Nuclear energy forum discusses radioactive accidents

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Nuclear energy forum discusses radioactive accidents

BANGKOK, Nov. 13 (Kyodo) - A forum on nuclear energy development in 
the Asia-Pacific region on Monday cited critical accidents involving 
radiation exposure in Japan and Thailand as lessons that need to be 
learned regarding the safety of radioactive materials. 

Tadamori Oshima, Japanese minister of state for science and 
technology who co-chaired the nine-member Forum of Nuclear 
Cooperation in Asia (FNCA), said the FNCA has suggested member 
countries pay particular attention to safety when they develop 
radioactive facilities. 

''The nuclear accidents of the past few years, such as the critical 
accident at the nuclear facility in Japan and the radiological 
accident involving the spent cobalt-60 source in Thailand, should 
never occur again,'' said a joint communique issued by the forum the 
same day. 

It is important to draw on these unfortunate experiences as lessons 
for the future, it said. 

The FNCA is a multilateral cooperation forum led by Japan, with 
Australia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, 
Thailand and Vietnam as other members. 

Among the nine members only China, Japan and South Korea operate 
nuclear power plants. 

Japan has improved regulations and monitoring systems following the 
accident at a uranium processing plant in Tokaimura in September 1999 
in which two workers died, said Oshima. 

In Thailand, awareness and fear of radioactive materials have risen 
following an incident in which a cylinder containing cobalt-60 killed 
at least three scrap collectors early this year. 

In February, at least 10 people, including the three who died a month 
later, were exposed to radioactivity when the cylinder was removed 
from a radiotherapy machine stored in a parking lot owned by Kamol 
Sukosol Electric Co. 

The victims said neither Thai authorities, notably the Office of 
Atomic Energy for Peace (OAEP), nor the company took any 
responsibility for the accident.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Pharmaceuticals, Inc.			E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Personal Website: http://sandyfl.nukeworker.net
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com
************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html