UNECE Releases Recommendations on Radioactive Scrap
Geneva, 3 April 2007 -- The first set of internationally
agreed Recommendations to monitor and reduce the risks involving
radioactivity in scrap metal has been published by
the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in Geneva.
Recycled scrap metal is a commodity that crosses most of the
world’s borders, with 184 million tonnes traded internationally
in 2004.1 Up
until now however, no unified guidelines on checking for radioactivity
in recycled scrap metal have existed. The UNECE Recommendations
represent a critical first step to address this problem.
A UNECE survey of 55 countries2 found
that while a growing number of States are checking imports and
exports of scrap metal for radiation, less than half of the scrap
yards do so, and there is no consistency in the approaches. Yet
with 50% of steel being produced from numerous recycled sources,
monitors are increasingly detecting radiation in scrap metal. In
the US alone over 5000 radiation monitor alarms rang in 2004 as
a result of detections in metal scrap3.
Many of these detections are from natural sources and represent
low levels of radiation. Others, however, may be from losses, accidents
or inadvertent disposal of radioactive material. All alarms must
be taken seriously.
In addition to potential health and environmental risks, the
economic ramifications involved are significant. The cost of search,
decontamination and clean up can amount to millions of US dollars
and put companies out of business altogether. In the words of a
representative from the scrap metal processing industry “ not
a single normal client in the world has any interest in scrap with
radioactively contaminated material .”
The UNECE Recommendations provide an important tool for scrap
yards, metal smelters, Customs, regulatory authorities and transporters,
amongst others, to prevent incidents and better deal with them
should they happen. While these Recommendations are not legally
binding, they provide guidance to all interested parties based
on existing best practice. The UNECE has already received requests
for capacity building to better implement these Recommendations
and is currently working with the United Nations Institute for
Training and Research (UNITAR) to support countries in this respect.
The Recommendations are available in English, French and Russian
and may be obtained from the UNECE secretariat. They can also
be downloaded from the UNECE website (see contacts below). Their
production was made possible thanks to support from the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
For further information please contact:
Mr. José Capel Ferrer, Director, or
Mr. Martin Magold, Chief, Border Crossing Facilitation Section
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 22 917 2453
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 0039
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org/trans/radiation/radiation.html
Additional background Information
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has
been involved in the topic of radioactive scrap metal since 2001.
It defines radioactive scrap metal as comprising “radioactively
contaminated scrap metal, activated scrap metal and scrap metal
with radioactive source(s) or substances contained within it. It
may include both radioactive substances that are subject to regulatory
control and radioactive substances that are outside regulatory
control”[1]. While UNECE’s constituency rests
essentially within Europe and North America, this particular work
is global.
In 2002, together with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and the European Commission, the UNECE published
a report on the “Improvement of the Management of Radiation
Protection Aspects in the Recycling of Metal Scrap”[2].
The report recommended measures to avoid the introduction of
radiation sources into the metal recycling stream. As a result
of that report, and on the initiative of the USA and the Russian
Federation, a UNECE Expert Group was set up, which met for the
first time in 2004 and again in 2006. The aim of the Expert Group
was to encourage exchanges of experiences and practices with
a view to promoting the harmonisation of best practices in preventing
incidents from radioactive scrap metal and in dealing promptly
and effectively with any such incidents. In 2004,
the Group recommended to undertake the following three activities:
1. The development of a “ Protocol” or “Recommendations” to
increase the capture of radioactive material in scrap metal,
to reduce potential contamination and to aid in the disposition
of found materials, 2. To improve i nformation exchange via
an international web portal and, 3. To support international
training and capacity-building programmes on the topic of monitoring
and responding to radioactive scrap metal.
As a first step and in order to obtain a better understanding
of the current international situation concerning radioactive scrap
metal, a detailed questionnaire was sent out to over 60 countries
in 2004 and 2006. Questions covered the areas of regulation, monitoring,
dispositioning, contracts and reporting. An analysis of the responses
from 55 countries helped to identify best practices and areas requiring
further attention under three fields of action: prevention, detection
and response. The detailed analysis was presented at the UNECE
Expert Group meeting in June 2006 [3].
At this same meeting the “Recommendations on Monitoring
and Response Procedures for Radioactive Scrap Metal” [1]
were discussed and agreed.
These Recommendations provide concrete guidance based, to the
extent possible, on existing national, regional and international
instruments and standards and on national experience. They are
intended to support States in developing their own national systems
of monitoring and response while encouraging further cooperation,
coordination and harmonization at the international level. They
are also intended to facilitate international trade in, and the
use of, recycled scrap metal without compromising safety. The Recommendations
cover both radioactive substances that are subject to regulatory
control and radioactive substances that are outside such control
and should be seen as complementary to existing programmes. The
IAEA will use the UNECE Recommendations to further develop its
safety guides and standards allowing regulatory authorities to
deal effectively in particular with orphan radioactive sources
in the metal recycling industry.
In an effort to support international capacity to implement the
Recommendations, the UNECE has undertaken a survey [4] of existing
materials within 20 countries, a number of international organizations
and the industry. The aim of the survey was to identify main focus
areas and gaps. Leading from this UNECE survey, the United Nations
Institute on Training and Research (UNITAR) has developed a training
and capacity building strategy that will support States to define
their training gaps and address them.
All relevant activities can be found on a dedicated section of
the main UNECE website. (see: http://www.unece.org/trans/radiation/radiation.html).
The site contains the UNECE Recommendations, a series of tools,
national best practices provided by different countries, publications
and some training and capacity materials.
References:
[1] UNECE, 2006, Recommendations on Monitoring and Response Procedures
for Radioactive Scrap Metal. Report of an International Group of
Experts convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe (UNECE), UNECE, Geneva, Switzerland.
[2] UNECE, 2002, Report on the Improvement of the Management
of Radiation Protection Aspects in the Recycling of Metal Scrap,
co-sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the
European Commission, UNECE, Geneva, Switzerland.
[3] UNECE, 2006, Monitoring and Response Procedures for Radioactive
Scrap Metal. Proceedings of the UNECE Group of Experts on Monitoring
Radioactive Scrap Metal (Geneva, 12-14 June, 2006).
[4] See UNECE website: http://www.unece.org/trans/radiation/tools_training.html
Footnotes:
1 Bureau of International
Recycling (BIR).
2 UNECE, 2006,
Monitoring and Response Procedures for Radioactive Scrap Metal.
Proceedings of the UNECE Group of Experts on Monitoring Radioactive
Scrap Metal (Geneva, 12-14 June, 2006).
3 UNECE, 2006,
Recommendations on Monitoring and Response Procedures for Radioactive
Scrap Metal. Report of an International Group of Experts convened
by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
Ref: ECE/TRANS/07/P01