Toward nuclear recycle business enterprise

Radioactive materials and their handling at nuclear and radiation facilities are generally under regulatory control. Even for the radioactive materials generated from nuclear facilities, if their quantities are small enough compared with the natural radiation level, it is rational to exempt those materials from regulation as 'not required to be treated as radioactive materials, because their risk for the general public can be neglected.' IAEA has supported such principle, and exemption of radioactive materials having been regulated is called 'clearance'. Materials not subject to regulation by clearance can be treated as ordinary articles or wastes without paying a special attention to radiation protection. The report briefly overviews clearance regulation in Japan, present status of rulemaking for clearance, and regulatory agencies in Japan. (S.Ohno)