Issues that have to be considered and addressed after a nuclear or radiological accident are of complex technical, societal, environmental and economic nature. All involved parties face a number of challenges during remediation and the long-term recovery process. During this International Expert Meeting, participants will have the opportunity to analyze all relevant technical aspects and learn lessons from the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
Dr. Jens-Uwe Schmollack, Head of Competence Area Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection and Coordinator of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection in Asia-Pacific at TÜV Rheinland, will give a presentation, entitled: “Radiation Protection Framework and Implementation Models in Public and Industrial Applications outside Emergency Zones: Case Studies from Japan after Fukushima Accident and Lessons Learned”. The presentation will provide detailed insight about TÜV Rheinland activities in Japan after the Fukushima accident. It will also introduce a proposal towards more comprehensive radiation protection approach after nuclear accidents based on accumulated experiences.
TÜV Rheinland´s radiation experts performed technical support for citizens and for the industry immediately after the incident. Regular radiation monitoring in the Tokyo and Yokohama region was initiated and supported with measurements equipment and experts from Germany. The collected data was not only accessible to staff: daily monitoring, including simultaneous validations of the situation, was made available via internet platforms and partner organizations to all people interested. Furthermore, experts of TÜV Rheinland have been continuously involved in communication regarding radiological situation since then.
“Transparency is key in such situations” said Dr. Jens-Uwe Schmollack. “We have presented the results of independent assessments, including radiation exposure scenario calculations to various groups including authorities, public organizations and industry, which was an important element of communication after the accident. We made our recommendations to related stakeholders and this mission is still on-going. Based on our collected experience we can certainly give a contribution to IAEA and international experts towards a more comprehensive picture of radiation protection after a nuclear accident.”
Up to date TÜV Rheinland is a member of Technical Advisory Council on Remediation and Waste Management in Japan and continues radiation control programs and radiation measurements playing an important role for the Japanese industry. TÜV Rheinland also supports the expansion of renewable energies in Japan with suitable testing services, particularly in the field of photovoltaic technology. In addition to this, TÜV Rheinland and ClassNK Japan have recently started partnership in wind turbine certification and related tasks. The cooperation includes mutual recognition of wind turbine certification and support in testing small wind turbines.