Radiological Survey of Makariv Territorial Community within SURVEY Project Completed
In the period from 8 to 11 November 2022, SSTC NRS experts as crew members of the RanidSONNI mobile radiological laboratory conducted radiological survey on the territory of the Makariv territorial community. The survey was carried out with the aim of detecting radioactive contamination and radioactive materials that could be brought by the occupiers beyond the exclusion zone in violation of the radiation safety rules.
The route took into account information on places where radioactive contamination could be detected, which was provided by administrations of the territorial community and residents.
The survey campaign from 8 to 11 November covered the following facilities:
- educational institutions (schools, kindergartens etc.): 1;
- public places (premises for elders, parks, shops etc.): 16;
- private estates, houses: 19;
- other (territories of enterprises where occupying troops stayed): 2;
- roads, streets: more than 120 km;
- household items and items for military purposes: 7.
The route used by the SSTC NRS experts may be found on the map.
According to the radiological survey of the Makariv territorial community, no radioactive contamination of facilities, premises or areas that could be related to the occupiers’ activities was detected. No increase in the ambient dose equivalent of gamma radiation (EDR) was found on the surveyed territories. The EDR values measured through the vehicle gamma survey and manually were up to 0.18 μSv/h, which corresponds to the background values typical of the area.
In the village In Makovyshche, EDR values 2.5 times higher than the background level were recorded on the territory of a private estate. This local increase in EDR was due to the use of a significant amount of facing stone (granite).
Please be recalled that mineral raw materials and their products (bricks, ceramic tiles, facing slabs and stones, etc.) used in construction contain naturally occurring radionuclides and are technologically enhanced radiation sources.
In Ukraine, there are radiological health and safety regulations in force, intended to reduce doses of chronic human exposure from man-made and technologically enhanced naturally occurring sources (Section 8 of DGN 6.6.1.-6.5.001-98, State Health and Safety Regulations “Radiation Safety Standards of Ukraine” (NRBU-97)), which particularly distinguish construction materials that are allowed for interior and exterior decoration of buildings, for the construction of roads within settlements and outside them, for industrial construction, etc.
The radiation background level (EDR values) in buildings and structures that are being designed, constructed and reconstructed for operation with permanent presence of people should not exceed 0.26 μSv/h and in premises for operation with permanent presence of people should not exceed 0.44 μSv/h.
The use of materials of inappropriate class in terms of the effective specific activity of natural radionuclides for the interior decoration of residential premises worsens the radiological situation in premises and increases the doses of chronic human exposure.
The radiological survey activities are carried out within the SURVEY project, which is intended to identify and reduce the risks of exposure to the public that is caused by contact with radiation sources/radioactive contamination and to reduce the public’s anxiety caused by imaginary risks associated with the presence of occupiers in the exclusion zone.
According to SSTC NRS
