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MINSK, 28 April (BelTA) - Dmitry Rutkovsky, Head of the Directorate for Eliminating the Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee, told BelTA’s project The Nation Speaks how Gomel Oblast monitors the safety of products grown on contaminated territories.
Belarus has the strictest safety measures for products grown on contaminated territories. “First of all, we survey radiation-hazardous lands, that have been contaminated. We carry out a four-year cycle of surveying these lands. Based on the results, we determine which mineral fertilizers need to be applied. Scientists have already worked this out, and we know that by applying an additional dose of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and liming acidic soils, we obtain clean products, in other words, we block the transfer of radionuclides into plants,” Dmitry Rutkovsky said.
Radiation monitoring begins with the soil. The products are subsequently transferred to processing facilities, tested in laboratories, and subjected to a final inspection prior to being released for sale. “We cannot allow even the slightest amount of ‘dirty’ products to pass through for processing or sale. That is absolutely unacceptable,” he noted. “We have even tightened radiation safety standards to demonstrate to the international community our confidence in product quality and to guarantee its purity both in domestic and foreign markets.”
The monitoring system is operating at full capacity. “Some manufacturers I have spoken with at processing plants have requested a slight relaxation in the regulations, citing an excessive number of inspections. We are unable to make any such changes. The radiation monitoring system will remain in place and will continue to function as it has in the past,” Dmitry Rutkovsky said.
Belarus has the strictest safety measures for products grown on contaminated territories. “First of all, we survey radiation-hazardous lands, that have been contaminated. We carry out a four-year cycle of surveying these lands. Based on the results, we determine which mineral fertilizers need to be applied. Scientists have already worked this out, and we know that by applying an additional dose of potassium-phosphorus fertilizers and liming acidic soils, we obtain clean products, in other words, we block the transfer of radionuclides into plants,” Dmitry Rutkovsky said.
Radiation monitoring begins with the soil. The products are subsequently transferred to processing facilities, tested in laboratories, and subjected to a final inspection prior to being released for sale. “We cannot allow even the slightest amount of ‘dirty’ products to pass through for processing or sale. That is absolutely unacceptable,” he noted. “We have even tightened radiation safety standards to demonstrate to the international community our confidence in product quality and to guarantee its purity both in domestic and foreign markets.”
The monitoring system is operating at full capacity. “Some manufacturers I have spoken with at processing plants have requested a slight relaxation in the regulations, citing an excessive number of inspections. We are unable to make any such changes. The radiation monitoring system will remain in place and will continue to function as it has in the past,” Dmitry Rutkovsky said.
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