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EXPERT GROUP ON NUCLEAR RADIATION AND SAFETY

21 May 2015, Oulu

Andrey StepanovChair of the CBSS EGNRS

Janusz GaciarzCBSS Secretariat

Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)History and Organisation

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The Council of the Baltic Sea States

(CBSS) is an overall political forum

for regional intergovernmental

cooperation. The members of the

Council are the 11 states of the Baltic

Sea region as well as the European

Commission.

The CBSS was established by the region’s Foreign Ministers in Copenhagen in

1992 as a response to the geopolitical changes that took place in the Baltic Sea

region with the end of the Cold War. Since its founding, the CBSS has

contributed to ensuring positive developments within the Baltic Sea region and

has served as a driving force for multi-lateral co-operation


Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (EGNRS)

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The EGNRS is an expert forum for

initiating cooperation activities

related to radiological emergency

planning. The EGNRS aims to

strengthen preparedness for

coordinated and integrated

international actions in the Baltic

Sea region in the event of a

nuclear accident.

The tasks of the Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (EGNRS) are as follows:

• to collect information about nuclear facilities and waste storage in the Baltic Sea region;

• to identify the sources of radioactivity which pose a potential risk in the Baltic Sea region;

• to identify potential nuclear and radiological risks that require immediate concerted remedial

action;

• to take stock of and monitor various projects aimed at enhancing nuclear and radiation

safety in the Baltic Sea region;

• to prepare relevant recommendations and suggest and develop initiatives accordingly.


Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (EGNRS)

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The chairmanship of the EGNRS rotates among the CBSS members on a triennial basis, as

decided by the CSO.

1992-1997 Finland (Prof. Antti Vuorinen - Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety)

1998-2000 Finland (Mr. Raimo Mustonen - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority)

2001-2003 Sweden (Mr. Åke Persson - Swedish Radiation Protection Authority)

2004-2006 Germany (Dr. Erich Wirth - Federal Office for Radiation Protection )

2007-2009 Norway (Mr. Finn Ugletveit - Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority)

2010-2013 Finland (Mr. Juha Rautjärvi - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority)

2014-2017 Russia (Mr. Andrey Stepanov - State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” )

The EGNRS recognizes and emphasizes the importance of co-operation between all CBSS

Member States. The success of the EGNRS depends to a great extent on the active

participation and contribution of information by all CBSS Member States. The EGNRS will

also continuously develop the cooperation and involvement of the CBSS Observer States in

the EGNRS meetings and activities.


EGNRS Regular Meeting, 5-6 November 2014, St. Petersburg

The first meeting of the Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety under

the Russian Chairmanship took place on 5-6 November, 2014 in St.Petersburg.

Host: The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM

Venue: Emergency Response Centre of the Minatom of Russia (ERC)

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EGNRS Regular Meeting, 5-6 November 2014, St. Petersburg

Delegations from the CBSS Member States: Denmark, Finland,

Latvia, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden as well as representative

from the CBSS Secretariat were present. The representatives from

the European Commission, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, and

Lithuania submitted information that they cannot attend the meeting

due to other important commitments.

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Presentation of the Russian Chairmanship Programme

The outline of the program was distributed around ten days before the meeting.

The EGNRS members sent back some comments and suggestions regarding

key priorities and activities as well as implementation methods.

1. EGNRS will focus on two priorities: establishing effective cooperation in

nuclear forensics in terms of setting legal and operational framework for it, and

enabling exchange of environmental monitoring data between national agencies

of the CBSS MS’s.

2. EGNRS will explore possibilities of common educational and public

awareness activities aimed at providing general public and specific social group

with knowledge necessary to respond adequately to nuclear and radiation

threats. Common educational programs, training curricula and social

advertisement blueprint can be produced as results.

3. EGNRS sees a need to develop cooperation with the Baltic Sea Region

networks gathering representatives of law enforcement agencies (border

guards, police, customs), with the aim to strengthen protection against illicit

trafficking of radioactive materials and radioactive contaminations.

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The priorities of the Russian Chairmanship

1. Establishment of the Baltic Sea Region Cooperation for Nuclear

Investigations (Nuclear Forensics).

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The aim would be to establish a regular cooperation

between the laboratories specialized in the calibration

across the BSR, and to expand the potential for an

effective fight against illegal smuggling and illegal

releases of radioactive substances.

An important dimension of cooperation should be

also establishing a regular cooperation within

different services in the region (in particular the Baltic

Sea Region Border Cooperation Coordination

(BSRBCC) and the Baltic Sea Task Force against

Organized Crime) concerning nuclear forensics



Monitoring of radioactive contamination of the marine environment.

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The aim of the cooperation is to be further

development of research in the field of

"nuclear forensics": detection of radioactive

sources through research concentration ratios

of radioactive isotopes - identification of

ships/vessels equipped with nuclear

installations. Russia proposes to the EGNRS

closer cooperation with the expert group

HELCOM MORS.


What is Nuclear Forensics?

Nuclear forensic analysis seeks to determine the physical,

chemical, elemental, and isotopic characteristics of nuclear

(or radiological) material of unknown origin.

Nuclear forensics is the study of nuclear materials to find

evidence of illegal activity, for example, source, trade and

enrichment material.

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Nuclear materials have “nuclear

fingerprint", a certain

radioisotopes, isotonic and mass

relationships, material age,

impurity content, chemical form

and physical parameters.

The identification of this “nuclear fingerprint” may help

researchers keep track of nuclear materials back to their

origin.

Activities

to combat illicit trafficking in nuclear materials and

radioactive substances, including:

Illegal

acquisition, storage, use, transfer, destruction of

these items.

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Objects

Illicit trade and the illegal transport of nuclear materials,

especially terrorists, is of particular concern. After the illegal

material is in the hands of the relevant authorities nuclear

forensics can help to trace where this material came from.

The material can be recovered from various sources

including dust from the vicinity of a nuclear installation or

radioactive products after a nuclear explosion.

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Analysis

Nuclear forensics includes both laboratory analysis and

computer modeling. The results are compared with a

database containing empirical data from previous studies of

materials and/or numerical simulations of how a nuclear

device made. The analysis requires a combination of

technical data, relevant databases and specialized skills

and knowledge restored.

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- laboratory analysis

- comparison with databases of previous studies

- computer simulation (pattern recognition)

- expert confinement

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Analysis


State of affairs

at world:

• hundreds of nuclear forensics laboratories

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Such centers have been

established and operate in the

European Union, for example, at

the Institute for Transuranium

Elements (Karlsruhe, Germany)

and in the United States (at the

National Laboratories, Department

of Energy).

The Nuclear Security Center of Excellence‘s establishment within

Lithuania‘s Border Guard School is the result of The Republic of

Lithuania‘s institutions and its foreign partners’ consultation and

negotiations. Also, the Center‘s establishment signifies Lithuania‘s

worldwide fight against unauthorized possession of nuclear material,

nuclear terrorism, and its prevention.

On March 12th, 2012, the Lithuanian Government confirmed the

establishment of the Center as a part of the State Border Guard

Service‘s School. The Center‘s main objectives are to ensure and

enhance stability and sustainability in national nuclear security, in

cooperation with Lithuanian and foreign competent authorities and to

carry out international cooperation with foreign countries and

international organizations for nuclear safety in the implementation of

training and education on issues for border guards.

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State of affairs

State of affairs

July 2014 - the creation of a network of National Laboratories

of the Russian Federation:

• Khlopin Radium Institute, Saint-Petersburg

• Non-commercial partnership “Laboratory for Analysis of

microparticles”, Moscow

• Bochvar Russian Scientific Research Institute of Inorganic

Materials, Moscow

• Institute of Biophysics of the Russian Academy of

Sciences, Moscow

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28-29 April, 2015 a brief workshop in Stockholm to discuss the answers

to questionnaire, concerning the state of nuclear forensics in the

countries - participants CBSS and the observer countries

Regular EGNRS meeting 19-20 May 2015, (Tromsø, Norway) we will

discuss a more detailed plan of joint actions, taking into account

proposals of all participants.

Topical Day + Regular EGNRS meeting 4-5 November, 2015 (Warsow,

Poland)

EGNRS will focus on two priorities: establishing effective cooperation in

nuclear forensics in terms of setting legal and operational framework for

it, and enabling exchange of environmental monitoring data between

national agencies of the CBSS MS’s.

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Our plans for 2015


2016

Advanced workshop or topical day on nuclear

forensics (with representatives of law enforcement

agencies (border guards, police, customs).

2017

The draft

Intergovernmental Agreement on Cooperation

in Nuclear Forensics in the BSR.

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More distant plans

• mass spectrometry with isotope dilution;

• titrimetric methods;

• precision spectrophotometry;

• luminescence of uranium and neptunium;

• method absolute alpha-counting;

• alpha, beta and gamma spectrometry;

• methods of activation analysis;

• methods of non-destructive analysis based on the active neutron techniques;

• chemical-spectral analysis;

• scanning electron microscopy;

• Raman spectroscopy;

• microprobe analysis;

• X-ray analysis;

• visual analysis of nuclear materials and traces of fissile materials;

• radiochemical methods of separation of fissile materials.

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The methodological base necessary for the effective functioning of the System of Nuclear Expertise


The necessary arrangements

1. Administrative activities:

• Coordination and approval of the Ministry in the countries-participants

• Coordination and approval of the planned activities with the

concerned authorities of the Federal and territorial authorities, the

competent law enforcement.

• Coordination of possible works to promote exchange of experiences

in the field of "nuclear forensics" with international organizations and

foreign centers "nuclear forensics".

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2. Practical actions:

• The development of techniques for "nuclear forensics" on the

basis of existing analytical methods.

• Purchase missing the necessary equipment.

• Training and education are missing specialists.

• Ensuring cooperation between all participants of the procedures

"nuclear forensics".

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The necessary arrangements


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Educational and public awareness activities


EGNRS will explore possibilities of common educational and public

awareness activities aimed at providing general public and specific

social group with knowledge necessary to respond adequately to

nuclear and radiation threats. Common educational programs,

training curricula and social advertisement blueprint can be

produced as results.

Practical actions:

The development of techniques for "nuclear forensics"

on the basis of existing analytical methods.

Purchase missing the necessary equipment.

Training and education are missing specialists.

Ensuring cooperation between all participants of the

procedures "nuclear forensics".


EGNRS sees a need to develop cooperation with the Baltic Sea

Region networks gathering representatives of law enforcement

agencies (border guards, police, customs), with the aim to

strengthen protection against illicit trafficking of radioactive

materials and radioactive contaminations.

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Cooperation with the Baltic Sea Region networks




Ongoing Programs and research directions

Environmental Monitoring. Further development of environmental monitoring

systems.

Cooperation between laboratories carrying out analysis by gamma

spectrometry. Cooperation should be extended in particular by a more intensive

exchange of experiences and organizing within the EGNRS network an inter-

calibration of samples of real spectra.

Agreement on the exchange of data (dose rate). Overview of the proposal to

create mechanisms and recommendations for the future development of data

exchange.

Emergency preparedness. The aim will be to explore opportunities for

cooperation at the operational level centres and emergency services, in

particular the joint use of equipment and human resources.

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Following the discussion and decisions taken at the meeting of the

CBSS Expert Group on Nuclear and Radiation Safety (EGNRS) in

St. Petersburg 5-6 November 2014, an expert seminar on nuclear

forensics will be held at the end of April 2015 in Stockholm.

The aim of the seminar is to discuss the issues relating to the state

of play on nuclear forensics and non- proliferation control in the

CBSS countries and observer countries and to define most

important modalities of the possible mechanism of cooperation in

this area between involved parties.

Based on conclusions of expert seminar, the CBSS EGNRS will take

further decisions regarding working plan on nuclear forensics for the

years 2015-17.

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Questionnaire on framework for cooperation in nuclear forensics


Questionnaire has been elaborated to structure the discussion at the

workshop along the strategic lines. Summary of answers to the

questionnaire will be a point of departure for debate aimed at

defining key elements of future cooperation mechanism on nuclear

forensics in the BSR and outlining ways of constructing it.

We ask to send the answers to the questionnaire to the CBSS

Secretariat (e-mail: [email protected]) and me (e-mail:

[email protected]) by 31 March 2015. All responses will be

uploaded onto the CBSS Extranet and disseminate amongst the

participants of seminar.

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1. Does your country take part in listed below international

treaties/conventions and in several IEAE mechanisms?

2. What are key elements of national legal framework which

regulate issues of prevention of the cross-border illicit trafficking

of nuclear, unauthorized use and of radioactive materials, and

other related incidents?

3. How is inter-institutional cooperation regarding

nuclear/radioactive safety and security organized in your

country?

4. Does national legislation of your country provide compulsory

framework for cooperation and coordination between national

regulatory agency responsible for nuclear and radiation safety

and law enforcement agencies (police, border guard, customs)?

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5. Who in your country is primarily responsible for nuclear

forensics?

6. What other institutions/agencies – except main responsible entity

– do usually participate in handling with nuclear forensics cases?

7. What are most important needs which are a rationale for

establishing international cooperation in nuclear forensics:

8. What aspects of cooperation on nuclear forensics in the Baltic

Sea Region would be most important for your agency?

9. What form cooperation in nuclear forensics in the BSR would

you prefer, if there will be consent for this initiative amongst

CBSS parties?

10. What is demand for dealing with nuclear forensics in the opinion

of your agency?30



Poland Estonia Belarus

Finland Sweden Germany Demark ???

Norway Latvia Lithuania Iceland Russia ???

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Nuclear forensics:

A) Summary of results of the answers on questionnaire sent to the

partners in March 2015.

B) Summary of decisions made in the meeting in Stockholm in April

2015.

C) Presentation of a Nordic cooperation initiative on nuclear

forensics (NKS project NORFORNOR).

D) Further follow-up: legal and administrative issues, common

strategy, division of tasks.

E) Outline a draft for proposal to be discussed at the meeting in

Warsaw, Poland in November 2015.

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Meeting of the Expert Group on Nuclear Radiation and Safety (EGNRS) in Tromsø (19-20 May 2015)


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Meeting of the Expert Group on Nuclear Radiation and Safety (EGNRS) in Tromsø (19-20 May 2015)

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