Role of the Regulatory Authority in Developing the ...

IAEAInternational Atomic Energy Agency

Omer E.A.Osman

Sudanese nuclear &Radiological Regulatory Authority

Head

Radioactive Waste management and transport safety

[email protected]

00249912560372

Role of the Regulatory Authority in Developing the Radioactive Waste

Management System and Interim Storage Facility in Sudanfrom 1996 To 2012

International Conference on

EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS

Transforming experience into regulatory improvements

8–12 April 2013

Ottawa, Canada

IAEA

Introduction:

• In order to fulfill its mandate to regulate the radioactive waste andinterim storage of radioactive sources or to ensure that it maintains aneffective and efficient regulatory programme for radiation safety andsecurity of radioactive sources, the Regulatory Body in Sudan (RPTC –SNRRA) have taken in to account the four key processes notification,authorization, inspection and enforcement. These keys considered asmain functions played main role as mechanisms and methodologies toassess and appraisal all activities and applications using radiationsources or radioactive materials for the sake of implementing the legalrequirements consistent with the International Basic Safety Standardsfor Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety and Securityof Radioactive Sources

International Conference on EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS Transforming experience into regulatory

improvements 8–12 April 2013 Ottawa, Canada

IAEA

Current Legislative Framework:

• Two acts – one under the Ministry of Health (MOH) (in 1971) and another one

under the Ministry of Science & Telecommunication (MOST) (1996) are

concerned with regulating the use of ionizing radiation in Sudan; however both

of these two acts are incomplete, conflicting and overlapping. In 1996 MOST

established a national committee on radiation protection (Radiation Protection

Technical Committee - RPTC)

• Early February 2010 a ministerial decree issued by the Minster of MOST

establishing an independent Regulatory Body under the name “Sudanese

Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (SNRRA). SNRRA took over

from RPTC and responsible for drafting a new nuclear law eventually

establishes totally independent national Regulatory

• The DNA has been sent to the council of ministers for approval.

• Currently, the regulations issued under the atomic act 1996 within the same

year and specifically in 1998, although it is not complete consistent with the

international safety standards but it has great impact in the regulation of the

waste management and storage facilities.

International Conference on EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS Transforming experience

into regulatory improvements 8–12 April 2013 Ottawa, Canada

IAEA

The Methods:

• In this work, we divided the period from 1996 to 2012 into three intervals (1996-

2000, 2001-2005, and 2006-2012).

• The licensing requirements, inspections and enforcements records were

studied and summarized to determine the development of the waste

management and storage facilities as a result of the continues regulatory

oversight over the past seven years (2006-2012).

• The regulatory system development also was illustrated to show the impact of

the regulatory programme in the overall developments of the safety and

security achievements in the same period.

• These data extracted from the records for each identified period were

compared in terms of the number of inspections missions, enforcements

actions, regulatory authority staff and, status of the radioactive waste, storage

facilities and procedures appropriate to these practices.

• The sources of data were the Regulatory Body records and information’s data

base including the Regulatory Authority Information System (RAIS, software,

the files) and the recent self-assessment database using the IAEA tool (Self-

Assessment Tool SAT).

International Conference on EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS Transforming experience into

regulatory improvements 8–12 April 2013 Ottawa, Canada

IAEA

Period classification

• Period from(1996-2000) :-

• This is the period right after the enactment of the atomic act 1996,

• the RPTC has been formed and confronted by a very strong resistance from the Ministry

of Health (MOH)

• no regulatory control or coordination between the two regulatory authorities has been

established.

• the situation in this period effected by the conflict and overlapping between the Act of

Ministry of Health(1971) and Sudan Atomic Energy Commission Act (1996).

• In 1998 regulations for waste management and transport safety of radiation sources have

been issued.

• Therefore the regulatory records were inappropriate incomplete and no regulatory

functions were conducted, except for some export and import permits. The control of

radioactive waste depends mainly on the experts in the medical facilities

• A lack of an adequate regulatory infrastructure and capabilities at that time lead to a poor

national programme for notification, authorization, inspection and enforcement beside

lack of sufficient qualified staff lead to above situation for radioactive waste management

and interim storage of radiation sources.

• It is obvious that the regulatory lakes the capabilities and the infrastructure required to

establish a system for notification, authorization, inspection and enforcement.



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• Central waste management facility

• The Waste management facility established in 2000 by

(SAEC) with cooperation of the (IAEA), served for many

years as the main and only radioactive waste management

facility in Sudan, serving as national storage facility for the

radioactive waste generated from all institutional (medical,

industrial, etc.) activities

• This facility complied and authorized by the RB as part of

SAEC and regulated regarding to RB program, in addition

to above they not accept to receive radiation sources

without transport and storage license from RB



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• Period from(2001-2005)

The wheel of the development in the fields of medical and industry continued. Two

medical centers using isotopes, generating radioactive waste and 12 companies in the

industrial (oil field) and research centers (animal and agriculture). Consequently the

Regulatory Body control during this period continued to improve its infrastructure and

capacity building and invested with partners in the developments and improving the

quality and number of the regulatory staff (increased gradually from 4 to 7 radiation

inspectors) dedicated only for commencing the regulatory functions and responsibilities

• The situation:After enforcing the regulatory programme, inspections missions revealed many non-

compliances leading to hazards to humans and the environment. One of the major

inspection findings were the inadequate storage conditions of radioactive sources since

some of these companies store their radiation sources in the same location with explosive

materials. Another company used to store its radiation sources in the open air chained to

a very tine trees for several days.



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.



The radiation sources stored in the same location with explosive

materials

The rdiation sources stored in the open air chained to a very tine trees

for several days.

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Period classification- Period from(2001-2005)

• As mentioned earlier, the national programme for

notification, authorization, inspection and enforcement is

gradually being implemented. However, the effectiveness

and efficiency of the programme is affected by lack of

formal written procedures and suitable forms for

authorization, inspection and enforcement taking into

account differences in the risk associated with different

source types beside lack of sufficient qualified staff



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Period classification-Period from(2001-2005)

• Output of regulatory programme:

As a result of regulatory programme for enforcement and

follow up, the companies started to develop their storage

facilities design to comply with the regulatory requirements

and the inspection recommendations.

International Conference on EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS Transforming experience

into regulatory improvements 8–12 April 2013 Ottawa, Canada

IAEA

.

• Examples of two interim storage designs for radiation sources used in well logging after regulatory oversight



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• Period from(2006 to 2012)

In this period the number of new applications, authorized

licenses in deferent practices as medical, industrial and

other institutes using radiation sources had been greatly

increased. The Regulatory Body established many code of

practices specific to each application field in addition to the

requirements for the development of radioactive waste

management facilities and interim storage of radiation

sources and set out procedures to meet the requirements

for the various stages of the licensing process.



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Period classification-Period from(2006 to 2012)

• Output of RaSSIA mission:-

• Formal periodic updating took place once new relevant sources of information are

available, in particular when RaSSIA mission (Radiation Safety and Security

Infrastructure Appraisal) has been conducted. 4 conclusions and 4 recommendations

were provided accordingly, the RB action plan for this period were implementing those

recommendations. These recommendations led to the participation in the regional

technical cooperation project RAF9029 run by the IAEA to secure the required

capabilities and skills by the regulatory officers. and number of the regulatory staff

(increased gradually from 7 to 34 radiation inspectors) The regulatory body review and

assess the safety arrangements and the environmental impact assessment for every

radioactive waste management facility and interim storage of radiation sources, as

prepared by the operator both prior to authorization and periodically during operation. In

2006 an inspection programme has been planned to closely review the storage and

waste management facilities. These facilities has applied the new requirements and

developed the emergency response plans which interim storage has been approved as

part of their license renewal procedure.



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Period classification- Period from(2006 to 2012)

number of inspections (2006-2012 ) number of enforcements (2006-2012



The inspections and enforcements conducted for the radiation storage facilities.

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Period classification- Period from(2006 to 2012)

• Output of regulatory programme:

As the results of implementing a comprehensiveregulatory program including inspection &enforcements, more of the radiation users -particularly in the industrial applications of radiation -started to establish/modify interim storage site. Theslide next shows the modified interim storage sitein higleg∗ area designed to meet safety and securityof radiation sources requirements set by RB



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lessons learned from Muleta‘s accident



• following Muleta‘s accidentΘ, (stolen source, Muleta 2008), lessons identified

was poor physical security over the interim storage of radiation sources the RA

intensified its inspections missions, during such missions, the RA emphasizes

the storage design objectives and system requirements to be met and provides

recommendation for the procedure of process including selection and

equipment design and operation for security issues especially with regard to

physical protection parameters (detection, delay and response ) including

fences, locked system ,fire detection and monitoring program cctv cameras ect.

and new storage facility specifications were ordered to prevent further

occurrence of such emergency.

• Θ Muleta is one of oil field locations in South Sudan where the radiation source

was stolen from one of storage site for Non Destructive Testing (NDT)

company and the accident reported by RB in Sudan.

IAEA International Conference on EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR REGULATORY SYSTEMS Transforming experience into regulatory


broken locked system in Muleta accident new storage facility specifications were ordered to

prevent further occurrence of such emergency

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SHARS operation mission:

• In 2008 the RB regulated the first SHARS (Spent High ActivityRadiation Sources) conditioning operation in Sudan and Africaconducted by NECSA (The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation)in cooperation with SAEC and supported by IAEA,



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International cooperation and regional networking with regulatory authorities:

• Under the Country Programme Framework (CPF) indorsed

and deposited to the IAEA the RB has participated and

designed regional and national technical cooperation

projects. Regionally the Project number RAF9039 and

recently RAF9045, and nationally SUD9008 where funds

has been provided to establish and strengthen the

regulatory infrastructure for waste and transport safety.

Also, under the regional IAEA project RAF9038 and

recently RAF9042 Sudan has joined the African network for

nuclear regulators “Forum for Nuclear Regulatory Bodies in

Africa – FNRBA). The Arab Atomic Energy Agency (AAEA)

in collaboration with IAEA also encouraged the

establishment of the Arab Network for Nuclear Regulators –

ANNuR.



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International cooperation and regional networking with regulatory authorities:

• SNRRA has joined the FNRBA and ANNuR to enhance the regionaland international coordination as well as the national system for nuclearand radiation safety. Therefore, Sudan through his national RB(SNRRA) has tried to contribute effectively in the development of theframework of FNRBA & ANNuR technically and financially support inthe form of hosting, sponsoring and providing experts within regionalactivities to build the national/regional capabilities in the field of safetyand security. The efforts of Sudan is still active to strengthen theregional and sub-regional cooperation to achieve the goals of theFNRBA/ANNuR to have all the regulatory functions and legislativeframe work in the region consistent with the international standards andcoherent with the best practices worldwide. Relevantly SNRRA ismember in the Technical Working Group No 7 on Upgrading of Securityof Radiation Sources and Waste Safety Management Infrastructure(TWG7/RWM).



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Conclusion:-

• Sudan atomic energy commission (SAEC) act 1996 establish radiation protection technical committee(RPTC) as a national Regulatory Body. Consequently in 1998 the regulations for waste managementand transport safety of radiation sources have been issued. Therefore the regulatory records wereinappropriate incomplete and no regulatory functions were conducted,. however the situation in the firstperiod effected by the conflict and overlapping between the Act of Ministry of Health(1971) andSudan Atomic Energy Commission- Act(1996). the regulatory body control during the second periodcontinued to improve its infrastructure and capacity building and improving the quality and number ofthe regulatory staff, however the situation of radioactive waste management and storage wereuneducated, the national programme for notification, authorization, inspection and enforcement isgradually being implemented in this period. The effectiveness and efficiency of the programme isaffected by lack of formal written procedures and suitable forms for regulatory functions. Formalperiodic updating took place once new relevant sources of information are available, in particular whenRaSSIA mission has been conducted in third period. RB modified and implemented a comprehensiveregulatory programme, closely to review the storage site and waste management facilities toemphasize the storage design objectives and system requirements to be met, and providerecommendation regard to physical protection parameters. As the results of implemented acomprehensive regulatory program, more of the radiation users - particularly in the industrialapplications of radiation established and modified interim storage site, designed to meet safety andsecurity of radiation sources requirements set by RB. The international and regional cooperationcontributed effectively in capacity building and enhanced the infrastructure of national regulatory bodyin sudan and enabled the RB to establish and strengthen the regulatory infrastructure for waste andtransport safety Consistent with international safety standards



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Recommendations

• The existence of a adequate nuclear law that establishes a singleindependent RB with full power and separate budget is mandatory andstrongly recommended for an effective regulatory control of radiationsources.

• Generally, it is preferable for each country to develop a nuclear law toregulate all applications using ionizing radiation so as to avoidcontradictions and overlaps between different or multiple (various) laws,however if - for one reason or another - more than one law have to bedrafted to regulate practices and radiation sources, care should betaken to avoid any contradictions or overlapping between those lawsotherwise the situation would diminish the role of RB to protect human,animal and environment against ionizing radiation.

• Review and external auditing - e.g. through the IAEA missions - willassist the RB in assessment and appraisal of its infrastructure andbuilding capacities.



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References:

• [1] Sudanese Nuclear & Radiological regulatory Athority (SNRRA) records and information’s data base

• [2] Infrastructure Appraisal for Sudan of Radiation Safety and the Security of Radioactive Sources, RaSSIA Report, 2006.

• [3] Radiation and Waste Safety Infrastructure Profile (RAWASIP)-Sudan

• [4] Minutes of the 4th Plenary Meeting of The FORUM OF NUCLEAR REGULATORY BODIES IN AFRICA (FNRBA)

• [5] IAEA Safety Standard (GS-R-1) - Legal & Governmental Infrastructure for Nuclear, Radiation, Radioactive Waste and Transport Safety.



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СПАСИБОTHANK YOU !

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