Switzerland intends to intensify the prevention of hazards associated with radioactive materials out of regulatory control. On 21 October 2020, the Federal Council adopted the Action Plan 2020–2025 to strengthen radiological security and safety.
Radioactive materials are used, for example, in cancer radiotherapy, sterilization or material testing. When they are not or no longer under regulatory control, they are a danger to people and the environment and can cause great harm. For this reason, any loss of control of radioactive materials, whether through negligence or malicious acts, must be prevented.
Prevention
Detection
Intervention
Action plan Radiss 2020–2025
The action plan includes measures to prevent the theft and sabotage of radioactive materials.
- Companies working with dangerous high activity sealed sources must prevent unauthorized access.
- The use of high activity sealed sources is only authorized when there are no alternative methods (methods without radioactive sources).
If radioactive materials get out of regulatory control – for example due to improper disposal – they must be detected before they can put at risk health and environment:
- The action plan includes measures to detect radiological legacies (e.g. radium-containing objects) or radioactive materials that have been disposed of illegally. To this end, disposal or recycling companies will have to measure the radioactivity of all collected materials.
- Border controls carried out by the authorities will be strengthened and shall detect and stop possible unauthorized imports and exports or illegal transit of radioactive materials.
The action plan also aims to strengthen collaboration between federal departments involved in the management of radiological events.
- These include federal services in the areas of radiation protection, national security, criminal prosecution and intelligence.
In addition, Switzerland wants to promote international coordination.
Strategy and fields of action
Switzerland intends to strengthen radiological security and safety by means of the following strategic objectives
- prevent radioactive materials from being used for malicious or terrorist purposes;
- prevent the uncontrolled spread of radioactive materials;
- prevent the illicit import, export and transit of radioactive materials;
- limit damage and initiate criminal proceedings after a radiological event.
Three fields of action, eight priorities (P) and 19 corresponding measures (M) are derived from these strategic objectives:
Table: fields of action, priorities and measures of the action plan Radiss
| Field of action | Priority |
Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Prevention | P1: Strengthening the security of radioactive sources P2: Reduction of the number of high activity sealed sources P3: Gapless traceability of radioactive sources |
M1: Implement international security standards M2: Ensure a sustainable quality of security M3: Establish a security culture through education and training M4: Promote alternative technologies M5: Examine and question the justification for the use of radioactive sources M6: Ensure data protection M7: Track sources from cradle to grave |
| Detektion | P4: Strenghtening of monitoring in waste management and recycling companies P5: Ensuring and prioritizing checks for radioactivity at the border P6: Optimized use of existing measurement resources at federal level |
M8: Seamless monitoring in affected recycling plants M9: Comply with international standards of measurement quality M10: Managing the correct disposal of radioactive waste M11: Rist-based monitoring concept for the import, export and transit of goods and on the entry of persons M12: Coordinated and targeted use of measuring teams M13: Ensure operational readiness in particular situations |
| Intervention | P7: Ensuring efficient incident management through national coordination P8: Promotion of "lessons learned" culture through information exchange |
M14: Clarification of responsibilities and procedures M15: Prompt and secure recovery of orphan sources M16: Minimization of damage in case of events M17: Consistent prosecution for illegal activities M18: Analyze and process events M19: Ensure international exchange |
More detailed information on Radiss can be found in the PDF document of the action plan. It is available in German, French and Italian and you can download the PDF under "Documents".
Documents
Links
Legislation
Press releases
21.10.2020: Press release regarding the launch of the action plan (in German, French and Italian)
Last modification 02.11.2020
Contact
Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
Division of Radiological Protection
Reseach Facilities and Nuclear Medicine Section
Schwarzenburgstrasse 157
3003
Bern
Switzerland
Tel.
+41 58 462 96 14