European Platform on preparedness for nuclear and radiological emergency response and recovery
The mission of the NERIS Platform is to establish a forum for dialogue and methodological development between all European organisations and associations taking part in decision making of protective actions in nuclear and radiological emergencies and recovery in Europe.
In April 2020, wildfires were reported in the exclusion zone around the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor. The fires reached the red forest, one of the most contaminated natural environments , and came as close as two kilometers from the sarcophagi covering the damaged reactor. These are not the first wildfires after the 1986 accident and radiation scientists have recognized the potential to return radioactive material into the air, especially cesium-137 and strontium-90. This poses an obvious and immediate health risk to fire fighters, but smoke plumes may also transport this re-suspended radioactive material over long distances, resulting in redistribution of the historic fall-out from the accident.
At the local and regional scale, people are concerned about the potential radiological impact too. Several institutes have made assessments of the situation to answer these concerns, with a combination of satellite imagery and local observations of the fires’ location and intensity, radionuclide detection and models of atmospheric dispersion and transport of particles. Methods developed for the management of earlier nuclear and radiological emergencies were used and new tools, like source inversion techniques, were tested. A number of institutes have issued general statements as well as detailed reports on the Chernobyl wildfires, available to the public on websites and social media.
In this webinar is discussed the analyses carried out by different institutes, including their rationales, methods, results, communication to the general public as well as collaboration among them. First several speakers present briefly the situation from their perspective. In the second half, participants’ questions are addressed by the speakers and a moderated discussion will be held.
Speakers:
Valery Kashparov – Ukrainian Institute for Agricultural Research, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences (UIAR) - Ukraine
Dmitry Bazyka -National Center for Radiation Medicine in Kiev, the WHO Collaborating Center for Radiation and Health - Ukraine
Wolfgang Raskob – Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) – Germany
Jasper Tomas – National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) – The Netherlands
Olivier Saunier – Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) – France
Astrid Liland – Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear safety Authority (DSA) – Norway
Johan Camps – Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN) - Belgium
Nick Beresford - UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (United Kingdom) and ALLIANCE Platform
Final Comments: Thierry Schneider – CEPN and Chair of NERIS – France
We are pleased to announce that the record of the NERIS-SHARE webinar on "challenges for managing a transition phase: lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents" is available :
You can now download the record if the 2nd SHARE on "Balancing action and longer-term outcomes during a time of crisis" on the SHARE website : https://www.ssh-share.eu/share-neris-webinar/
We have the regret to inform you that following the cancelation of the ERPW 2020, the 6th NERIS Workshop is canceled for 2020 and reported to 2021. Further information on the scheduling will be communicated in coming months.
We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience, stay safe !
Please note that the version "18-2" cancels and replace version "18" previously provided
This edition provides some feedbacks from recent events, such as NERIS sessions at ERPW 2019, feedback on European projects final Workshops, updates for the NERIS Workshop 2020 etc.
Please note that the NERIS Brainstorming meeting on 26th May 2020, next NERIS General Assembly on 27th May 2020 and next Workshop (27-29 May 2020) are canceled.
The training course on “Assessment of long-term radiological risks from environmental releases: modelling and measurements”, 20 April – 1 May 2020, Roskilde, Denmark is organised by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in cooperation with PDC-ARGOS. The training course is co-funded by the European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research CONCERT.
The course is aimed at providing the participants with an understanding of how to assess by measurements and modelling the long-term radiological risks from releases to the environment of radionuclides. Nuclear power plant accidents will particularly be in focus, but RDD’s will be considered.
The course builds on decades of international research work, e.g., in European projects such as ECP-4, STRATEGY, EURANOS, NERIS TP and PREPARE, including unique experience from extensive practical investigations in contaminated areas and laboratory assessments. It comprises a hands-on introduction to laboratory measurement techniques including state-of-the-art radiochemistry methods for determination of radionuclides that can not easily be determined. It also includes a hands-on decision support modelling session using a state-of-the-art computerised decision support system for nuclear and radiological emergency management.
The course will provide insight into:
Assessment of long-term radiological risks from releases to the environment
Theoretical principles of dosimetry
Implications of different contamination scenario types
Migration of radioactive contaminants in different types of environment
Modelling internal dose and specific factors influencing ingestion dose
Modelling external dose in contaminated inhabited areas
Decision support systems for accident management
Important concepts in sampling and gamma spectrometry
Radiochemical analysis for radionuclides that are difficult to measure
Rapid radiochemistry techniques for multiple samples
Registration: Deadline on 15th of January 2020. Limited to 12 participants
The targeted audience is PhD students and young scientists / advisors. The course will give students 2.5 ECTS points.
There is no registration fee for persons with affiliation to a European organisation. Participants are expected to cover their own travel and subsistence costs (e.g., meals, hotel, visa if needed)
Do not hesitate to contact Kasper G. Andersson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or Per Roos (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) at DTU if you need further information.
