NORM impacts on the environment: an approach to complete environmental risk assessment using the example of areas contaminated due to mining activity.

To prepare a coherent system of recommendations designed for the control of environmental risks caused by naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs), it is necessary to realise causes of concern and define in clear terms the risk scenarios. Each particular kind of NORM determines a unique scenario of exposure. Moreover, the consequences of NORM occurrence can be amplified by the simultaneous presence of other pollutants. In this article the main findings of an approach to complete assessment of environmental risk caused by NORM at post-mining areas in Poland are presented.