The Italian Experience and Policy on Radioactive Contamination of Metal Scrap

INTRODUCTION Metal scrap is a widely used material in steel production, with international trade amounting to about 40 million tons a year. As Italy has no iron production worth mentioning from mines, the country is the first importer of metal scrap in the European Union. The Italian Association of traders of iron and steel, non-iron metals, iron scrap, iron-mongery and similar products (ASSOFERMET) includes 1100 firms, almost 600 of which are active in the field of iron and non-iron metal scrap. Collection, selection and preparation of scrap from the Italian market in 1997 consisted of 10.5 million tons. The Italian steel mills need 14.5 million tons each year. Therefore, each year 3.8 million tons need to be imported. 40% of the Italian scrap come from rejects from industrial processes and semifinished products, 20% from industrial demolition (machinery, chemical and oil plants, sheds etc.) and the rest from more heterogeneous material from the previously cited sectors, as well as from car bodies, metal shavings and cast-iron scrap (1). For these reasons, possible radioactive contamination of metal scrap consignments is a problem that cannot be disregarded in Italy from a radiation protection point of view, as past experience has unfortunately demonstrated. Indeed, as early as in 1990 an anomalous Cs-137 contamination of the Po river below the city of Milan allowed for identification of some foundries located in the Lombardy region that had accidentally melted Cs-137 sources. A few years later, the Italian Ministry of Health was informed by an official report that contaminated scrap materials containing aluminium, copper and iron were circulating in Europe. These two facts were the starting point for the extensive experience developed in Italy on this issue, which for many years made quite heavy demands on the Ministry of Health, ANPA (National Agency for the Protection of the Environment), ISPESL (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention ), ISS (National Institute of Health), local health and border control authorities and many local laboratories for the control of environmental radioactivity. Italian experience in the matter dates back about one decade. It features many different protagonists, who worked or are still working in the field and on elaborating regulations and setting up of experimental measurement procedures and protocols. It also includes broad debates in working groups, meetings and scientific seminars. It is, therefore, difficult to tell the complete story to make it known to the international scientific community, underlining the contributions of all, without overlooking facts, institutions or persons worthy of recognition. The authors apologise for possible oversights and would appreciate suggestions, proposals and criticism which could improve and complete the picture.