The need to review low-dose decision-making in radiation protection.

The current approach in the system of protection, and the way in which it is implemented in regulation and practical application, has resulted in the allocation of significant and disproportionate societal resources to reduce relatively low-level exposures to even lower levels. The resulting exposure levels are often a fraction of the basic natural background level, and in particular are comparable to, or often significantly less than, the variability of natural background exposures due to individual decision-making, which the system of protection deems acceptable. There are arguments for a wider approach to decision-making at such low doses, recognising the uncertainties in radiation risk estimation and acknowledging the context that all human life takes place in a variable natural background radiation which generally dominates these lower dose exposures.

The future of our radiation protection profession.

There is widespread recognition of the challenge of an ageing profession and the need to recruit, train and retain the next generation of radiation protection professionals. This challenge was the topic of a special session at the International Radiation Protection Association IRPA15 International Congress. It is necessary to address three key aspects: capturing the future professional: gaining RP knowledge and skills: addressing retention, development and career progression.

Radiation protection infrastructure-challenges in developing countries.

A special session was held in the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA15) Congress to address the particular challenges facing developing countries regarding radiation protection infrastructure. The objective was to identify and share the key challenges facing developing countries regarding the ability to introduce and establish effective radiation protection programmes. The experiences of key international organisations (International Atomic Energy Agency, Pan American Health Organisation and World Health Organisation) that have support programmes were discussed, along with a perspective from several countries with developing programmes.

The Inter-Agency Committee on Radiation Safety-30 years of international coordination of radiation protection and safety matters.

The Inter-Agency Committee on Radiation Safety (IACRS) was constituted in 1990, as a forum for collaboration and coordination between international bodies with regards to radiation safety. It consists today of representatives of eight intergovernmental member organizations (the European Commision, Food and Agriculture Organization, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Labour Office, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development/ Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), Pan American Health Organization, United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation and the World Health Organization) and five observer non-governmental organizations (International Commission on Radiological Protection, International Commission on Radiation Units & Measurements, International Electrotechnical Commission, International Radiation Protection Association and International Organization for Standardization). The IACRS provides a platform for interaction between these relevant international bodies to contribute to a common understanding of the scientific basis and legal framework for the application of the system of radiation protection, towards global harmonisation of radiation safety standards.

Key outcome summaries of the scientific programme of the IRPA15 congress.

This special issue of JRP includes a selection of research papers and review articles presented at the 15th Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA15) as chosen by the scientific committee. All invited journal contributions are suitably expanded beyond the initial conference presentations to meet the criteria for a full journal article and include (a) presentation within a comprehensive radiological protection context and (b) additional data/interpretation. Published contributions address a wide spectrum of scientific topics and concepts to further develop the radiation protection (RP) system.

IRPA GUIDANCE-THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS, RADIATION PROTECTION CULTURE AND ETHICS IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

The International Radiation Protection Association, IRPA, promotes the excellence in radiation protection by providing benchmarks of good practice, as well as enhancing professional competence and networking. In relation to emergency situations, including post-accident and recovery phases, a key issue is the ability of the system of protection to take a broader view of societal values, along with the need to develop processes which support and respect the dignity and well-being of the affected populations. Regarding the various situations of radiation exposure, IRPA's activities include aspects which can contribute to medical preparedness in radiation emergencies, focusing particularly on stakeholder engagement, radiation protection culture, the ethical dimensions of radiation protection and public understanding of risks.

IRPA Consultation: is the system of protection 'fit for purpose' and can it be readily communicated? Views of the radiation protection professionals.

The system of protection, which provides the basic underpinning philosophy and principles for radiation protection, is constantly evolving in the light of developing scientific understanding and practical experience. Over recent times there has been significant learning from experiences relating to the Fukushima accident, and there is also increasing recognition of the importance of enhancing public understanding of radiation and risk. The practical application of radiation protection is undertaken by thousands of practitioners around the world, and it is IRPA's task to ensure that this experience is fed back for the benefit of all.

PRUDENCE AND CONSERVATISM IN RADIATION PROTECTION: A CASE STUDY.

Prudence is a cornerstone of radiation protection philosophy. However, whilst the concept is clearly valid at the level of principle, it is nonetheless necessary to ask 'How should prudence be applied in the context of various practical situations.' This is perhaps particularly important where exposures are low-within the range of natural background, where changes in the level of protection will have no meaningful impact whatsoever on the overall exposure level of any individual.

The state of radiological protection; views of the radiation protection profession: IRPA13, Glasgow, May 2012.

The IRPA13 Congress took place from 14-18 May 2012 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, and was attended by almost 1500 radiological protection professionals. The scientific programme of the Congress was designed to capture a snapshot of the profession's views of the current state of knowledge, and of the challenges seen for the coming years. This paper provides a summary of these results of the Congress in twelve key scientific areas that served as the structural backbone of IRPA13.

Prioritization methodology for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities: a study case on the Iraq former nuclear complex.

There are a number of sites in Iraq which have been used for nuclear activities and which contain potentially significant amounts of radioactive waste. The principal nuclear site being Al-Tuwaitha. Many of these sites suffered substantial physical damage during the Gulf Wars and have been subjected to subsequent looting.

The plenary session on the ICRP recommendations for the 21st century at IRPA-11, Madrid.

During the IRPA-11 Congress in Madrid in May 2004, a technical panel session was devoted to the presentation and discussion of the draft 2005 recommendations of the ICRP. Panel members had been given privileged access to the new draft and had been asked to concentrate on specific areas. This memorandum summarises the initial presentation of the main ideas in the draft recommendations by the ICRP Chairman, Roger Clarke, and then presents the views of the six panellists.