Day Three ConferenceFriday, 2 April 2027

Key Discussion Areas:

• Phosphogypsum challenges and opportunities
• Policy pressure and environmental constraints
• Global market implications

Overview:

This panel will examine the significant challenges and opportunities that will be associated with NORM-bearing residues generated by the phosphate, fertiliser, and industrial minerals sectors. Particular attention will be given to phosphogypsum (PG), bauxite residues, and other large-volume by-products that have historically been managed through long-term storage, creating substantial environmental, economic, and stewardship liabilities. The discussion will explore whether these materials can be repositioned as valuable secondary resources within a circular economy framework whilst maintaining the highest standards of radiological and environmental protection.

A key objective of the session will be to assess practical and scientifically supported pathways for the beneficial use of phosphogypsum and similar residues. Panellists will examine current experience and future opportunities in the use of PG as a raw material for building products, cement and construction materials, road construction, embankments, land reclamation projects, and selected agricultural applications. Discussion will focus on the technical performance of these materials, their environmental and radiological implications, and the conditions under which such uses will be demonstrated to be safe, sustainable, and socially acceptable.

The panel will also consider the role of scientific evidence, characterisation, exposure assessment, and long-term monitoring in supporting risk-informed decision-making. Participants will explore how robust data will help regulators, industry, investors, and the public distinguish between perceived and actual risks, enabling proportionate regulation and greater confidence in reuse pathways.

An important theme will be the extent to which current regulatory frameworks will facilitate or hinder circularity. Panellists will discuss how clearance criteria, product standards, certification systems, and end-of-waste approaches will support the safe reuse of NORM-bearing materials without compromising public, worker, or environmental protection. Particular attention will be given to the need for regulatory clarity and consistency, which will remain essential for attracting investment and enabling market development.

Finally, the discussion will examine how the valorisation of phosphate and industrial mineral residues will contribute to sustainability objectives by reducing disposal needs, lowering long-term liabilities, improving resource efficiency, and creating new economic opportunities. The overall objective of the session will be to identify practical pathways through which these industries will transition from a disposal-focused model towards a more circular and resource-efficient approach, demonstrating that radiological safety, environmental stewardship, and value creation will be mutually reinforcing goals.

Overview:

This panel will focus on practical experience in real-world implementation of NORM management and valorization projects, providing an opportunity for industry leaders, technology providers, regulators, and investors to share lessons learned across the entire project lifecycle. In this regard, the economic challenges, the regulatory barriers, and the physical limits of a circular economy will be addressed.

A key objective of the panel will be to capture practical insights from demonstrated projects involving the treatment, reuse, recycling, recovery, or beneficial utilization of NORM-bearing residues and materials. Participants will discuss the factors that enabled implementation, including technology selection, characterization strategies, stakeholder engagement, regulatory approvals, market development, and risk management approaches. The discussion will also address common obstacles, including regulatory uncertainty, permitting challenges, public acceptance concerns, financing constraints, technical limitations, and difficulties in establishing viable end markets for recovered materials.

Another central objective of the panel will be to evaluate the technical performance of products derived from NORM residues and by-products, including applications in construction materials, cement and concrete products, road infrastructure, embankments, industrial minerals, and other emerging markets. In this regard, the critical role of standards, certification systems, and product qualification processes in enabling market access will be considered. Particular attention will be given to the relationship between radiological assessment, product certification, quality assurance, and regulatory acceptance, recognizing that market development often depends as much on confidence and predictability as on technical feasibility.

An important area of discussion will be the role of partnerships and collaborative approaches in overcoming implementation barriers. Participants should explore how cooperation between industry operators, technology developers, regulators, research institutions, investors, and local communities can help reduce risk and accelerate deployment. Examples of successful public-private partnerships, industrial symbiosis arrangements, cross-sector collaborations, and international initiatives should be examined to identify replicable approaches that can be adapted to different jurisdictions and industrial sectors.

The panel will also explore the significance of scientific evidence and risk-informed decision-making in supporting project development. The objective will be to identify practical methods for demonstrating safety, sustainability, and economic viability while ensuring transparency and maintaining public trust.

The overall objective of the session is to provide a pragmatic assessment of what it takes to move from waste management to resource utilization in practice, generating insights to guide future investments, inform policy development, reduce implementation risks, and support the broader transition toward circular and sustainable NORM management.

Key Discussion Areas:

• Key takeaways across sectors
• Policy recommendations
• Industry commitments and next steps
• ENA & IAEA closing reflections

Overview:

The closing session will bring together the key insights, lessons learned, and recommendations emerging from the conference and translate them into a practical agenda for future action. Having explored the technical, regulatory, economic, financial, and societal dimensions of NORM management across multiple sectors, the discussion will move beyond diagnosis and focus on implementation. Panel leaders will report on where consensus has emerged, where barriers remain, and what specific actions will be needed to accelerate the transition from liability management towards value creation.

A central objective of the session will be to synthesise the cross-cutting themes that will have emerged throughout the conference. Participants will reflect on how NORM management intersects with resource security, critical raw materials, circular economy objectives, industrial competitiveness, environmental stewardship, and societal expectations. The panel will seek to identify common principles that apply across sectors and jurisdictions, recognising that whilst technical challenges may differ, many of the regulatory, financial, and social barriers will be shared.

The discussion will focus on developing a practical roadmap that integrates policy, regulation, technology, investment, and stakeholder engagement. Panel leaders will consider what actions will be required to create enabling conditions for innovation and commercialisation, including the development of risk-informed regulatory frameworks, harmonised approaches to material reuse and clearance, improved scientific characterisation methodologies, stronger market incentives, and mechanisms to support investment in circular economy solutions.

Particular attention will be given to the commitments required from different stakeholder groups. Governments and regulators will be challenged to consider how policy frameworks will support innovation whilst maintaining robust standards of protection. Industry leaders will be invited to identify opportunities for collaboration, pilot projects, and investment in resource recovery and valorisation initiatives. Financial institutions and investors will be encouraged to articulate the conditions under which capital will be mobilised at scale, whilst scientific organisations and research institutions will highlight priorities for future knowledge development and evidence generation.

The session will also reflect on the societal dimension of the transition. Participants will examine how public trust, transparency, stakeholder engagement, and effective communication will be embedded into future initiatives from the outset. The discussion will reinforce the principle that long-term success will depend not only on technical feasibility and regulatory approval, but also on maintaining public confidence and securing a durable social licence for innovation.

An important outcome of the session will be the identification of collaborative initiatives that can continue beyond the conference itself. These may include joint industry projects, international working groups, research partnerships, regulatory dialogues, demonstration programmes, market development initiatives, or platforms for ongoing cooperation between industry, regulators, investors, and civil society. The focus will be on creating momentum that extends well beyond the event and leads to measurable progress over the coming years.

The session will conclude by articulating a clear vision for the future of NORM management—one in which safety remains the foundation, but no longer represents the limit of ambition. Instead, NORM management will be positioned as an integral component of sustainable resource management, circular economy development, and industrial transformation. The overall objective will be to define a realistic and actionable pathway through which policy, science, industry, finance, and society will work together to unlock opportunities, reduce long-term liabilities, and transform the conference theme of "Turning the Key: From Liabilities to Opportunities" into a shared and enduring reality.