Speaker
Description
The potential negative effects on the nation’s safety and security by a weak national radioactive waste management system made the need for strengthening, and improving radioactive waste management practices in Libya a vital issue. As Libya is not a nuclear country, the main types of radioactive waste are Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS), and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) waste. Radioactive Waste Management Division (RWMD) under the umbrella of the Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment (LAEE) has been established as the national operator for radioactive waste management of Libya in the middle of 2010; As the Libyan revolution started few months later, with the low awareness and understanding of governments and decision makers of the significant role RWMD and even LAEE are playing for the country’s safety and security; RWMD couldn’t gain sufficient support that enable him to carry out his important duties. The situation of the RWMD was reported by two members of the division on 2015 in a published scientific paper titled (Management of Radioactive Waste in Libya: Case Study), In that paper, the weaknesses of the division were reported as: the poor experience in radioactive waste management especially conditioning and storage of DSRS, and how to deal with NORM waste; the lack of trained manpower; weak programs of human resource development; the available inventories of radioactive waste need to be properly managed.
The real start of gaining knowledge and experience about DSRS management in the RWMD was associated with the establishment of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Interregional Technical Cooperation project: strengthening cradle-to-grave control of radioactive sources in the Mediterranean region (project code: INT9176) that began in 2012. After that, two other INT projects with one national technical cooperation project enabled RWMD to make a professional team that can deal with DSRS and NORM waste and provided by a proper instruments and tools. the role that IAEA played in forming and improving the RWMD was particularly important and highly affected in a positive manner the implementation of his tasks. This paper demonstrated an example of how IAEA’s support can make difference for member states, even for a country that still facing many security and political challenges.
| Speaker's title | Mr |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | The Libyan Atomic Energy Establishment |
