The HPA has published guidance for the recovery and remediation of the post-acute phase of chemical and radiation incidents, with a focus on reducing exposure to radioactively and/or chemically contaminated:

• Air (e.g. vapours / dust)
• Surfaces in inhabited areas 
• Food products, animal feed or animals which might eventually enter the food chain and affect humans
• Water environments (including drinking water supplies and other water environments (e.g. recreational or coastal waters).

Contaminants (e.g. chemical, radiation or biological agents) released into the environment can move or be dispersed within that environment due to a range of environmental processes and cross contamination pathways (e.g. a plume depositing onto land results in both air and land contamination).

Therefore, decision makers should consider, not only the expected consequences of implementing a recovery strategy (e.g. the averted exposure, costs, resources required, likely duration, level of disruption), but also how implementing the recovery strategy will contribute to the re-establishment of ‘normality’.

Whilst the HPA handbooks relate mainly to the recovery phase, they may also be useful in providing information and advice on the longer-term management of incidents and highlight the implications of early urgent actions on any subsequent recovery strategy.

• HPA-RPD-064 - UK Recovery Handbooks for Radiation Incidents: 2009
  Version 3 of the UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents is an updated version of the original Handbook, published in 2005. It comprises three handbooks to assist in the management of contaminated food production systems, inhabited areas and drinking water following a radiological incident, which have been developed in conjunction with a wide range of stakeholders.
  Added/updated December 2009

 

• UK Recovery Handbook for Chemical Incidents
  The UK Recovery Handbook for Chemical Incidents (UKRHCI) has been developed to assist in the management of contaminated food production systems, inhabited areas and water environments following a chemical incident. The handbook has been developed in conjunction with a wide range of expert stakeholders.
  Added/updated: 7 August 2012
  
• UK Recovery Handbook for Chemical Incidents - e-learning module
  The UK Recovery Handbook for Chemical Incidents provides a decision making framework for choosing an effective recovery strategy following a chemical incident as well as a compendium of practicable, evidence-based recovery options to assist with the remediation of environmental contamination.
  Added/updated: 22 June 2012