Gamma dose rates and radon-222 exhalation flux densities at El Sherana containment in 2017

Executive summary

Gamma dose rates and radon-222 exhalation fluxes are measured at the El Sherana containment every two years to provide ongoing assurance that radioactive waste material buried at the facility does not present an unacceptable radiation health risk to Parks Australia employees or the public. This report presents the measurements from June 2017, the fifth set of measurements since construction of the containment in 2009. Average gamma dose rates and radon-222 exhalation flux densities in 2017 were no different to baseline values in 2007 before the containment was built. Consequently, the levels measured in 2017 would not result in above-background doses to Parks Australia employees or the public above the dose constraint of 30 µSv per year. The implication of these results is that there is currently no unacceptable radiation health risk associated with buried radioactive waste material at the containment.