Report of
FNCA2013 Workshop on
Radiation Safety and Radioactive Waste Management (RS&RWM) Project

The FNCA 2013 Workshop on Radiation Safety and Radioactive Waste Management (RS&RWM) was held from September 10 to 13 2013, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This workshop was co-hosted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan, and the Nuclear Energy Agency of Mongolia (NEA). Sixteen researchers and experts from eleven FNCA member countries, namely Australia, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the workshop. The program and list of participants are attached in Annex 1 and Annex 2, respectively.

The first day was initiated with country report presentation, given by member countries detailing the public exposure in normal and emergency situation. Additional information, mainly in the area of regulatory framework, radiation emergency, and national monitoring systems were provided for the updating of the drafted 2010 FNCA consolidated report. The brief summary of each report is attached in Annex 3. Participants then had a discussion about the report on radiation safety that is consolidating drafts from the member countries. To check and review the latest report, member countries were divided into 3 groups and each group discussed areas to improve comparing their reports.

The 2013 RS&RWM Workshop

In the morning of the second day, participants delivered a presentation about status of radioactive waste disposal and treatment at research institutes. In the afternoon, a technical visit to Central Geological Laboratory(CGL) was conducted. Initially, the FNCA participants were given a presentation that described the CGL 's activities including its various cooperation with other professional organizations both local and international and its accreditations. This was followed by a guided tour of various facilities and laboratories where the participants got to observed and discussed the state of the art equipment and analytical procedures implemented by the CGL highly competent staff. After the tour, a roundtable discussion was carried out wherein the participants provided their impressions, comments and recommendations that would further support the activities of the CGL.

Technical Tour at Central Geological Laboratory

An open seminar on Radiation Safety Control and RI Analysis/Control in FNCA Member Countries was held at National University of Mongolia on the third day. It was attended by around 60 local students and lecturers from universities, researchers, radiation safety inspectors from nuclear related institutes in Mongolia. A poster session was also held during the open seminar. Some leaflets related to RS&RWM, personal dosimeters, and survey meters from the member countries were displayed. The summary of open seminar is attached in Annex 4.

Open Seminar at National University of Mongolia

On the last day of workshop, participants reviewed the project activities implemented during phase 4(2011-2013) and agreed to cooperatively work towards the completion of a consolidated report on radiation safety and the publication of the newsletter. All member countries agreed to continue the project with the theme -Progress of radiation safety of the general public during emergency and radioactive waste disposal situations. Subjects to be discussed for the next three years include emergency response and preparedness, radioactive waste disposal, decommissioning, disused radiation source management, transportation, storage of spent fuel, uranium mining, NORM waste etc. Kazakhstan was proposed as the next workshop venue.