Applying Innovative Planning Tools for National Nuclear Radiation Safety in Latin America and the Caribbean

Regional alignment

From their initial production to their decommissioning and final disposal, radioactive sources must be subjected to controls throughout their lifecycle. The organizations and operators that use radioactive sources are responsible for protecting workers, patients, the public and the environment from the adverse effects of ionizing radiation. However, as some common challenges in the use of nuclear and radioactive applications are shared by Member States in the region, IAEA interventions and support are also provided on a regional basis. In keeping with this approach, three regional projects are being designed to support the 22 national projects in development

Like their national analogues, the regional projects have been designed on the basis of a strategy tool, namely the Regional Strategic Profile of the Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean (ARCAL). The first regional project will harmonize the efforts and strengthen the networking of national regulatory bodies in the Latin America and Caribbean region[1], while another has been designed to strengthen cooperation with technical support organizations of radioactive techniques[2], such as hospitals and dosimetry laboratories. The third regional project will assist English- and French-speaking countries in the Caribbean to establish the enabling environment for the safe use of nuclear science and applications.

Although implemented in different national environments, the 22 country projects will be linked together by the three regional projects, which will reduce the duplication of efforts, promote cooperation between national regulatory bodies and harmonize standards and instrumentation.

“The main benefit of regional projects is to work on common issues and understand the interaction between them,” said Leslie Vironneau of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission. “For this next biennium, our national project will be mainly focused on adaptation of regulations applicable to the area of radiation protection, the strengthening of capacities of technical support services as well as radiation protection at end-users´ facilities and in the medical practice, such as paediatric interventionism. Another important point will be the strengthening of waste management and national environmental monitoring,” she continued.

By making the 22 national projects both consistent and compatible with the three regional ones, the achievements of the former projects—including newly-trained personnel and newly-acquired infrastructure—can be channelled to help realize the broader objective of improved nuclear safety in the region, all the while fostering networking and harmonization of procedures and protocols among the participating IAEA Member States.

The workshop was attended by participants from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

[1] RLA9084, ‘Strengthening the Regulatory and Radiation Safety Infrastructure for Latin America and Caribbean’

[2] RLA9085, ‘Strengthening Regional Capabilities for End-Users and Technical Support Organizations to Improve the Radiation Metrology Systems and Radiation Protection for the Protection of Workers and Patients in Line with IAEA Requirements’