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Georgia:  Radiation Sources and Materials Safety and Security

 

Based on the original text obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency document "IAEA-TECDOC-1045: Safety of radiation sources and security of radioactive materials," September 1998. This text has been reformatted by CNS for inclusion in the NIS Nuclear Profiles database.

 

IAEA-CN-70-101

 

RADIATION SOURCES AND MATERIALS SAFETY AND SECURITY IN GEORGIA

 

G. MANDJGALADZE, M. TSITSKISHVILI, SH. ABRAMIDZE, N. KATAMADZE

 

Abstract:

This paper explains the problems of safety and security in Georgia, the most important incidents and accidents, their consequences (including severe injuries and deaths) and governmental actions for prevention and mitigation.

 

 

1. Introduction

 

Disintegration of the Soviet Union and the economic system, and transition to the market economy negatively affected the infrastructure of radiation security in Georgia. A leakage of trained specialists working in the field of radiation security took place in Georgia; also personnel, apparatuses, devices and materials necessary for securing radiation.

 

Over the past years practically no radioactive sources were transported into Georgia and, because of the reduction of work in the different fields of industry and science, the sources which had been transported in the previous years were not used. This led to a relaxed attention to their storage. As a consequence of all this, emergency situations, dangerous to health and the environment, became more frequent.

 

2. Short description of the most important accidents

 

In fact, over the past seven years several radiation incidents took place in Georgia; the following being the ones that led to serious consequences:

• New Aphon, Abkhazia, 1992 - plundering and opening of the container which held the radium source. Consequence - radiation pollution of the territory, and irradiation of two people.
• Kutaisi, West Georgia, 1996 - plundering and opening of the container which held a powerful source of radioactive cobalt. Consequence - Injury to 4 persons, one of whom died due to the acute radiation 3 weeks after the incident.
• Lilo (near Tbilisi, the former Military Base of the Soviet Army, and now the Preparation Centre of the Department of Frontiers in Georgia), 1997 - this incident was widely discussed at the IAEA. Because of negligence and the absence of control, ampoules with radioactive czesi were stolen. The soldiers of this unit were irradiated, eleven of them with varying degrees of seriousness. Thanks to the aid of the IAEA, WHO and other international organizations, the soldiers lives were saved and the source was cleaned up.

 

3. Governmental actions

 

In Georgia today the following is being carried out in accordance with the programme of International Aid:

• the regulation, based on legislation and norms in the field of radiation safety and security;
• the establishment of a united structure of the governmental regulations for providingradiation security to the whole territory of Georgia;
• the formation of a system of control and monitoring of radioactive sources and the environment;
• according to the Government Programme, the monitoring of radiation sources in military bases (former and present) is being carried out for the whole of the territory of Georgia.

 

Comments or questions? Contact Kenley Butler at MIIS CNS: Kenley.Butler@miis.edu