Mastering events of the past. Restoration strategies for radioactive contaminated ecosystems (RESTORE)

In this paper a short presentation of the results of the European Commission funded ECP is given, and how the programme RESTORE will contribute to solving some of these deficiencies of existing models paying little attention to factors such as spatial and temporal variation in radioecological operative parameters which influence transfer to foodstuffs and man. Data obtained after the Chernobyl accident are mainly based on information of collective systems and do inadequately consider private farming, different consumption behaviours or socio-economic factors of special groups within the population. However, the effect of countermeasures will depend very much on these factors. The work programme of RESTORE is designed to improve these models and to provide a model which is suitably constructed so that different sources and subsets of population are appropriately considered. It will make maximum use of data and information available from studies carried out in the CIS countries in recent years, and will include a radioecological evaluation of the Semipalatinsk test site and provide detailed, scientifically based recommendations for restoration techniques based on spatial analysis of selected regions. The overall aim is to produce an environmental management package integrating over areas contaminated by radioactive fallout based on an understanding of the nature of contamination, the processes and routes by which radioactivity is transferred in a variety of ecosystems, and the importance and potential of appropriate countermeasures to reduce radiation doses to humans and to minimize adverse socio-economic effects. (J.P.N.)