The European Centre of Technological safety (TESEC) (hereafter TESEC) is created in compliance with the Decree of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On Conception of Creation and Activity of European Centre of Technological safety (TESEC)” # 1259 of 17.10.96 and according to the decision of Founders (the Ministry of Ukraine of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chornobyl Catastrophe from Ukraine and Open Partial Agreement from Council of Europe, protocol # 1 of 24.05.97).
TESEC is a research and educational organization that acts in according to its Statute, in its activity it is guided by international regulations, decisions of Supreme Soviet of Ukraine, decrees of the President of Ukraine, decisions and orders of Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, decisions of Council of Founders of the Centre.
STRUCTURE
TESEC management is fulfilled by TESEC higher body - the Council of Founders and the executive body headed by the Executive Director. V. Poyarkov was elected as Executive Director of TESEC at the Council of Founds meeting from 24.05.97 (protocol #1).
President of the Scientific Committee, Executive Director
Dr. Victor Poyarkov
Permanent staff of the Center
Averaged year number of TESEC workers is 40 - 50 persons. The source of financing is contracts with Ukrainian Government, Council of Europe, EC, IAEA, UNDP, IOM etc.
OBJECTIVES
to join and concentrate the efforts and scientific potential of the worldwide scientific, research, technological centres and laboratories in designing technical means and technologies (including conversion), to define an approach to the risk assessment of potentially dangerous activities and to conduct activities on prevention and an effective response to the consequences of extraordinary technological situations and natural disasters, especially the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe;
to establish a reliable mechanism to attract the world community to conduct scientific-technological research works in enterprises with a high industrial risk level in Ukraine;
to establish the partners and business contacts among the Ukrainian scientists and scientific research institutions and leading world scientific research centers and laboratories;
to create a reliable integration mechanism of applied science in Ukraine in the field of technological safety into the world scientific community;
to coordinate methodological, technical and financial help in the field of technological safety;
to provide effective implementation of the international co-operation and assistance programmes in the field of forecasting and response to extraordinary situations, and to the attenuation of the Chernobyl disaster consequences.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
The main activities carried out in 1998-2011
Development of legislative and scientific bases on emergency prevention, response and relief and Chernobyl accident consequences overcome
Ministry of Emergencies Report “Ukraine population and territories protection from emergencies. Annual report of the 1997” wasprepared.Annual report of Ministry of Emergencies of Ukraine was a first attempt to generalize and systematize available national information of civil protection from emergencies of man-made and natural characters. In 1999 the similar report for 1998 was prepared.
To analyze measures efficiency concerning Chernobyl accident consequences overcoming, Ministry of Emergencies Report “Carrying out the National program of minimization of consequences of Chernobyl catastrophe in 1997. Annual report”first time in Ministry history was prepared. Similar report for 1998 was prepared in 1999.
In 1998 the scientific background of Emergency Classification was developed and Emergency Classification Guide was prepared by TESEC. On the base of the Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers from July 15, 1998 ?1099 Emergency Classification Guide was adopted and “Regulation of emergencies classification” was affirmed.
The scientific background was developed and Regulation about unified state system of prevention and response on technological and natural emergencies prepared. On the base of the Resolution of Cabinet of Ministers from August 3, 1998 ?1198 “About unified state system of prevention and response on technological and natural emergencies” was adopted and “Regulation about unified state system of prevention and response on technological and natural emergencies USS” was affirmed.
“Conception of program of prevention and response on emergencies of technological and natural disasters in Ukraine on 1999-2002” was developed. In this conception basic aims and tasks of State program of USS creation were formulated.
Seminar “Unified State System of Prevention and Response on Emergencies” was carried out on 10 - 11 November 1998 in Kyiv.
According to BISTRO TACIS project BIS/98/030/01 “Concept of the Chernobyl Catastrophe consequences Minimization Program for 2000-2005” was elaborated.
During first stage of the project operation, the analysis of current situation due to consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe and effectiveness of the implemented countermeasures were performed. Under results of that analysis, the main priority areas of the accident consequence minimization were established.
At the next stage of the project operation, taking into account current situations, effectiveness of the implemented countermeasures and economic capabilities of Ukraine, substantive tasks under each priority area were the developed. The concept of the programme defines the main requirements to the "Programme of Minimization of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident for 2001-2005 years and till 2010". The leading scientists and experts, members of the Ukraine Parliament participated in that activity. The final version of the report on project “Definition of the Priority Areas of the programme of Minimization of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident and the Development of the Long-Term Concept of the Programme (2000 - 2005)” have been considered at a seminar.
In accordance with the order of Council of Europe Cabinet of Ministers the report “Risk Assessment of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident and Counter Measure Efficiency" was prepared.
The activities were carried out according to the Item 9.2 Decisions of 652nd meeting – 15 December 1998 of the Committee of Ministers: ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER (CM/Del/Dec(98)641/9.8, 645/9.3, CM(98)201, GR-E(98)10) under order EUR-OPA Major Hazards Partial Agreement.
According to the order of Minister ?33p from 6.05.2000, the International seminar “Legislation basis of emergency response. National Response Planning on Nuclear and Radiation Accidents." had been carried out on 11-12 May, 2000. Specialists from IAEA, Ministry of Emergencies, Ministry of Fuel end Energy, National Atomic Energy Generating Company, NPPs Exploitation Support Institute, State Emergency Technical Centre, Ministry of Environment, Rivne, Khmelnytskiy, Zaporizhia, Pivdenno-Ukrains’k, Chornobyl NPPs as well as representatives from Ministry of Emergency departments in Kyiv, Rivne, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhia and Khmel’nytskiy regions had participated in the Workshop.
The International conference “Fifteen Years after the Chornobyl Accident. Lessons Learned" on April 18-20, 2001 in Kyiv, Ukraine has been carried out.
The world community of scientists and experts, representatives of Ukraine, Belarus and Russian Federation and intergovernmental organizations met to discuss the environmental, medical and social consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the effectiveness of countermeasures that have been implemented. 517 participants from 17 countries of the world and representatives of 12 embassies in Ukraine had participated in the Conference. Among the participants of the Conference: UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mr. Kenzo Oshima, Vice-Premier Minister of Republic Belarus Mr. G.V. Novitskiy and other official persons.
Conference met his main goal and developed the common vision of the international scientific community with regard to the ecological, medical and social consequences of the disaster and drawn conclusions and recommendations to use them in decision making on further mitigation the effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe, prevention of nuclear and radiation accidents
Analysis of the Ukrainian legislation on industrial, agricultural and military waste management has been made in 2005. The integration of Ukraine to European Union, maintenance of transition of Ukraine to sustainable development is referred as a priority of state policy of Ukraine and is stipulated by the Plan of actions Ukraine - EU.
With that aim the Ministry of Environment of Ukraine jointly with TESEC carried out in September 6-7, 2005 the conference on “Ecological aspects of sustainable development of Ukraine”.
April 26, 2006 is the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. The International Conference "Twenty Years after Chernobyl accident. Future Outlook” on April 24-26, 2006 was carried out.
The Chernobyl accident resulted in many changes, not only in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, but around the whole world. International standards on radiation protection, national strategies on the development of nuclear power, strengthening of nuclear safety and radioactive waste management have been revised. Twenty years after the accident is a good time for the international community to review and discuss these issues.
In the Conference activity took part the President of Ukraine V.Yushenko, other well-known politics, scientists and experts from 25 countries of the world:
Australia, Austria, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, China, Cuba, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Norway, Poland, Russia, USA, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan and known international organizations: European Commission, International Atomic Energy Agency, World Health Organisation, UN Development Program, and Council of Europe.
In whole in the conference have taken part more than 900 politics, scientists and experts. It is more than 200 journalists from leading information agencies of the world lighting the conference.
April 26, 2011 marks 25 anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. In many countries nuclear technology is seen as one of the increasingly important solutions for meeting rising energy demands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, mitigating climate change, counterbalancing fluctuating prices of fossil energy sources. At the same time the Chernobyl’s legacy should be carefully taken into account.
How to use Chernobyl lessons for the safety of nuclear power and other hazardous technologies, to protect people and the environment from emergency - this is the main objective of the International conference "Twenty-five Years after Chernobyl Accident. Safety for the Future ", Kyiv, April 20-22, 2011. 725 participants from 43 countries took a part in conference.
International Seminar On Comparative Analysis of Legislation on Risks Management on Hazardous Establishments has been convened on implementation of Resolution on Euro-Mediterranean Synergy approved by Ministers of the Member-States of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement at their Session on 2-4, October, 2002 (island of Bandol, France), and following the Conclusion of the Meeting of Directors of specialized Centres of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement (Paris, France, 20-21, January, 2003).
Participants of the Seminar have learned with great interest information about comparative analysis and harmonization of legislations of the CIS countries in the field of emergencies risk management being accomplished by the Intergovernmental Council of the CIS Countries on Emergencies Management during last 4 years. They consider it as useful one for work accomplished by EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement on legislation comparative analysis in the field of natural and technological disaster management.
The international workshop on the strengthening of international co-operation with using of Chernobyl experimental sites (polygons) have been carried out in 2003.
Participants in the workshop were: leaders of Ministry of Ukraine of Emergencies and Affairs of Population Protection from the Consequences of Chernobyl Catastrophe , representative of the European Commission, scientists from the Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), France, scientists from the Institute of Reactor Safety (GRS), Germany, key Ukrainian scientists. The participants of the workshop agreed on the interest to continue international co-operation using Chernobyl experimental sites (polygons). The results of this co-operation have to be beneficial for the radiation protection of the Ukrainian population and useful for the international scientific community.
Analytical report "Effects on the environment and on the civil population by the stocking of chemical weapons and recommendation for measures for protection against these risks” has been developed in 2003. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in the Recommendation 1571 (2002) "Reducing environmental risks by destroying chemical weapons" underlines the threat posed by stockpiles of old chemical weapons and by unexploded munitions abandoned in all war zones.
The Assembly recommends that the Committee of Ministers include in its work programme, in particular in the work programme of the EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement, the monitoring of issues relating to the environmental consequences of stockpiling chemical weapons. The Committee of Permanent Correspondents of EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement instructed its European Centre of Technological Safety (TESEC) to prepare a report on how the environment is affected by the stocks of chemical weapons and the measures to be drawn up to protect the civil population against these risks.
The report has been prepared by an international team of experts and presented on the meeting of the committee of permanent correspondents (Paris, Council of Europe Office 21-22 October 2003)
The international workshop “Public authorities and civil society together for a safe European nuclear future: learning from the Chernobyl legacy to make European nuclear energy safer: the role of local communities, authorities and central governments in emergency preparedness and management” was held in Kiev, Ukraine 22-23 September, 2008.
The main aim of the Workshop was to define priorities and tools for better emergency preparedness of populations living in the areas that might be affected by an accident at a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). This should be done by disseminating best European practices on emergency planning; co-operation between the state, local authorities and NPP operators; early warning procedures; iodine prophylaxis and other protective actions.
Task Force Group Meeting “To foster better radiological protection and information for populations living in areas that might be affected in the case of an nuclear or radiation accident” was held in Kiev, Ukraine 2-4 September, 2009.
The main aim was establishing a Euro-Mediterranean Network to foster better radiological protection and information for populations living in areas that might be affected in the case of an accident at a Nuclear Power Plant or any other nuclear facilities through dissemination of best European experience on emergency planning, early warning procedures, iodine prophylaxis and other elements of radiological protection. The purpose of Task Force Group (TFG) meeting was developing basis for co-operation with Group of Local Authorities with Nuclear Facilities in Europe (GMF), Spanish Group of Mayors in Municipalities with Nuclear Facilities (AMAC) and Association of Swedish Local Authorities with Nuclear Facilities (KSO).
The Workshop and Task forth group meeting 2009 defined priorities and tools for better emergency preparedness of populations living in the areas that might be affected by an accident at a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). This should be done by disseminating best European practices on emergency planning; co-operation between the state, local authorities and NPP operators; early warning procedures; iodine prophylaxis and other protective actions.
The public perception of Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents clear demonstrated tremendous inefficient informing of people on radiation hazards corresponded to radionuclides releases. The exposure doses in the Europe from iodine-131 of Fukushima release were less than 0.001 of exposure from natural radioniclides, like radon or potassium-41. But iodine-131 initiated a high fear of general public in many European cities. In the cases of nuclear accident many people do not trust to official information of national authorities or experts on radiological risk assessment. This fact clear revealed that there is only one way to provide for people trustful information about nuclear hazard – to give them basic knowledge on radiological hazard and build their own capability for risk assessment.
Council of Europe and UNESCO in 2011 initiated project: developing book “Nuclear Hazard, Basic Knowledge: lessons Chernobyl and Fukushima”.
This book is response to nuclear hazard – providing better information and protection for people. The aim of this book is very ambitious – to present basic knowledge on nuclear hazard acceptable and interesting for different groups of people: journalists, decision makers, students, schoolboys and others. In 2011TESEC developed first draft of book, which have been distributed to international community.
Education and Research activities
Annually 1997-2011 TESEC carries out International Summer Schools “Post-accidental Radiation Monitoring Techniques”.
These Summer School are organized to provide training and experience in: techniques of post-accidental radiation monitoring; accidental dose assessment; decision making in the case of nuclear or radiological accidents.
The Chernobyl accident has provided a unique opportunity for research and training on emergency response and post-accidental radiation monitoring. It is one of only a few places in the world where effective training and experience in internal and external dose assessment, sample collection and preparation, contamination mapping and decision making can be provided in real highly contaminated area. It is important to expand such experience for development of post-accident radiation monitoring techniques and decision making in a case of nuclear or radiation accident.
The curriculum is designed for emergency workers, decision-makers, graduate students, university faculty, and scientist interested in emergency preparedness and response, radiation protection and risk assessment. International Summer Schools has been participate by the representatives from Austria, Bulgaria, Brazil, Canada, Japan, France, Russia, Kosovo, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, USA and other countries. In 2002 the International Association for the Promotions and Co-operation with Scientists from the New Independent States of the Former Soviet Union, Brussels (INTAS), Belgium has supported annual summer school.
IAEA Regional Train-the-Trainers Workshops on Monitoring Strategies and Procedures were carried out jointly with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the TESEC training facility during July, 12-17, 1999 in English and July, 19-24, 1999 in Russian. Workshop duration is 6 days. Field exercises were carried out inside Exclusion Zone.
Mobile Radiological Laboratories Intercomparison Measurements MORAL-12 were carried out by European Centre of Technological Safety (Kyiv, Ukraine) and Institute "Josef Stefan" (Ljubljana, Slovenia) under auspices of IAEA during period from September 13 to September 18, 1999. Field exercises were carried out inside Exclusion Zone. There are 75 people have been participated this Workshop. Totally, there are 19 Mobile Laboratory Teams and 24 Mobile Laboratory Units were participated Workshop activities.
Mobile laboratory teams from Czech Republic, Slovenia, Austria, Slovak Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, France, Ukraine and IAEA.
In 1999 –2003 the Methods and Procedures for Post-accident Radiation Monitoring has been developed and tested.
These are field sampling methods, laboratory gamma spectrometry and in-situ gamma spectrometry methods, gross alpha and beta measurement methods and radiation protection of emergency workers. All necessary equipment was determined for each of them and methods of quality control for each type of equipment were described. Elaboration of the basic statistic data evaluation methods was the last step of post-accident monitoring methods elaboration.
These methods and procedures were tested and implemented in real conditions in Chernobyl exclusion zone during carrying out of Seventh International Summer School on Post-Accident Radiation Monitoring Techniques (September, 2001).
PUBLICATIONS
1. «Twenty-five Years after Chernobyl Accident: Safety for the Future», National Report of Ukraine, ?yiv, ISBN 978-966-1547-64-2,2011
2. Preparedness to technological accidents triggered by natural disasters, V.Poyarkov, International Workshop on New Approaches in natural Risk management, Istanbul, Turkey, 2008
3. The effects on the environment and on the civil population by the stocking of chemical weapons and recommendation for measures for protection against these risks, Council of Europe, AP/CAT (2003) 20
4. School of Civil Protection Handbook, Z. Milutinovic, J.-P. Massue, V. Poyarkov, EUR-OPA MHA &IOM, Strasbourg-Geneva, 2001.
5. Assessment of the risk entailed by the consequences of the 1986 Chernobyl accident and the effectiveness of countermeasures. AP/CAT (99) 66 rev, Kyiv, 1999.
6. Comprehensive Risk Assessment of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident, Kiev, 1999
7. European Network of Technological Risk Monitoring H. Biesold, J.B. Sherie, G. Desmet, J.-P.Massue, V. Poyarkov, Proceedings of Strasbourg Forum, November 19-21, 2001, France
CONFERENCES
The International conference “Fifteen Years after the Chernobyl Accident. Lessons Learned" April 18-20, 2001 in Kyiv, Ukraine
The world community of scientists and experts, representatives of Ukraine, Belarus and Russian Federation and intergovernmental organizations met to discuss the environmental, medical and social consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the effectiveness of countermeasures that have been implemented.
517 participants from 17 countries. Among the participants: UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mr. Kenzo Oshima.
Conference met his main goal and developed the common vision of the international scientific community with regard to the ecological, medical and social consequences of the disaster and drawn conclusions and recommendations to use them in decision making on further mitigation the effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe, prevention of nuclear and radiation accidents.
