On 5 November 2003, Reukema Blocq & Maneschijn (RBM) alarmed the Inspectorate, that they had a radiation alarm of their portal detector. It turned out that the 40 feet container with yellow copper was shipped from Nigeria to Rotterdam and was transported by truck to Metallo Chimique in Beerse (Belgium). At Metallo the container was opened and due to unknown reasons the load was refused. By order of the trader, Sudamin Recycling GMBH & Co. KG. in Essen (Germany), the container was transported to RBM. Based on the portal detector readings the doserate at the outside of the container was estimated by the Inspectorate to be a few microSieverts per hour. On 11 November 2003 the container was investigated by a firm, specialized in tracing radioactive sources. The doserate at the outside of the container was 2,5 microSieverts per hour. With a portable gamma spectometer it was not clear which radionuclide caused the enhanced radiation level of the container. After partial unloading of the container the firm found an unshielded encapsulated strontium-90 (Sr90/Y90) source. The source was taken to a radiological facility and examined there. The source holder beared identification marks. These read probably 'IPL 90SR-90Y 125 mCi 2-83 67-850 E-891' (see figures 1 and 2). The gamma doserate at the surface of the source was 14 milliSieverts per hour. Based on the identification marks the original activity was 4,6 GBq. Both in Belgium as in The Netherlands there were no adverse health effects because the source was shielded by the load. The skindose of the face of the officer, who put the source in safety, was estimated (conservative) at 45 milliSieverts and his dose to the covered eye lens at 10 milliSieverts. At the location of loading, possibly in Nigeria, there could have been adverse health effects because the beta dose rate at 10 cm was about 2,8 Gray per hour.
An analysis by the Norwegian NGO Bellona of transborder trade operations with the customs code 840130 (irradiated fuel assemblies or fuel elements) show a more than twofold increase of import to EU countries of fresh nuclear fuel in cash terms – from 280 million Euros in 2022 to 686 million Euros in 2023. In physical […]
The French government has said it is "seriously" studying the option of building a plant to convert and enrich reprocessed uranium to cut its reliance on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. The only plant in the world that currently converts reprocessed uranium for use in nuclear power plants is in Russia. "The option of […]
Jan vd Putte quickly changed from dressing as the pied piper at the protest during the IAEA nuclear power conference to warn for the Russian nuclear power conglomerate Rosatom and its role in Ukraine.
Anke Herold, Executive Director Oeko-Institut, Freiburg (Germany), in Brussels about the claim to triple nuclear by 2050: IPCC scenarios vs forecast development of nuclear.
