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Articles and Publication    Ecology INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES IN THE EUROPEAN NORTH IN THE SPHERE OF RADIOECOLOGY

INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES IN THE EUROPEAN NORTH IN THE SPHERE OF RADIOECOLOGY

© E. V. Komleva

Institute of the North Industrial Ecology Problems,

Contact: komleva@inep.ksc.ru

INTRODUCTION

A part of the European North- Barents Region is an important geopolitical and economic region of our planet. Here there are concentrated huge reserves of various ores, diamonds, oil and gas. It is washed by the Atlantic seas which are the traditional places of fishery. The region is envisaging further development for mutually beneficial economic co-operation.

At the same time it is one of the regions where the activities dealing with use of nuclear energy are extraordinarily intensive. Nuclear proving ground on Novaya Zemlya, Kola Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the only in the world atomic ice-breaker fleet being in exploitation by the Murmansk Shipping Company, ships and submarines with nuclear energetic plants of the Northern Fleet of Russia, coastal bases and works serving atomic civil and military ships, nuclear weapon of Russia and NATO, atomic submarines of USA and Great Britain patrolling in the Northern seas- this is a far from being complete list of possible and real sources of radioactive pollution.

Chernobyl has shown that in the catastrophical situation radioactive pollution does not recognise State frontiers.

Nuclear technologies, however, have not only negative consequences. Energy production, reliable cargo transportation through the Northern Sea Way are necessary for Russian and international economics.

Therefore for forming right society attitude to the use of nuclear energy in the region, for its sustainable and safety development there is necessary the comprehensive, objective and available information both about negative and positive international experience in this field. In particular about the progressive leading experience of Finnish and Swedish NPP, companies and firms working on the problem of radioactive wastes (RW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management, and also of State control organisations and public ecological movements, first of all of Finland, Sweden and Norway.

It goes without saying that the corresponding activities of other EU and/or NATO countries are also an important part of the information space in the region.

The objectives of the work in question are to show the participants of international information activities in the European North in the sphere of radioecology, to analyse its forms. It could be useful to increase the quality of ecological education, information service of population and local authorities, international public opinion, could further creating of conditions for export to Russia of western information systems and their functioning methodology, technologies of radiation monitoring, reliable underground disposal of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel, safe NPP exploitation, etc.

The authoress would like to thank Pertti Lakkala, Raimo Pyyny, Eija Kinnunen for help in organising and carrying out the work, including for the kind given opportunity to ask as many as possible participants of the information activities in question. It would not be possible to realise without the up-date communication systems of The Kemi-Tornio Polytechnic.

I am also very grateful to the specialists of all firms and organisations- interrogatory participants- who could find time to pay attention to my information request. Special gratitude to Helena Hyttinen, Finnish Barents Group, Bjorn E. Cedervall Dept. Radiation Oncology, SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Nick Schulyak, Business Development CIS Marketing, British Nuclear Fuels plc for interesting and useful discussion. 

PARTICIPANTS OF INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION ACTIVITIES

During the first research stage there was formed the initial database. It has included the address list and various materials (more than 200 printed documents) received immediately from organisations, firms, societies and other participants. The participants' materials were received in response to my written request by carrying out the mass interrogation using the modern communication systems.

The membership of participants (more than 60 ones: 21 - from Finland, 14 - from Norway, 12 - from Sweden, per 5 from Russia and United Kingdom, 2 - from the Netherlands, per 1 from Austria, Germany, Denmark, France and Switzerland) varies. These are international organisations, State institutions, large nuclear companies, universities, consulting firms, public organisations and movements, individuals, experts, etc. Total qualitative and quantitative description of the participants is given in table 1.

Table 1

Total description of the participants of international information activities in the European North in the sphere of radioecology

Activity

Statistical indexes of the interrogation (cross-examination), items

 

Interna-tional organisa-tions

State admini-strative institu-tions

Large nuclear compa-nies

Ecological centres, societies, universities

Others

 

 

 

Request

6

20

10

23

5

Answer

4

8

10

13

2

It is significant that the maximum response per cent (100%) was shown by the large nuclear companies. Other participants are approximately at the same level (about 50% of response). Evidently the given statistical indexes show the fact that the large nuclear companies consider this information as sufficiently important. 

MANAGEMENT

Management of information activities depends naturally on the structure within that these activities are being realised.

Some examples.

Within European Commission the subdivision C/3, Directorate XI co-ordinates the questions of education, specialists training in the field of RW management and radiation safety for the nuclear-fuel cycle works, nuclear power plants, regional systems of RW neutralisation and ecological monitoring. To its competence also belong the law and social problems of RW management and their publishing in mass media too [ 1] .

Within the organisational stricture of large nuclear companies or State institutions there is without fail or the division “Information and Public Affairs” [ 2] , or “Information Services” [ 3] , or “Information Department” (The Swedish Radiation Protection Institute), or press service (Murmansk Shipping Company and Northern Navy), etc.

Information activities management within the separate programmes of universities’ ecological centres, public movements, societies and so on does not require special branched subdivisions and is being carried out immediately by the programmes’ managers.

 

FORMS OF ACTIVITIES

In the first turn there is necessary to single out two large blocks: information activities for professionals and information activities for general public. Though sometimes it is rather difficult to determine precisely the destination of this or other information because of its mixed character.

As the examples of the first kind of activities could serve the scientific articles, reports, books, magazines, normative documents, programmes of scientific conferences, etc.

So, The Swedish Radiation Protection Institute (SSI) has among various functions informing, educating, advising and also monitoring radiation levels in the environment [ 4] .

SSI’s publications, reports and brochures are available from its research library.

Its educational unit compiles courses aimed at specific target groups.

The following literature is available from the SSI information department:

o SSI News

o SSI Reports

o Information material about current radiation issues

The Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK) is an authority and an expert in radiation and nuclear safety matters [ 3] .

Radiation and Nuclear Safety stem from accurate information and from work based on that information. This is the safety culture that STUK expects of its customers- and requires of itself.

Among the other forms of STUK information activities mainly for professionals it is possible to single out the following ones which deal with radioecological aspects at all events:

SUPERVISION OF

NUCLEAR SAFETY

SUPERVISION OF

RADIATION PRACTICE

(is based on the Nuclear Energy Act 990/87) (is based on the Radiation Act 592/91)

o safety requirements

o safety requirements

o preliminary inspection of plans

o safety licences

o approvals, licences, comments

o inspections

o inspections at plant sites

o monitoring of radiation doses

o monitoring of the environment

o reports on operating events and control measures

o reports on operating events and

control measures

 

 

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

PUBLICATIONS

o nationwide radiation monitoring

o scientific original publications in international journals

o investigation of exceptional

observations and information

o STUK-A series

o making provisions for exceptional radiation situations

o STUK-B series

o co-operation with other authorities

o papers, articles, reviews

o reports on radiation monitoring and on instances of preparedness

o “Radiation and Nuclear Safety Reviews” series

 

o “STUK informs“ series

 

o periodical ALARA

 

o radiation news tel. 9700-8877

 

o radiation fax 9600-8899

 

o radiation safety pages 195-197 on Teletext

Protective actions which reduce radiation doses:

Actions

Early notification, descriptions of the situation (radiation situation, account of the event), recommendations for protective measures, news releases, emergency bulletins by the authorities

Participants

Finnish co-operation partners (central administration, regional administration, local administration), co-operation partners abroad, the media, enterprises and corporations, citizens

Number of STUK publications in various directions of information activities has increased 2-3 times from 1991 to 1995 [ 3] .

Style of the materials’ presenting which are available not only for the professionals but for the general public as well is characteristic for the popular booklets and generalised annual reports of the large nuclear companies, for example, Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO, Finland) and Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB, Sweden) as well as for the union “Bellona” reports.

In particular, SKB gives the information on the system of RW and SNF transportation in Sweden [ 5] . This information and the corresponding technologies could be very important for Russia because all nuclear objects - RW and SNF producers on the Kola peninsula as well as the objects of Sweden are located near the sea coast.

Providing consulting services in various directions is one of the information functions of any large nuclear firm in the West, including SKB [ 3] .

Some 250 people are engaged in research, development and demonstration activities. They come from the institutes of technology in Stockholm and Gothenburg, the universities in Lulea, Umea, Stockholm, Linkoeping, Uppsala and Lund, Vattenfall Engineering AB, Sydkraft Konsult AB, ABB Atom, MRM AB, SGU (the Geological Servey of Sweden), the Corrosion Institute, Studsvik AB, Geosigma AB, VBB-Viak AB, Siab AB, Kemakta AB, Golder Associate AB, IPA-konsult AB, ABEM AB, Clay Technology AB, Skanska and Conterra AB. In addition SKB employs some 50 people for special investigations and for information and public relations activities.

The goal of SKB’s information is to broaden and deepen the public’s knowledge regarding:

o the radioactive waste that exists today, and the fact that it will pose a risk in the future if it is not handled properly, for example if it goes astray;

o the fundamental ethical and technical principles that guide Swedish waste management policy:

- the nuclear waste must be dealt with in a responsible fashion with high standards of safety,

- the planned systems must be designed so that we do not shift any environmental or economic burdens to future generations;

o the fact that the knowledge and the capability to build safe repositories now exists in Sweden and other countries and that SKB is actively participating in international research and development;

o the system we have built up in Sweden and that is already being used to dispose of all radioactive waste for a long time to come;

o the work SKB has now begun of siting a deep repository for spent nuclear fuel. Apart from the disposal method, the aim to have in 20 years’ time a metod, a site, a facility under construction and funds. This will enable future decision-makers to either continue along the beaten path, or choose other solutions.

The best way to bring about a dialogue with people is to meet them face-to-face. That is why SKB holds exhibitions on a large scale, with the participation of the company’s own personnel. Visits are made to schools, local communities and trade fairs throughout the year, in some cases with a mobile exhibition. In this way, SKB gets to meet the general public, local political and community leaders and special interest groups in an open dialogue.

SKB’s facilities - CLAB, SFR and the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory - are open to visitors by appointment and have permanent exhibitions that can be visited year-round. At the localities where SKB initiates feasibility studies, information offices are opened with associated exhibitions. Thus, interested visitors can there come into direct contact with representatives of SKB.

SKB’s information is now also on the Internet’s World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.skb.se/skb/

The basic philosophy is that anyone who wants to should be able to find out the facts, principles and future plans for the radioactive waste.

As in previous years, SKB pursued ambulatory information activities for example during 1995. With lecturers and mobile exhibitions, SKB visited 42 schools, meeting 6 878 pupils in 315 classes. Increased interest was noted during the year among teachers, and special teacher conferences were arranged in conjunction with the school visits. The school information package “At Depth” was revised after an evaluation in 1995 and is now available at most upper-secondary schools in the country. SKB also took part in eight trade fairs of different kinds.

During the summer the transport ship M/S Sigyn served as a floating exhibition hall. For the seventh year in a row, visitors were able to view equipment used to handle the waste, such as transport casks, as well as models of the planned deep repository and the prospective canister. New for the year was a series of on-board seminars to which citizens’s groups and politicians were invited for debate. SKB’s exhibitions were visited by a total of 61 000 persons, including members of the public, upper-secondary school pupils, local political and community leaders and special-interest groups. Of these, 51 500 visited the exhibition on board the Sigyn.

SKB’s facilities CLAB, SFR and the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory (HRL) also received a large number of visitors from both Sweden and other countries. Among the visitors were senators and several groups of teachers, who spent their in-service training days visiting the facilities.

SKB ran a major series of advertisements in the daily press and trade journals. The ads dealt with four questions relating to the Swedish nuclear waste: “How long is it hazardous? Who takes care of it? What do we do with it? and Where will it be disposed of?” A fact book could also be ordered from the company free of cost during the ad campaign. In response to ads, 6 000 people ordered additional information from SKB.

Lagerbladet, SKB’s newsletter, was published twice during 1995 and distributed to about 25 000 subscribers [ 3] .

A special group of information materials is being represented by popular and total available leaflets, including advertising booklets of various ecological movements, publications in mass media.

Lately there are being broadly used the specialised electronic information systems such as Nuc Net of the European Nuclear Society (http://www.aey.ch/nucnet/), computer systems of large companies, for instance computer system at SKB [ 3] . To the tasks of the regional Kola Net web belongs also the accumulation and analysis of radioecological data.

It is necessary to mention that the forms of information activities in question are in Russia less diverse and popular than in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Information- demonstration centres at the large nuclear objects are only being founded now. Ecological education of population and first of all pupils is at the first stage of its development as rule. In such situation the western experience could be irreplaceable for the Russian participants of the Barents region.

 

INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION

International co-operation in the information sphere is being realised on various levels.

A Community Plan of Action in the field of radioactive waste management was approved by the Council of the European Communities. The plan is provided for [ 6] :

o continuous analysis of the technical situation, designed to keep the Community and its Member States up to date on work and achievements in all areas of radioactive wastes management;

o examination of measures which could ensure the long term or permanent storage of radioactive waste under optimum conditions;

o consultation to ensure that the maximum benefit is obtained from the work of national, Community and international programmes;

o continuity of Community research and development programmes during the plan;

o provision of information to the public.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Norwegian Ministry of Environment in co-operation with the corresponding institutions of Russia co-ordinate and finance the activities of the joint Norwegian-Russian expert group working on the evaluation of radioactive pollution of the Northern seas. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published (1995) the “Actions plan in accordance with the Storting report N 34 (1993-94) in the field of nuclear activities and chemical weapon in the regions situated near the Northern Norway”. In this document it informs the Russian partners about the possible organisational and financial support for solving a number of problems at the nuclear objects of the Kola peninsula: safety increasing of the Kola NPP, RW and SNF utilisation, creating the nuclear accidents warning systems, etc.

In May 1995 on the initiative and financial support of Norway, Finland and Sweden in Vienna there was taken place an international IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) seminar given up to RW and SNF of Russia, including ones situated in the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions.

A characteristic example of information activities co-ordinated on the international level is The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) [ 7] .

AMAP was initiated by the Ministers from the eight Arctic countries: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Federation of Russia, Sweden and USA at a Ministerial Meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland in June 1991.

Following the request of the Governments of the Nordic Countries, AMAP Secretariat was applied by the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) to develop proposals for environmentally sound investment projects in the Russian part of the Barents region. At present these projects are being evaluated for implementation with financial and technical involvement of financial structures and industrial companies of the Nordic countries, as well as the international financial organisations, including the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and others.

The AMAP assessment process will also utilise data arising from (recent) monitoring and research activities conducted as part of the AMAP National Implementation Plans (NIPs). To support the AMAP assessment process and assist AMAP assessmentgroups in accessing, in particular, those data which have not jet been published, AMAP Thematic Data Centres (TDCs) have been established to meet different objectives, for instance:

o to meet the terms of reference of the Ministerial declarations, charging AMAP with establishing databases of sources, types and levels of radionuclide contamination of the atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial environments of the Arctic and Northern areas.

Among the AMAP TDCs currently exists, for example, the Radioactivity data centre- NRPA (Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Oslo, Norway).

Work is under development to implement GIS (geographical information system) and mapping support for the AMAP assessment process. This will be integrated with the data compilation at AMAP thematic data centres and will provide specific support for requirements of assessment groups in relation to graphical presentation of data, etc.

Assessment of radioactivity in the Arctic is one of the major components of the AMAP Assessment, and a priority issue on which information has been requested by Ministers.

The assessment considers two main aspects: the source related assessment, and the individual related assessment. To conduct the source related assessment, information is being compiled on present and potential sources of radioactive contamination in the Arctic. These include:

o historical sources associated with nuclear tests conducted in the Arctic;

o sources related to accidents involving nuclear submarines or nuclear materials, etc.;

o dumped radioactive waste and storage sites for radioactive waste;

o installations (including nuclear power plants and military facilities) where radioactivity is used and where discharges occur, or may occur as a result of accidental releases, etc.

In addition to working through its own channels, AMAP has established cooperations with a number of relevant international organisations and initiatives which will collaborate in providing AMAP with data on, for example, dumping of radioactive waste in the Arctic Seas (the IAEA-MEL programme, etc.), the sunken “Komsomolets” submarine (NATO/CCMS), etc.

Information is being compiled on the location of sources, their type and characteristics, including the physical and chemical properties and amounts of different radionuclides for each source, to facilitate assessment of possible release rates. In conjunction with modelling work to establish pathways and transports, and GIS applications, the aim of the source related assessment is to produce a risk assessment for possible release and dispersion scenarios, including estimation of the resulting doses to man and the environment.

For the individual related assessment, data is being compiled on measured levels of radioactive contamination in various environmental media, including foods consumed by human populations. This will further facilitate the work of estimating doses to man and the environment from actual and potential sources of radioactive contamination.

The radioactivity assessment is being co-ordinated with the human health assessment, and with input from indigenous people's organisations of information concerning locations of populations, utilisation of food resources, etc.

To conduct the work of data compilation and evaluation in support of the AMAP radioactivity thematic data centre has been established at the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Oslo, Norway. This data centre will work in close co-operation with the AMAP radioactivity assessment group, involving participants from all AMAP countries, to provide the data and technical resources (database, modelling, GIS) required to fulfil the described objectives.

AMAP maintains a strong co-operation with United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerning the assessment of radioactivity in the Arctic and radioactive wastes management in Russia. IAEA has established a Contact Expert Group, the goal of which is to co-ordinate international activities in this field, which objectives similar to the activities undertaken by AMAP and Nordic Environmental Finance Corporation (NEFCO) under the radioactivity component of their joint project. The AMAP Secretariat intends to take an active role in the Contact Expert Group.

The AMAP Secretariat has established close co-operation with the NATO/ NACC (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, North Atlantic Co-operation Council) group performing the Pilot Study: Cross- Border Environmental Problems Emanating from Defence Related Installations and Activities, Report on Radioactive Contamination. The final report of the first phase of this project is available and provides information for the AMAP radioactivity assessment; a second phase has been initiated.

The AMAP Secretariat has produced information sheets and poster concerning the AEPS and AMAP and its activities. This information has also been made available on the Internet World Wide Web (WWW) on http://www.grida.no/amap/amap.htm. The “Arctic Bulletin” prepared by WWF provides a useful source of information for the general public on AMAP activities.

A number of initiatives are under consideration for communication of the results of the work of AMAP and its Assessment to a range of target audiences. Priorities are communication to Indigenous People and other Northern inhabitants, including possibilities for preparation of educational materials for use by northern communities. Additionally, possibilities for presentation of AMAP’s results on various electronic media (e.g. CD-ROM, Internet WWW) are being investigated [ 7,8] .

As an example of international co-operation for evaluating the specific radiation situation in a separate country could serve the STUK activities) [ 3] :

A message of an exceptional radiation situation may be received from various sources. The Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety serves as the national contact point receiving all alarm signals pertaining to radiation.

SSI participates on a national and international level through organisations such as the International Commission on Radioecological Protection - ICRP, the International Atomic Energy Agency within OECD - NEA, and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation - UNSCEAR.

SSI has contributed towards improvements in radiation protection standards in the former Soviet states, especially in the Baltic and Russia, through the project, Radiation Protection East.

The activities of companies and organisations that use radiation are regulated by the Radiation Protection Act and by a set of directives issued by SSI. Activities involving radiation often require SSI licence before they can begin.

Nordic co-operation functioned well through all branches of radiation and nuclear safety. In 1995 a real-time exchange of information on monitoring metrology was agreed upon, to the end that authorities from each Nordic country can directly follow the radiation situation and its changes in the neighbouring countries.

The interface in Finnish-Swedish co-operation on safety was expanded through the joint implementation of specific consultation and training projects focusing on authorities in adjacent regions [ 3] .

Nordic Nuclear Safety Research is a voluntary co-operation body financed by relevant national authorities, nuclear companies and other organisations within the five Nordic Countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The co-operation is in the fields of nuclear safety, radiation protection and emergency preparedness. Research projects are initiated and supported in these fields and one example is AFA-1, which deals with long-lived low and intermediate level waste. Waste of this kind is, more or less, present in all five countries and therefore of common interest. SKB is involved in AFA-1 and contributes to the study. AFA-1 is divided into three areas:

o Characterisation of long-lived and intermediate level radioactive waste (Subproject AFA-1.1).

o Function analyses for the near-field of repositories for long-lived waste (Subproject AFA-1.2).

o Environmental impact statement for repositories for long-lived waste (Subproject AFA-1.3).

The Programme in its present form started in 1994 [ 2] .

Separate companies of the region are being in co-operation. Imatran Voima OY (IVO) helped the Kola NPP to determine the conception of underground disposal of radioactive wastes of this station. Teollisuuden Voima OY (TVO), IVO and SKB took part in the tender of the European Commission to carry out contracts R4.10-13/95 concerning the problem of RW and SNF of the north-western Russia in the whole.

SKB has a very close co-operation with TVO in many fields of the research on nuclear waste management.

During 1995 a bilateral information exchange meeting between SKB, TVO and IVO was held in Sweden. SKB and TVO scientists have during 1995 had numerous meetings where information and experience exchange have been carried out [ 2] .

The German firm NUKEM has planned to carry out the system analyses of the stages of conception concerning constructing on the Kola peninsula of the united RW treatment system.

DBE (Deutsche Gesellschaft zum Bau und Betrieb von Endlagern fur Abfallstoffe mbH) and the Mining Institute of Kola Science Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences accomplished the report in accordance with the contract of the European Commission COSU/CT/94/940096-B collected, analysed and generalised the information about RW and SNF of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk region [ 9] .

The international information integration in the sphere of radioecology has already started. However, there are a lot of things to be done in prospect. In particular, it would be desirable to use maximum the foreign experience and discussions concerning the right choice of the sites of RW and SNF underground disposal in the north-western Russia. The potential danger of this question is extraordinary large for all Northern countries. At the same time Northern countries have large collective experience to help Russia to make the right decision. 

FINANCING

Unfortunately in the presented materials even by the Western participants there was not enough data about the financing of information activities. It makes difficult to determine the level of “necessary financing” of this kind of activities and to work out the recommendations by analogy with the practice of Western countries concerning the question about the corresponding expenses to be planned by the Russian participants in order to meet the Western “information standards”.

A positive exception on background of the total data deficit concerning the financing of information activities is materials of SKB (Sweden), STUK and Posiva Oy (Finland) [ 2,3,10] .

The current operating costs of SKB in 1995 are characterised in the table 2. The debit items have to do to the certain extent with the information activities for professionals (finally direction is to increase the effectiveness and ecological safety of an enterprise) and general public are marked.

Table 2

SKB’s approximate operating costs 1995

Activities

SEK

million

%

Research, development and demonstration

123

15,2

Planning and design of encapsulation plant and deep repository, etc.

103

12,6

Operation of CLAB

69

8,5

Operation of SFR

27

3,3

Operation of transportation system

19

2,3

Interest and depreciation

86

10,6

Fuel services

325

39,9

Public relations

31

3,8

Other

31

3,8

Total

814

100

Let us illustrate only a part of financial expenses of STUK in the sphere of information activities connected with expert services [ 3] .

By total annual operating costs of STUK in 1995 approximately FIM 100 mill., the expert services about FIM 14 mill. amounted to 14% and increased 2-3 times compared to 1991.

In 1995 the joint costs of TVO and IVO in the sphere of RW and SNF management amounted to FIM 3803,2 mill. At the same time the total research costs of these two companies directed to obtain and publish new scientific information concerning the problem in question accounted to FIM 49,1 mill. [ 10] .

In the given case the total information activities are being financed not more than 1,3% from the total problem costs.

Thus large firms and organisations spend from 1 to 15% of the current operating costs for various forms of information activities. 

CONCLUSIONS

There are considered the basic features (characteristic peculiarities) of international information activities in the European North in the sphere of radioecology.

The analysis carried out has shown that these activities are diverse and could further increasing the safety of nuclear technologies and sustainable development of the countries in region.

It would be optimal if the inevitable criticism of the negative points accumulated would be being directed not towards the total negation of using nuclear energy in the economy but towards the creation of constructive proposals concerning their removal.

In Russia the information activities in question are not so intensive as by its neighbours and partners. It would be very desirable if on the basis of the increasing of information exchange and following it Russia with the help of leading western companies and organisations could secure the safety and effective functioning of nuclear energetic, atomic fleets, systems of radiation monitoring and RW and SNF handling objects.

For example, The Centre on informing and educating population on nuclear problems in the North-West Russia is only being planned (protocol of the workshop on TACIS projects, March, 15- 16, 2000 signed by the vice-president of RAS N.P. Lavyorov and deputy minister of Russian Federation on atomic energy V.A. Lebedev).

There is accumulated the experience of developing the methods of special sociological investigations, various contacts, business correspondence, etc. with the majority of specialists within international information activities.

The complete set of materials, including necessary appendices - examples of information activities only for professionals, both for professionals and broad public, mainly for the broad public - is available at the Kemi-Tornio Polytechnic and Arctic Centre (Finland).

REFERENCES

  1. Programme of International Conference “Radioactive wastes. Disposal. Transport. Utilisation. Impact on human beings and environment.” St. Petersburg, 14-18 October, 1996. The Central Research Institute for Construction Materials “Prometey”.
  2. Annual report SKB (The Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co), 1995.
  3. Annual report STUK (The Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety), 1995.
  4. The Swedish Radiation Protection Institute. Overview of Operations, 1995.
  5. SKB: Transportation of Radioactive Waste, 1995.
  6. Managing Radioactive Waste in the European Community.
  7. The Monitoring Programme for Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, AMAP. AMAP Report 93:3.
  8. AMAP Publications. Information sheet 12/2,1996.
  9. H.Engelmann et al. Inventory of Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel at the Kola Peninsula Region of Northwest Russia. Contract COSU/CT/94/940096.
  10. Annual report, Posiva OY, 1995
Publishing date: November 12, 2002
Source: SciTecLibrary.ru

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