IAEA Supports Advances in Regulatory Infrastructure for Radiation Safety in the Caribbean

In October 2020, Belize enacted its Radiation Safety and Security Act, which established a new national regulatory body, the Radiation Safety and Security Office.

“With the passing of the Radiation Safety and Security Act, Belize is now empowered with a robust legal instrument to ensure the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear applications for development,” remarked Martin Alegria, Chief Environmental Officer at the Department of the Environment of Belize.

Three additional countries—Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas and Barbados—have drafted national laws, and Trinidad and Tobago is currently drafting its proposed national nuclear law.

Operationalization of regulatory bodies

Within the past five years, 11 of the 12 IAEA-CARICOM countries have either established a national regulatory body or designated an interim national regulatory body to ensure the regulatory oversight of nuclear technology. By coordinating the delivery of training and equipment with the IAEA, countries in the Caribbean have empowered their national institutions responsible to control the use of radiation sources.

Radiation safety experts are essential for the operation of a national regulatory body. Since 2016, a total of 57 regulators from CARICOM countries have received practical training in radiation safety through various IAEA projects. Training events have included courses that establish and demonstrate best practices in regulatory functions, such as notification, authorization, inspection and enforcement. IAEA-supported capacity building activities further clarified methods for the identification, characterization and control of radiation sources, which are necessary to ensure an accurate, updated national inventory.

National radiation safety infrastructure also relies on the availability of equipment to support essential regulatory functions. To this end, 10 regulatory bodies have received 114 radiation detection devices to detect lost radioactive sources, monitor radiation and ensure the safety of workers, the public and the environment.

“Having this radiation detection equipment allows the Belizean Department of the Environment to collaborate with other frontline agencies, namely the Customs Department, to strengthen Belize’s control on the imports and exports of radioactive materials,” explained Jorge Franco of the Department of the Environment of Belize.

Regulatory bodies are being set up through a Coaching Programme in Regulatory Infrastructure, which offers tailored assistance informed by a Strategic Planning Tool developed with Latin American countries. Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica and Guyana are leveraging support under the programme to accelerate the development of their regulatory infrastructure. The Coaching Programme will deliver capacity building support to the remaining Member States in the region, and its scope will be expanded to include individual coaching on the safety of disused radioactive sources.

Promoting knowledge sharing among Caribbean regulators

To leverage existing expertise in the region and forge closer ties between regulatory and academic institutions, the IAEA signed an agreement with the University of the West Indies Mona (UWI) in May 2018 to collaborate on the development and delivery of training programmes in radiation safety, among other related topics.

“Education and training are crucial parts of our shared regional goals, and UWI – together with our IAEA colleagues – work to provide these opportunities to the region to ensure the safe use of nuclear technology,” explained Charles Grant, Professor at UWI International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS). “UWI is a regional university, therefore the materials developed for training courses are available to all 17 UWI member countries, ensuring a uniformed and sustainable regulatory certification process.”

Since 2018, UWI and the IAEA have been developing radiation safety training programmes for specific sectors, the largest being the medical and healthcare industry.