BAD CONTROLS ON RADIOACTIVE IRON SCRAP

A report of the Dutch Ministry of Environment proofs that almost 40% of the Dutch scrap companies do not have any equipment to measure radioactivity even though it is obliged. The absence of nuclear detection gates means that employees are exposed to radio activity and during the remelting of infected iron radioactivity can also end up in the environment.

The Netherlands has close to 500 companies that process scrap. According to the nuclear energy law at least 130 companies were obliged to have detection gates installed at the end of 2002. From the companies that do measure nuclear activity, 88% do not manage to measure it all or they do not measure it in the right way. Close to 70% of the companies do not have a staff member that is geared to do the registration task.

At the end of April this year the importance of secure measurements became clear at a scrap processing company in Rotterdam , where parts of rocket engines were found. In the same batch also nuclear active material was found. The weapon inspectors of the UN and also the Dutch and American secret service turned up on the doorstep of the Rotterdam company immediately.

The inspection of the Ministry of Environment will tackle the problem severely through criminal or administrative prosecution. The longer the company does not meet its obligations, the higher the fine. more features

June 30, 2004