10 
Table 2: 
List of NORM industries (using 
naturally occurring radioactive 
materials) in the Baltic Sea 
area. 
Type of industry 
Denmark 
Estonia 
Finland 
Germany 
Latvia 
Lithuania 
Poland 
Russia 
Sweden 
Fossil fuel power stations 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Oil and gas extraction 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Metal processing - particularly iron 
and steel production, 
but also tantalum and niobium 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
X 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Phosphate industry 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
X 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Titanium oxide pigment production 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Zirconium and rare earth processes 
- refractory products 
and brick manufacture 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Cement production 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
X 
Discharge data or produced amount 
given in tonnes 
Water purification plant 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
X 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
X 
Paper mill 
X 
X 
X 
X 
X 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
No 
X 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
Others? 
Discharge point in the Baltic Sea 
Discharge data or produced 
amount given in tonnes 
2.2.2 Non-nuclear facilities (e.g. 
hospitals, non-nuclear industries, etc.) 
This category includes hospitals, research 
institutes, non-nuclear industries using 
radioactive substances and NORM - 
industries. Different types of industries have 
been listed according to EC (2003) concerning 
the state of NORM (Naturally Occurring 
Radioactive Material) in Europe. Information 
about discharges from non-nuclear facilities 
in the Baltic Sea area was collected from 
the HELCOM Contracting Parties in a 
questionnaire. Only a limited amount of data 
could be compiled in this way, however, and it 
was not possible to obtain reliable information 
about discharges from these sources. 
usage is increasing. However, according 
to reports of the United Nations Scientific 
Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation 
(UNSCEAR 2000), their contribution to 
overall man-made exposures is relatively 
insignificant. Most of the radionuclides used in 
hospitals are short-lived, so their discharges 
are small, and their impact on radioactivity 
in the Baltic Sea is negligible and very local 
(Mus & Mus 2000). Tables 2 and 3 give an 
overview of the different types of non-nuclear 
industries in the countries surrounding the 
Baltic Sea. Some information about hospitals 
and laboratories working with radionuclides is 
also given. The list of industries is based on 
EC (2003). 
Radionuclides are used for various purposes 
in industry, medicine and research, and their