Biomedical subjects

F Hardeman

Publications and source records attributed to F Hardeman.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Variation in stakeholder opinion on countermeasures across Europe.

A compendium of agricultural countermeasures and rural waste disposal options has been compiled as part of the EC STRATEGY (Sustainable Restoration and Long-Term Management of Contaminated Rural, Urban and Industrial Ecosystems) project. The compendium was discussed by the FARMING (Food and Agriculture Restoration Management Involving Networked Groups) network of stakeholders during meetings of national panels in the UK, Finland, Belgium, Greece and France in 2002. Their preliminary feedback has been summarised in terms of whether an option is generally acceptable, unacceptable or only acceptable under specific circumstances. A considerable divergence of opinion between national panels was apparent for many of the options considered. This could be attributed to differences in geomorphology, climate, land management, infrastructure, consumer confidence, sociopolitical context and culture. Where consensus was reached between stakeholders it was generally for those countermeasures that provide public reassurance, sustain farming practices and minimise environmental impact. Furthermore, whilst there was general agreement that contaminated food should not enter the food chain, many of the options proposed for its subsequent management were not generally acceptable to stakeholders.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2005

Attitude of a group of Belgian stakeholders towards proposed agricultural countermeasures after a radioactive contamination: synthesis of the discussions within the Belgian EC-FARMING group.

In the case of radioactive contamination of the environment with an impact on the food chain, the remediation strategy will not only be based on scientific knowledge and technical experience, but will also be dictated by peculiarities of the country. These characteristics include the agro-industrial structure, the local and international economical contexts and the political configuration including the distribution of responsibilities and competencies. This paper identifies and illustrates the most relevant characteristics of the Belgian agricultural system and political environment; it also describes the past experience with food chain contamination, which is expected to influence the attitude of Belgian stakeholders, who would be involved in the setting up of countermeasure strategies for maintaining agricultural production and food safety. The picture drawn explains why several countermeasures aiming to reduce the contamination in food products, although scientifically sound and technically feasible, are hardly acceptable or even not acceptable at all, to the stakeholders.

Abattoirs↗

PubMed2005

Achievements, difficulties and future challenges for the FARMING network.

The EC FARMING network (Food and Agriculture Restoration Management Involving Networked Groups) was set up to bring together the many and diverse stakeholders who would be involved in intervention following wide scale radioactive contamination of the food chain, so that acceptable strategies can be developed for maintaining agricultural production and safe food supply. The network comprises stakeholder panels in the UK, Finland, Belgium, France and Greece that have met regularly since 2001 to debate, discuss and exchange opinion on the acceptability, constraints and impact of various countermeasure options and strategies. The objectives of this paper are to consolidate the main achievements of the FARMING project over the period 2000-2004, to highlight the various difficulties that were encountered and to discuss the challenges for engaging stakeholders in off-site emergency management and long-term rehabilitation in the future.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2005

[Details in relation to emergency planning in case of undesired dispersion of radioactivity].

In the present context of terrorist threat and the multiple uses of radioactive sources for many applications, one cannot exclude the probability of a contamination with radioactive products in the public domain. The most probable scenario is the loss or theft of a source, or a source showing up in some unexpected location (orphan sources). Terrorist actions may lead to a similar problem (radiological dispersion devices, RDD). If the radiological situation is serious, the Belgian emergency plan will be declared, aiming at protecting the population as adequately as possible. However, the emergency plan has mainly been conceived for an accident in a nuclear facility; as exercises are organised frequently and as the technical possibilities can be studied in advance, the experts are better prepared for such accidents. But a radioactive contamination in some other location would lead to modifications to be made, which may result in less effective response. Indeed, the very first stage--an alert--will presumably be missing. Or the contamination may occur in a town not involved in radiological emergency exercises, leading to a local lack of means. The main concern is that this should not lead to a degradation of the response. It is essential that all decision makers at all levels know how to deal with the situation, or at least know whom to call for support (Mayors, emergency workers) A special focus on medical staff who could be involved with potentially strong (yet local) fields of radiation, injured people with contamination, but also (and presumably especially) with the psychological impact of large groups of population feeling concerned about the potential health or societal (and economic) consequences for themselves or their children. Whether the probability of such an event is large in Belgium or not is in that sense less relevant: the probability surely isn't zero, and as such an adapted preparation scheme is absolutely necessary.

Disaster Planning↗

PubMed2004

An airborne gamma-ray spectrometry survey of nuclear sites in Belgium.

As part of a wider study to define the existing background levels in Belgium an airborne gamma-ray survey was conducted in two areas associated with nuclear sites. In the Mol area, the survey zone included areas surrounding the SCK-CEN nuclear research centre, and its associated neighbourhood which includes radioactive waste stores, fuel manufacture and fabrication facilities and an international accelerator laboratory. In the vicinity of Fleurus, the survey included the IRE complex with radiochemical laboratories, irradiation facilities and stores, and isotope production accelerators. The survey was conducted using a twin engined helicopter equipped with a combined scintillation and semiconductor spectrometer. The system was installed and tested in the UK, and then transferred to Belgium for operations. The complete survey was conducted successfully within 1 week. The results provide a comprehensive record of the radiation environment of the nuclear sites at time of survey, and show a range of signals associated with the types of activity present in each area. They confirm that radiation fields are largely confined to the operational sites, and provide a traceable record against which future changes could be assessed. The demonstration of efficient deployment between two European countries, coupled with rapid mapping of many different radiometric signals around these sites confirms the utility of the airborne gamma spectrometry approach for accurate definition of enhanced radiation fields. This has important implications for emergency response.

Belgium↗

PubMed1999

Radiological protective measures in highly industrialized areas: do the existing intervention levels apply?

Several international organizations have provided numerical guidance on the intervention levels for protective measures in case of a nuclear accident. The resulting intervention levels, however, are generic in nature and allow for (and even require) adjustment to site-specific conditions. As interventions in highly industrialized areas may result in important economic losses and potential secondary risks for the workers and the environment, we argue that the appropriate intervention levels for evacuating or relocating people from these areas might be higher than those generically derived. Furthermore, the optimal duration of these interventions will in general be shorter when imposed on industrial areas. The same results apply for sheltering, in case it requires a shut-down of the industrial production processes.

Environmental Exposure↗

PubMed1998

The monetary value of the person-Sievert: a practical approach in case of occupational exposures.

This paper gives some practical advice on the determination of the value of the person-Sievert, this figure being of primary importance when cost-benefit analysis is used to optimize (ALARA-principle) routine occupational exposures of professionals to external radiation. After a brief introduction on the use of cost-benefit analysis in a radioprotection context, more attention will be paid to the theoretical guidelines that exist on the monetary value of the person-Sievert. By combining these insights with the practical problems that occur in daily task preparations and evaluations, a more workable proposal for the determination of the value of the person-Sievert will be presented.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

PubMed1997

Survey of the 137Cs contamination in Belgium by in-situ gamma spectrometry, a decade after the Chernobyl accident.

The residual radiocesium concentration, nearly 10 y after the Chernobyl accident, is measured at different sites on the Belgian territory by means of in-situ gamma-spectrometry. A possible link between the rainfall at the beginning of May 1986 and the actual cesium concentration is investigated. The radiological impact of this contamination, even in the most affected regions in the Ardennes, is very small (<6 microSv y(-1)).

Belgium↗

PubMed1995

The assessment of plutonium and americium in contaminated wounds with high energy resolution semiconductor detectors.

A simple to use method was installed for the measurement of wounds contaminated with plutonium and americium by using a semiconductor detector. This technique does not explicitly require the knowledge of the detector efficiency but uses a plant 241Am calibration source. A computer programme has also been developed for the quantification of the contamination according to the shape and the depth of the contaminant in the wound.

Americium↗

PubMed1994