By Gabriele Mraz from the Austrian Institute of Ecology and Oda Becker, Independent Expert for the Risks of Nuclear Facilities based in Hannover. It is supported by the Vienna Ombuds-Office for Environmental Protection.
While the effects of high radiation doses on humans (like acute radiation sickness) are documented quite well, the health effects of low radiation doses are still discussed highly controversially in radiation protection. Low doses result from nuclear installations during normal operation, from accident situations in nuclear facilities for workers and the public, from the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but also from medical exposure and natural background.
Based on new insights in health effects it can be concluded that the dose limits and levels in the BSS-Directive (Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom) and in the Food Level Regulation (Council Regulation Euratom 2016/52) are too high. They do not provide enough protection, especially for the embryo/foetus, children, pregnant women and young adults.
The extended summary can be downloaded here: summary.
Downolad the full study.
In the Joint Project, European NGOs and research institutions cooperate since 2003 on safe and sustainable energy issues with a focus on anti-nuclear activities in Central and Eastern Europe.
The long-term goals of the Joint Project are a nuclear phase-out in Europe, no new-build nuclear power plants, no renaissance of nuclear energy, no lifetime extension of old reactors, safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste and adequate public participation.