Re: UK radiation free certification

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 00:49 08.10.97 -0500, you wrote:
>I was recently asked to test some confectionary for export to the United
>Kingdom.  The customer needs a "radiation free certificate".  Does anyone
>know what detection limits are appropriate for this
>certification...1Bq/Kg...1mBq/Kg?  
>
>I am planning a gross alpha/beta by gas proportional counting and gamma
>spectroscopy. 
>
>Is there any specific wording or regulation that should be cited in this
>"certification". Any information or references to this subject would be
>appreciated. Is this an EEC regulation/requirement?
>
>Answers that might interest RADSAFE should be posted as such, otherwise
>personal replies are encouraged.
>
>Erik 8-}
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>The delegation of responsibility, must be accompanied by authority and
>accountability. (Army Training Manual for the Radiation Safety Officer)
>Standard denials apply.
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Erik C. Nielsen
>Quanterra Incorporated
>13715 Rider Trail North
>St. Louis, MO 63045
>
>(314) 298-8566 ext 224
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Personal E-Mail  mailto:enielsen@iw.edwpub.com
>Business E-Mail  mailto:nielsene@QUANTERRA.COM
>====================================================================

I do not know about any specific UK regulations and would be very surprised
if there were any other than the EU regulations. "Radiation free
certification" is obviously a sloppy expression for a certification that
the goods comply with EU regulations. (I hope that the confectionary
contains C-14 and tritium in natural activity concentrations and that the
chocolate is not synthesized from oil.....)

The ordinance (?regulation? order?, sorry I do not know the correct word in
English) of the European Union Nr. 737/90 from 22 March 1990, prolonged
until 31 March 2000 by ordinance Nr. 686/95 from 28 March 1995 on
"conditions for import of agricultural products originating from countries
outside the EU after the accident in the nuclear power plant of Chernobyl"
regulates maximum permissible activity concentrations only for Cs-137 and
Cs-134. The sum of these two radionuclides must not exceed 370 Bq/kg for
milk, milkproducts and food for babies during their first four to six
months. It must not exceed 600 Bq/kg for other food.

According to this regulation you would only have to do a gammaspectrometric
measurement to verify compliance with the 600 Bq/kg limit. This is my
personal opinion and this is, how we handle such questions in Austria, but
I would recommend to ask the customer, what he really wants to have.

Franz
Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Institute for Food Control and Research
Department for Radiochemistry and Radioactivity of Food
Kinderspitalg. 15
A-1095 Vienna
AUSTRIA
tel.: +43-1-40491-520
fax.: +43-1-40491-540