Status of safety and security of radioactive sources in Lithuania

The Radiation Protection Centre of the Ministry of Health is the regulatory authority responsible for radiation protection in Lithuania. One of responsibilities is connected with control of radioactive sources: keeping of the registry, investigation of arrested illegal radioactive material, decision making, control of users of radioactive sources. In connection with recommendations laid out in the ICRP-60 publication and IAEA recommendations and requirements of legislation of European Community the new laws, namely: the Law on Radiation Protection, the Law on Nuclear Energy, the Law on Radioactive Waste Management and different regulations were approved. Lithuania is well known as a country using the biggest relative part of electricity made in a nuclear power plant. Lithuania has few nuclear facilities. There are two nuclear reactors of RBMK-1500 series with liquid and solid radioactive waste treatment and temporary storage facilities, on-site dry spent nuclear fuel interim storage facility at Ignalina NPP. However, when considering problems of radiation protection and safety of sources it should be emphasized that we have more than 900 users that use more than 40,000 of radioactive sources with higher or lower activity. Potentially most dangerous sources of therapy and industry are also available. The problems connected with regulatory control of safety and security of radioactive sources in Lithuania are presented and their solution is discussed. (author)