Nordic assessments, considerations and responses

Transcription

1 Nordic assessments, considerations and responses NKS Fukushima Seminar 8-9 January 2013 Stockholm, Sweden Kaare Ulbak National Institute of Radiation Protection Denmark

2 Nordic Countries Fukushima

3 Fukushima accident - Nordic start-up Friday 11 th March 6:30 UTC: Notification of serious earthquake through national alert system for natural disasters; after that at short intervals additional information on consequences of earthquake and possible tsunami 8 UTC: Information through media that in many NPPs in Japan scram has taken place, but Information flow from Japan very limited Understanding the situation??? Activation of the Nordic Emergency Response Organizations??? A very severe natural disaster with subsequent very serious multi-unit nuclear accident

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9 Nordic Emergency Response Organizations - Tasks Citizens in the Nordic countries Nordic citizens in Japan Travellers to/from Japan Nordic ships in Japanese waters Goods and products from Japan

10 Nordic Emergency Response Organizations - Tasks Information Communication Citizens in the Nordic countries Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Information Communication Nordic citizens in Japan Information Communication Travellers to/from Japan Information Communication Nordic ships in Japanese waters Information Communication Goods and products from Japan

11 Nordic Emergency Response Organizations - Participation Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Authorities Radiation protection Nuclear safety Communication Logistic support Research Institutions (IFE, Risø) Metrological Services Health Authorities Food Safety Authorities Custom Authorities Foreign Ministries Travel advice Embassies in Japan International organisations (EU, IAEA, NEA)

12 Nordic Emergency Response Organizations - Tools/Outcomes Press releases and media support Formal advice/recommendation Travel advice Routing recommendations for ships Web sites (FAQ s) Telephone hot-lines Response to questions from Nordic companies operating in Japan Communicating results of (Nordic) measurements Assesments of site situation(s), possible source terms, atmospheric dispersion, (residua)l dose estimation

13 Citizens in the Nordic countries NO DANGER But need for Qualifying the message Preparing for expected results of low level measurements in the Nordic countries Warning against domestic iodine prophylaxis Support for those with relatives in Japan

14 p For practitioners and emergency physicians in Denmark The nuclear accident in Japan does not impose any radiological hazard in Denmark, and thus there is no indication of iodine tablets to persons residing in Denmark. Depending on the weather conditions we will be able to measure very low concentrations of certain radioactive material with sensitive measuring instruments. It will in no way constitute a health or environmental risk.

15 Nordic citizens in Japan, travellers Very close cooperation with the Nordic Foreign Ministries and their Embassies in Japan Embassies in Japan Close contact to Nordic citizens in Japan (telephone, , Facebook) Recommendations issued to take account of both the natural disaster and the nuclear accident Expert teams from the authorities send to the Embassies Measuring capabilities arranged at Embassies Iodine tablets send to and distributed from the Embassies together with written instructions on use, sheltering etc. to be followed in case Contact to local divisions of Nordic companies Cooperation in Japan between the Nordic Embassies and the expert teams

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17 Recommendations up to Wednesday, 16 March 2011 Listen to the news in the media and follow the recommendations from the Japanese authorities Avoid unnecessary travels to specified parts of Japan

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19 Fukushima NPP - 16 March 2011

20 Recommendations Wednesday, 16 March 2011 and later Avoid all unnecessary travels to Japan Urges Nordic citizens to withdraw from a radius of 80 km of Fukushima NPP Sunday, 20 march 2011: Iodine tablets available to Nordic citizens from the Embassies together with information material Differences in recommendations regarding intake/no intake

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22 Recommendations Wednesday, 16 March 2011 and later 29/3, the recommendation on the use of iodine tablets (S) repealed Relaxation of travel advices 12/4, no-stay closer than 80 km, avoid unnecessary travels to specified parts of Japan 16/5, no-stay closer than 80 km, follow recommendations from Japanese and Nordic authorities in specified parts of Japan October, no-stay closer than 30 km + evacuation areas December, follow recommendations from Japanese authorities

23 Nordic measurements in Japan Nordic Embassies Narita airport

24 Travellers coming from Japan Monitoring of passengers returning from Japan Voluntary (FI, N, S) No specific recommendation (DK, IS) Monitoring airplanes coming from Japan

25 Nordic ships in Japanese waters Ordinary routing recommendations from the Metrological Services based on weather forecasts supplemented by no-stay zone of 80 km around Fukushima NPP

26 Goods and products coming from Japan Radiation protection, trade war, politics??? EU legislation and recommendations Export control in Japan, advice to Nordic importers

27 Nordic cooperation

28 Nordic cooperation - Fukushima Extensive, but improvements possible Full coordination of No stay closer than 80 km to NPP On the spot in Tokyo Iodine prophylaxis, prior exchange of information Full coordination of the relaxation of No stay 80 km Exchange of assessments between nuclear safety experts [In case of a Nordic or European accident we would have a much higher time pressure to coordinate our decisions and recommendations]

29 Fukushima accident - (Personal) Nordic conclusions No Nordic citizen has died or suffered seriously health damage due to the severe earthquake/tsunami or the nuclear accident No significant contamination measured on Nordic citizens or goods and products coming from Japan Information flow/demand: From nearly non-existing to tsunami-like High level of trust and credibility with the Nordic authorities and to their cooperation, including the relations and cooperation with the Foreign Ministries and the Embassies

30 Fukushima accident - (Personal) Nordic reflections Even a very distant nuclear accident can be very resource demanding Our decisions and recommendation can affect an accident country How would the situation be in case of an (severe) European or Nordic nuclear accident? Would there be time for Nordic (European) coordination? Expertise and capabilities varies and are limited both on a Nordic and European scale We need to be able to be pragmatic and prioritise the limited ressources

31 Thank you for your attention