ANNEX 25
(Ref. §13.1)
OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic
Meeting of the OSPAR Commission (OSPAR)
Ostend: 22-26 June 2015
Programme of Work for the Radioactive Substances
Committee (RSC) – 2015/2016
1.
Evaluation of progress with the Radioactive Substances Strategy
2015/16 Product 1:
Overall Fourth Periodic Assessment (4PE)
Based upon:
Practical arrangements as agreed by RSC 2015
Task Managers:
ICG-4PE with France as lead and support from Germany, Norway, Sweden and UK
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 11.1-11.5, Annex 6
2015/16 Product 2:
Discussion document from ICG-CTZ proposing a method to assess “additional
concentrations in the marine environment above historic levels are close to
zero”
Based upon:
Terms of Reference as agreed by RSC 2015 and RSC 15/2/1
Task Managers:
France (lead), Norway, Sweden, UK, IAEA and WNA
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 2.1-2.9, Annex 4
2015/16 Product 3:
OSPAR Agreement on the use of a methodology for radiological Environmental
Assessment Criteria (EAC)
Based upon:
RSC 15/3/1; RSC 2014 Summary Record, Annex 6; RSC 13/7/1
Task Managers:
ICG-EAC with the assistance of the Secretariat
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
OSPAR 2015 Summary Record, §7.3.
Future Product
Elaborate possible solutions to deal with tritium discharges including evaluation of
any new abatement techniques
Consensus document agreed by RSC 2009
Based upon:
Task Managers:
Reference:
OSPAR Commission
RSC 2009 Summary Record Annex 4
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2.
Monitoring of concentrations in the marine environment
2015/16 Product 4:
Data on concentrations of radionuclides in the marine environment
Based upon:
Data from Contracting Parties
Task Managers:
RSC Heads of Delegation
Target date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 5.1, OSPAR Agreement 2005-08
3.
3.1
Monitoring of discharges, emissions and losses
Liquid discharges from nuclear installations
2015/16 Product 5:
Draft OSPAR Annual Report on Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations 2014
Based upon:
(1) Draft Report from the Secretariat
Task Manager:
Secretariat
Drawing on:
Returns from Contracting Parties on (i) liquid discharges from nuclear installations
in 2014 (ii) exceptional discharges arising from decommissioning of nuclear
installations or from operations to recover old waste
Task
managers:
RSC Heads of Delegation
Target date:
30 September 2015
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 6.4d, OSPAR Agreement 2013/10
Based upon:
(2) Draft assessment of the liquid discharges report from the expert assessment
panel
3.2
Task
Expert Assessment Panel Convenor: Mr Andrew Mayall 1
Target date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 6.4e
Discharges from non-nuclear sectors
2015/16 Product 6:
Draft report on discharges from non-nuclear sectors in 2014
Based upon:
(1) Reports from Contracting Parties on discharges during 2014
Task Managers:
Secretariat and RSC Heads of Delegation
Target Date:
30 September 2015
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 6.9d (OSPAR Agreement 2013-11)
Based upon:
(2) Draft assessment of discharges from non-nuclear sectors from the expert
assessment panel
Task
Managers:
Expert Assessment Panel Convenor: Mr Andrew Mayall1
Target date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record §6.9e
1
The EAP for assessment of the Annual reports on discharges from the nuclear and the non-nuclear sectors
includes Michel Chartier (France), Ingeborg Krol (Germany), and Andy Mayall (Convenor) (United Kingdom).
OSPAR Commission
Summary Record – OSPAR 2015
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2015/16 Product 7:
Updated report from Belgium regarding discharges from the medical sub-sector
Based upon:
RSC 15/7/7 and RSC 15/7/7 Add.1
Task Manager:
Belgium
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 7.9a
2015/16 Product 8:
Updated report from Germany regarding discharges from the medical sub-sector
Based upon:
RSC 15/7/2
Task Manager:
Germany
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 7.9a
2015/16 Product 9:
Report from Spain regarding discharges from the medical sub-sector
Based upon:
Data from Spain
Task Manager:
Spain
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 7.9b
4.
NORM issues
2015/16 Product 10:
Report from the ICG on modelling of additional concentrations of NORM in
seawater from discharges of produced water from the offshore oil and gas sector
Based upon:
RSC 15/4/1
Task Managers:
UK (lead), France and Norway
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record §10.3a, Annex 5
2015/16 Product 11:
Progress report in relation to the discharge of sand from process vessels
Based upon:
RSC 15/10/1 and further input from CPs
Task Managers:
RSC and OIC EAPs
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, §10.3b
5.
Review of existing measures and of their implementation
5.1
PARCOM Recommendation 91/4 on Radioactive Discharges
2015/16 Product 12:
Overview of national statements on the implementation of the PARCOM
Recommendation 91/4 (sixth round of reporting)
Based upon:
National reports
Task Managers:
Secretariat and the Chairman of RSC
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 8.11c
OSPAR Commission
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2016/17 Product:
National implementation reports of the 7th round of reporting of the PARCOM
Recommendation 91/4
Based upon:
National Reports
Task Managers:
NL, Sweden, UK
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2017
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 8.12
6.
Radioactive waste at historic dumping sites
2015/16 Product 13:
Fact sheet on historic dumping of low level radioactive waste in the North-East
Atlantic
Based upon:
RSC 15/9/2
Task Manager:
Secretariat and the Chairman of RSC
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 9.10
2015/16 Product 14:
Refinement of the report in layperson’s language on the impact of radioactive
waste at historic dumping sites
Based upon:
RSC 15/9/1
Task Manager:
Germany, and the Secretariat
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 9.8
2015/16 Product 15:
Communication with the Secretariat of the London Convention on future plans
with regard to the 25-year scientific review of all radioactive wastes and other
radioactive matter under the London Convention and its Protocol
Based upon:
RSC 15/9/1
Task Manager:
The Secretariat
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
RSC 2015 Summary Record, § 9.4
7.
Cooperation with other international organisations
Future product:
Proficiency test exercise of radionuclides in shellfish/fish
Based upon:
Progress report from the IAEA
Task Managers:
Iolanda Osvath (IAEA-EL) and Secretariat
Target Date:
Reference:
OSPAR Commission
RSC 2011 Summary Record § 4.8, RSC 2013 Summary Record
Summary Record – OSPAR 2015
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8.
Coordination and cross-cutting issues
2015/16 Product 16
Update on developments in Region I (Arctic Waters) of relevance to RSC
Based upon:
Input from Contracting Parties
Contracting Parties
Six weeks before RSC 2016
RSC 2015 Summary Record, §12.5(d)
Task Manager
Target Date:
Reference:
2015/16 Product 17
State of the art report of possible impacts of climate change and ocean
acidification on sources, behaviour and fate of radionuclides in the marine
environment
Based upon:
IAEA data
Task Manager:
IAEA (Ms Iolanda Osvath)
Target Date:
Six weeks before RSC 2016
Reference:
2015 Summary Record § 12.8(c)
Future product:
Review of potential impacts of climate change and ocean acidification regarding
radioactive substances in the OSPAR maritime area
Based upon:
Input from Contracting Parties
Task Managers:
NN
Target Date:
Reference:
9.
9.1
RSC 2015 Summary Record § 12.8(b)
Organisational issues
Programme of work and working arrangements
2015/16 Product 18:
Draft 2016/17 RSC Programme of work
Based upon:
Draft from Secretariat
Target Date:
During RSC 2016.
Memorandum
By [2017], to consider a review of national plans of OSPAR Contracting Parties, in relation to RSS, and their
combined effect.
By 2018, review progress with tritium abatement techniques that might allow further consideration of
appropriate evaluation of tritium discharges as per an agreed methodology.
To review and update the OSPAR Agreement 2013-10 for the reporting of discharges of the radioactive
substances from the nuclear sector as and when RSC considers it necessary
To review and update the OSPAR Agreement 2013-11 for the reporting of discharges of the radioactive
substances from the non-nuclear sector as and when RSC considers it necessary
To review and update the OSPAR Monitoring Agreement 2005-08 for concentrations of radioactive
substances in the marine environment as and when RSC considers it necessary.
OSPAR Commission
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