Specialist training programme launched to assess radioactive risks in the Ukraine: Knowledge and technology transfer by G.E.O.S.

As part of the DeveloPPP funding programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), G.E.O.S. and IAF Radioökologie GmbH recently launched a project on knowledge and technology transfer for the assessment of radioactive sources in Ukraine. The project "Radiation protection for the redevelopment of infrastructure in Ukraine" is co-financed by DEG Impulse.

It aims to train Ukrainian specialists on the detection, characterisation and removal of radioactive contamination.

Ukraine's industrial infrastructure has been severely affected by Russian aggression. One of the most pressing problems is the safety risks for the population, especially when radioactive materials and radioactive radiation sources are involved. Ukraine is currently unable to adequately monitor radioactive contamination in potentially affected buildings and soils, such as the legacy of former uranium production and the nuclear energy sector. Radioactive material from medical and industrial sources could be lost in the rubble, plundered or smuggled or are otherwise difficult to be located, recovered and secured. These materials pose a potentially lethal risk. Mitigating this risk is one of the prerequisites for the reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy.

 

 

Project training objectives: Knowledge exchange and expert training in radiation protection

Together with their project partner, the radiation protection experts from G.E.O.S. ensure high-quality training in investigation methods, field classification, laboratory procedures and the safe handling of radioactive material during reconstruction.

The experts from Ukraine will be trained online.

The project covers the following topics:

• Assessment of the number and possible localisation of lost radioactive sources in Ukraine
• Training in investigation methods for potentially radioactively contaminated areas
• Training on characterisation and safety-related classification of reconstruction areas of industrial infrastructure
• Know-how transfer of laboratory and characterisation methods for site characterisation, adapted to the conditions in post-war Ukraine and the handling of radioactive materials

The project will facilitate a direct and significant exchange of knowledge and technology in the fields of health and construction. Radiation protection and safety for the communities during the reconstruction of buildings and industrial areas will be significantly improved through qualified measurements and clearance procedures for potentially contaminated areas in the Ukraine.