PIZ meaning

In nuclear emergency planning, a PIZ (Public Information Zone) is the area around a nuclear installation within which the operator must proactively give the public prescribed “prior information” about radiation risks and what to do in an emergency, without any request being made. In Great Britain, this duty is set out in the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2019 (REPPIR 2019). The current statutory term is public information area (PIA), but PIZ remains widely used in practice and earlier guidance. The operator identifies the PIA/PIZ through its hazard evaluation and must keep the information up to date and readily accessible (for example, by leaflet and online). The PIZ is for routine public information and is distinct from emergency planning zones/areas (such as DEPZ, UPZ or OPZ), which relate to planning and implementing protective actions. Usage is consistent across England & Wales and Scotland under REPPIR 2019. Northern Ireland has separate but broadly equivalent regulations imposing similar prior-information duties. In Ireland, comparable obligations arise under EU Basic Safety Standards–derived legislation and national nuclear emergency arrangements, although “Public Information Zone” is not a commonly used statutory label.