ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

1. Status of Radiation Safety Infrastructure in Sri Lanka 1 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

2. Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka • Land Area: 65,610 sq km • Population : 20 million • Official Language : Sinhala • Main Religion : Buddhism • Growth Rate: 1.0% • Infant Mortality rate : 2% • Life Expectancy : 74.8 Years • Literacy Rate : 94% • Monetary Unit : Sri Lanka Rupee (SL Rs.) • English is commonly used • Capital City : Colombo 2 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

3. Status of Radiation Safety Infrastructure in Sri Lanka • Legislation, Regulations, Regulatory Authority • Radiation Protection Training • Authorization and Licensing • Inspection and Enforcement • Information and Quality Management • Safety and Security of Sources • Radiological Protection in Occupational Exposure • Radiological Protection in Medical Exposure • Public and Environmental Radiological Protection 3 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

4. Sri Lanka is a non Nuclear Power Country • Looking at the energy demand in the country Cabinet of Ministers has approved the establishment of a Steering Committee to carry out a • “Pre-Feasibility Study on the Use of Nuclear Power • for Electricity Generation” • Supported by a number of National Organizations. • A Technical Cooperation Project was approved by IAEA for 2012-2013 cycle. • “SRL/2/008 - Supporting Energy Planning and Pre-Feasibility Study for Nuclear Power and Human Resources Development in Nuclear Power Engineering”. 4 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

5. Legislation Basic Law (Challenges) Atomic Energy Authority Act No. 19 of 1969 It does not fully address the radiation safety principles set out in the BSS, GSR Part-1 and the Code of Conduct: Lack of Current requirements (> 40 years old) Clear identification of functions of AEA AEA has dual functions to do and does not clearly identify regulatory body and its assigned functions as per GSR part-1 Effective independence of AEA AEA carries out both regulatory and promotional functions and decisions are taken by the Board for both activities Legal basis for Regulations in some cases Adequate enforcement provisions 5 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

6. Regulations (Challenges) Ionizing Radiation Protection Regulations of 1999 However, certain inconsistencies: • Some wording are not rigorous • Some regulations are not based on provisions of the Act • Absence of security requirements Gazetted in July 2000 and superseded regulations made in 1975. Mainly compatible with BSS-115. Guidance documents have been developed 6 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

7. Regulatory Authority Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) Sri Lanka Established in 1969. Functions under the Ministry of Technology & Research Mainly responsible for regulatory activities 7 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

8. Legislation New Atomic Energy Bill • New Bill was drafted to separate promotional and regulatory functions of the AEA • New Bill was reviewed by the IAEA Legal Division and provided their comments • Final draft was prepared incorporating the IAEA comments • The draft bill will be sent to the Cabinet for the approval soon After Cabinet approval of the New Atomic Energy Act there will be two entities: Atomic Energy Regulatory Council: for regulatory activities Atomic Energy Board: for promotional activities 8 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

9. Radiation Protection Training • Conduct 2 training courses annually • Conduct about 2 awareness programs annually at the request of users Trained more than 100 personal annually • Provide about 3 on the job training annually for undergraduate students • Conduct Radiation Protection lectures and Practicles for • MD Radiology, • MD Radiotherapy and • MSc. In Medical Physics degrees • B.Sc. In Radiography/Radiotherapy degrees ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA 9

10. Authorization and Licensing: • Radiation Facilities • X-ray facilities • CT Scanning Facilities • Radiotherapy Facilities • Other Activities • Import & Export of Radiation Sources • Transport of Radiation Sources • Waste Management • Construction Facilities 10 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

11. Authorization and Licensing (Challenges) • Registration and licensing requirements are established in the Regulations. • Procedures for authorization and review of applications are established (practice-specific application forms, assessment checklists...) • Frequency of renewal is according to BSS • Technical assessments usually performed by AEA on behalf of users, and no independent review. • No provisions given in the Act for effective implementation of action against non-compliance & violations ( immediate cease of the unauthorized operation of facilities, Legal actions is a long process) • Lack of commitments from higher level of administration especially in Government institutions 11 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

12. Inspection • The Act and Regulations make provisions for inspection • Inspection programme is established (Checklist, survey equipment, submission of report, follows up, corrective actions… ) • Frequency of inspection is according to the radiation risks associated (Frequency according to BSS) • AEA also undertakes inspections in response to abnormal events, and unannounced inspections • Lack of monitoring instrument required for Inspections 12 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

13. Enforcement (Challenges) • Act and Regulations provide provisions for enforcement • However, it is unclear who should take the appropriate action • Enforcement policy not developed and no formal arrangements with relevant Government agencies • In situations deemed to threat to health and safety, AEA may revoke, suspend or modify an authorization. • However, it seems that written directions from AEA to cease operation have been ignored (according to RaSSIA report) • No provision for inspectors to take on-the-spot enforcement actions 13 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

14. Information and Quality Systems (Challenges) • IAEA Regulatory Authority Information System (RAIS) Version 3.0 is used (including a National Registry on Radiation Sources) • 1. Regulations, 2. all the forms and 3. information for the public are available through AEA web site • ( http://www.aea.gov.lk/Introduction.html) • There is no quality management system for regulatory activities in place yet 14 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

15. Safety and Security of Sources • Authorization is required from the AEA for both radioactive sources and X-ray machines • Installed Portal Monitors at the port entries in the harbors to prevent Illicit Trafficking of radioactive sources • Arrangements exist with • Sri Lanka Customs • Sri Lankan Airlines • Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and • Import and Export Department to control Import and Export of sources. 15 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

16. Safety and Security of Sources (Challenges) • No Provisions in the current legislation to implement nuclear security. (Implementing as an initiatives by the regulatory authority) • Lack of funds for Nuclear Security and has low priority • Lack of knowledge of the importance of the nuclear security in Heads as well as the radiation workers of RradiationFacilities • No Provisions given in the Act for the Physical Protection of Radioactive Sources • Only Radiation protection of General Public is addressed not the Physical Protection of the sources • Needs lots of funds for Physical Protection of sources (at present under US GTRI provides funds) • Poor participation by key persons for awareness programms (send lower level persons) 16 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

17. Radiological Protection in Occupational Exposure (Challenges) • External dosimetry: • most of key elements of RSG-1.3 considered, • well established monitoring program. • AEA has a laboratory with adequate equipment and 98% of the workers are covered. However, Beta and Neutron dosimetryare not available • AEA provides service on • personnel dosimetry, • training courses, • maintenance and repair of monitoring equipment • Internal dosimetry: No service in place • Workplace monitoring: taking steps to establish 17 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

18. Radiological Protection in Medical Exposure (Challenges, according to RASIMS) • lack of qualified experts in • diagnostic radiology, • Interventional procedures using X-rays, • nuclear medicine and • Radiotherapy No Local facilities to train them • activities on optimization of patient protection • in diagnostic radiology facilities, some  activities on patients  dose measurements • in facilities performing image guided interventional procedures, • In nuclear medicine and radiotherapy facilities 18 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

19. Public and Environmental Radiological Protection (Challenges) • There is a national system for monitoring levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs and selected commodities • The AEA conducts an environmental monitoring program throughout country (preparing a baseline data maps Ground and Marine) • Most of the waste is low-level waste. Disposed by “delay and decay” • A central radioactive waste storage facility has been established in the AEA • Policy & strategy for Radioactive Waste Management has not been established. However, an action plan is being implemented and interim procedures are applied • Lack of technical knowhow and adequate funds for conditioning of radioactive sources. • Difficulty in sending old high level sources to manufacturers as ships do not accept radioactive materials and funding is not available. • Establishment of a Waste Disposal Facility is planning - Technology & Funding is sought 19 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

20. Public and Environmental Radiological Protection (Challenges) • No provisions given in the Act for Radiological Emergency Response • No properly established mechanism to identify a task force for implementation • Recruitment of permanent first respondents team from Police/Army • Recruitment of permanent Medical team • Activities of an emergency response plan is adopted under the Disaster Management Act. • Establishment of Bilateral Agreements with nearby NP countries for support • Lack of required Monitoring equipment • Lack of commitments from higher level of administration especially in Government institutions • Lack of safety culture 20 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA

21. Thank you ! 21 ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY SRI LANKA