NORM

Adoption of circular economy practices in NORM management.

Several industries worldwide (e.g., mining, oil and gas, coal) produce large volumes of residues containing elevated concentrations of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). In recent years, there has been increasing attention directed towards reusing, recycling and recovering NORM in line with circular economy (CE) principles. While research on the adoption of CE practices in NORM-related industries has concentrated on technical, economic, and environmental aspects, few studies have looked at their social impacts. Drawing on practice theory, this study will examine factors that promote or hinder the adoption of CE practices in NORM-related industries, while also gaining more insights on their impacts from a social sustainability perspective.