical data related to the present working cycle were collected by means of specific questionnaires sent to most of the involved factories selected from the sector association's database. An estimate of collective effective dose based on a simplified model is made by the combination of the radiological results of the companies survey with information from the questionnaires. (author)