Notification concerning NORM

This page is intended for those who handle naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) as waste, by-product or raw material, including building materials subject to notification. It contains information about when you have a notification obligation and how to register your operation with us.

If you handle naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) with an activity concentration in excess of 1 kilobecquerel per kilogram of dry substance per radionuclide in the uranium or thorium series, or 10 kilobecquerels per kilogram of dry substance for potassium-40, you must notify the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority of your operation. This is unless your operation is exempted from the licence requirement pursuant to Section 6 of Swedish Radiation Safety Authority’s Regulations (SSMFS 2018:4) concerning Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material and Building Materials.

The following are examples of operations involving the handling of NORM that may be subject to a notification obligation:

  • Handling of stone and rock materials
  • Use of groundwater
  • Smelting
  • Tunnelling
  • Ore mining
  • Pulp and paper manufacture

To determine whether your operation is subject to a notification obligation, you need to measure or estimate the activity concentration arising from your operation.

The notification obligation pursuant to Section 6 of SSMFS 2018:4 does not apply to the following operations:

  • Handling alum-shale-based lightweight concrete.
  • Handling soil and rock masses.
  • The possession, storage or other non-physical handling of red gypsum or phosphogypsum.
  • Handling unrefined mineral samples that are part of a geological collection.
  • Handling ceramic utensils intended for household use or ceramic ornaments.
  • Handling water filters in individual households.

How to register your operation

  1. Log in to our e-service using your Freja eID or BankID.
  2. Select the type of operation you wish to register.
  3. Provide the following details:
    1. Invoicing address
    2. Invoice reference
    3. Preferred means of invoicing
    4. Contact details for someone who can answer any questions
    5. The make, model and serial number of the equipment (the serial number can be registered at a later date).
    6. Any supplier information
    7. Address where the operation is carried out
  4. You also need to supply the following information:
    1. Which naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is handled in the operation.
    2. The radionuclides and activity concentrations found in the material.
    3. The amount of NORM handled annually and how the material will be disposed of.
    4. Any radiation doses to employees or the public.
    5. Any environmental impact.

When you have signed your notification, a confirmation will be sent to your email address. This means that your notification has been approved. Save this confirmation as it is only generated once when you register.

How to renew your notification

Your notification is valid for five years. You can renew it no earlier than six months before it expires. The renewal must be submitted via our e-service.

Power of attorney for representatives

You have automatic authorisation to log in to the e-service if you are an authorised signatory, CEO or director of the company. If the signatures of multiple directors are required, you will need power of attorney to log in. Power of attorney is also required if someone other than an authorised signatory or CEO is representing the organisation. Power of attorney is also required for sole traders, limited partnerships, economic associations, publicly owned companies and public authorities.

You can apply for power of attorney in two ways:

  1. The authorised signatory or CEO can log in and delegate authority to represent the organisation. The representative must then log in and approve the information in the e-service.
  2. The representative can log in directly to the e-service and enter and send their details.

In both cases, documentation of delegation must be attached and signed and approved by the authorised signatory or CEO. This must state the name and job title of the delegator and the name and personal identity number of the delegatee.

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority will check the information and a case officer from the authority must approve power of attorney. A confirmation document will be emailed to the representative once power of attorney has been approved.

Fees

According to the Ordinance (2008:463) on certain fees to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, the fee for notifiable activities is SEK 1,850.

Regulations

NORM is regulated in the following acts, ordinances and regulations:

When you decommission your operation

If you no longer conduct an operation registered with the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, you can deregister by emailing us at Tillstandsprovning-stralskydd@ssm.se. Please state the registration number.

Handling NORM

Pursuant to the Swedish Radiation Protection Act (SFS 2018:396), operations involving the handling of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) are considered to involve radiation. The handling of Norm is regulated in Swedish Radiation Safety Authority Regulations (SSMFS 2018:4) concerning Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material and Building Materials. These regulations apply mainly to those who in some way conduct an operation in which NORM exists or arises. In certain cases, the regulations also apply to private individuals.

The responsibility for investigating and assessing the levels of activity concentrations, so that any radiation risks are identified and dealt with, rests with the organisation or individual who handles NORM. If it is apparent that the activity concentration in the material fluctuates over time, sometimes lying below and sometimes over the stated levels, it may be appropriate to register the operation. This is because handling NORM may involve exposing employees and/or the public to a level of radiation that cannot be ignored from a radiation safety perspective.

Operations involving technical processes that unintentionally enrich naturally occurring radioactive material include industrial operations that handle large quantities of, for example, soil, oil, gas or water.

NORM can also be found in other operations. When peat that has accumulated radioactive substances is burned, radioactivity is concentrated in the ashes. Peat ash containing naturally occurring radioactive material is regulated in Swedish Radiation Safety Authority Regulations (SSMFS 2012:3) concerning the Handling of Contaminated Ash.

NORM may also accumulate in deposits in the pulp and paper industry and other operations in which large amounts of water are processed. Prospecting for minerals can also give rise to NORM. The stone and rock materials industry processes natural materials that in some cases may contain elevated levels of radioactivity that people can come into contact with during road or tunnel construction.

Do you have any questions or concerns?

Do you have any questions or concerns about the notification process, or suggestions for improving the information on this page or the user experience of our e-service? If so, please contact us at Tillstandsprovning-stralskydd@ssm.se.

Information on how we process personal data

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is the controller of processing for the personal data you supply in your application or registration. We process personal data in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

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