System of control of radioactively contaminated metal scrap in Lithuania

1
System of control of radioactively contaminated
metal scrap in Lithuania

• Gendrutis Morkunas
• Radiation Protection Centre
• Kalvariju 153, LT-08221, Vilnius, Lithuania
• genmo_at_takas.lt

2
General situation

• all the practices except for irradiation
  available
• radioactive sources are imported and spent
  sources exported
• radiation protection infrastructure in place
• notification about intentions to import, export
  and transport radioactive sources,
• licensing of practices,
• keeping of national register of sources,
• ensuring of physical security of sources,
• use of safe procedures during their
  transportation,
• treatment of radioactive waste and spent sources

3
Legislation

• control of movement of metal scrap
• detection of radioactivity in metal scrap
• detection of radioactivity on the national
  borders
• dealing with found radioactive sources,
• radiation protection
• other related legislation

4
Technical measures

• monitoring of metal scrap in scrap yards, metal
  scrap and final products in reprocessing plants
• monitoring of radioactivity on the borders
• procedures when radioactive sources are detected
• more detailed analysis with the aim of
  characterization of sources in Lithuania and
  abroad
• training of involved staff

5
Items already detected

• contaminated metal
• materials containing increased concentrations of
  natural radionuclides
• sources, previously used in practices
• commodities containing increased amounts of
  radionuclides
• contaminated vehicles have been found
• Patients released after nuclear medicine
  procedures are triggering monitoring systems

6
Training

• target groups are identified
• training shall address specific needs of these
  groups
• more attention should be given to selection of
  trainees
• training should help to optimize the whole system
• international training courses (due to
  co-operation) might be useful

7
International cooperation

• for information exchange
• international training courses or national ones
  with lecturers from other countries
• existing networks of exchange of information
  (e.g.,CEEAN) might be used
• common efforts in more detailed characterization
  of found materials

8
Observations and conclusions

• the system should include both general and
  specific measures
• training should address different categories of
  persons involved
• training should help to optimize the system
• it has to be of international character

9
Observations and conclusions

• monitoring equipment which meets the needs and
  complies with competence of users should be
  further developed
• attention should be paid to quality assurance and
  particularly elaboration and validation of
  monitoring techniques
• international cooperation is important
• available resources should be effectively used