STATUS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NEPAL. Shreejana Bhusal MINISTRY OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL

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1 STATUS OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NEPAL Shreejana Bhusal MINISTRY OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL Regional Meeting on the Joint Convention on the Safety of the Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (5-8 Nov, 2013;Republic of Korea)

2 PRESENTATION OUTLINE INTRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS REGARDING NUCLEAR WASTE FOR NEPAL EXISTING LAWS OF NEPAL RELATED TO RADIOACTIVE WASTE ACCOUNTABLE ORGANIZATION ISSUES AND CONCERNS LATEST DEVELOPMENT CONCLUSIONS

3 BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF NEPAL Nepal is located in South Asia and shares territorial borders with India and China with area of 147,181 Sq.km Population thirty million (approx) Radioactive sources o In Nepal, radioactive sources are mainly used in medicine (Cancer treatment and other medical treatment) o Research, mining, education, food and drug administration o Absence of nuclear power plants but surrounded by those plants in neighbor

4 PRACTICES AND ACTIVITIES OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCES Radiological services in Nepal date back to Radiotherapy was first introduced in USG and X-ray facilities are available up to district hospital. Radiological setups in Nepal 30 ct scanners 10 MRI Units 11 Mammography Units 10 CR system 800 R/F Installation ( Approximate)

5 Cont 1 Gamma Camera (1- SPECT) 4 Tele Cobalt Machine 4 linear Accelerators 3 Rt Stimulator 3 HDR Brachytherapy

6 INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION REGARDING THE NUCLEAR WASTE Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) 1970: Ratified/ 24 March 1972 The Agreement Between Nepal and The agency for the application of safeguards in Connection with The Treaty on The Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 29 June 1973 Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ( CTBT)- 1996: Signatory Member State of IAEA - Party to the IAEA Statute 8 July 2008

7 EXISTING LAWS OF NEPAL RELATED TO NUCLEAR RADIATION 1. Constitutional Provisions: Interim Constitution of Nepal a. Article 12: Right to Freedom (f) freedom to practice any occupation, or be engaged in employment, industry and trade. b. Article 16: Right to Environment and Health (1) Every person has the right to live in a clean environment. c. Article 35: State Policies (11) to promote S & T for nations progress. d. Article 156: Ratification, Accession, Acceptance or Approval of Int. Treaty

8 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. 2.Other Legal Provisions: I. Environment Protection Act, 1996: Section 2: Definition (b) Pollution, (f) IEE (g) EIA (h) Waste: Excretion of any kind of liquid, solid, gas, smoke, dust, radioactive elements or materials or similar substances.

9 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. Section 7: Prevention and Control of Pollution (1) Nobody can produce pollution creating the adverse effect on environment or public life & health or nobody can excrete the sound, heat, radioactive radiation or waste against the prescribed standard for any mechanical device or industry or any other place. (2) Concerned authority can regulate it.

10 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. II. Environment Protection Regulation, 1996 Schedule 1: IEE projects: (e)(2) Other metal mines except radioactive metals. Schedule 2 : EIA projects: b.11. Establishing radioactive radiation emission industries. d.2.a. Excavation works of all radioactive metals. i.4.a. excretion and management of any radioactive hazardous waste (substances) with more than 25 years of half life. i.4.b. excretion and management of any radioactive hazardous waste (substances) with more than 50 lethal dose.

11 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. Schedule 7 : Industries which needs pollution control certificate: 51. Radioactive radiation emission releasing Industries.

12 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. III. Mines & Mining Substances Act, 1985 IV.Industrial Enterprise Act, 1992 Section 9: Permission needed on those industries which has substantive adverse effect on the security, public health and environment.

13 EXISTING LAWS CONTD. V. Terrorist and Destruction Activities (Control and punishment) Act, 2001

14 NATIONAL NUCLEAR POICY VISION Peaceful useful of nuclear energy for the economy and social prosperity. OBJECTIVES - To regulate, control and monitor the use of nuclear energy as per IAEA guidelines - To enhance national capacity on HRD and Physical infrastructures - To take sufficient safety measure and enhance public awareness about nuclear energy.

15 Facilities for protection of RW Pit for storing nuclear sources at Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur

16 Transport Safety

17 Radiation Safety Caution notice informing about the risk of radioactive material In Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara

18 ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment is the responsible regulatory body working on Adhoc basis Establishment of National Nuclear Technology Center has been proposed. National Nuclear Policy, 2007 approved by the government

19 ORGANIZATION RESPONSIBLE CONTD.. Institutional Structures In the MoSTE a Nuclear Steering Committee is proposed, to provide the guidance in the implementation of the policy directives and mandated to form technical committees. MoSTE has been given the role of Promoter, Facilitator, Coordinator & Regulator for the implementation of the policy.

20 ISSUES AND CONCERNS Need of a separate comprehensive legislation for the proper regulating and controlling agency of nuclear technology Need of Human and Financial Resources Two neighbors of Nepal (China & India) are involved in Nuclear Activity, so Nepal can be subjected to illicit trafficking of nuclear material and impacts of any nuclear accidents in these countries

21 LATEST PROGRESS 1. Atomic Materials and Application Act, 2012 (Final Draft) Has made the Provision of Nepal Atomic Council (5 members) Permission is Required to involve any activities based on radioactive sources. Regulatory Commission or Board is responsible for inspection and monitoring Classification of radioactive materials Security of Radioactive Sources Emergency Preparation Plan

22 Continued.. Permission for transportation of radioactive materials is necessary User responsibility Responsibility during transport: sending operator Security measures : According to the commitment of government of Nepal in international convention National strategy will be prepare for Waste Management

23 Continued. 2. National Consultation about National strategy for education and training in radiation, transport and safety. 3. As per IAEA Technical Cooperation Cycle , a collaborative effort from Tribhuvan University Physics and Chemistry Departments, the following program has been initiated Capacity development programs on Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Chemistry teaching at TU Nepal. The purpose of this program is to develop human resources and capacity development.

24 CONCLUSIONS Under Various Acts governmental authorities have some regulatory power but no independent regulatory body has been established. Functions and responsibilities of such authorities are not clearly defined.

25 CONCLUSIONS CONTD. Transport of radioactive material: Yet to be addressed legally. Emergency planning and response: Emergency Planning for radioactive accidents and emergency are to be considered. Security of radioactive sources: No special security system for radioactive sources prescribed by Law. But some of the hospitals used some security system for Radioactive Sources.

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