Sustaining Cradle-to-Grave Control of Radioactive Sources (INT-9182)
Workshop on implementation of a national cradle-to-grave control system for
radioactive sources
IAEA, Vienna, 13 – 17 March 2017, Room C1
Status of national system for control of
radioactive sources: Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan
Khalil Awwad
Director of Transport & Radioactive Waste Management
Jordan Atomic Energy commission
National bodies responsible for
radioactive sources
 Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) is
the national regulatory authority.
 Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) is the Waste
management organisation (WMO) responsible for short and long term pre-disposal and disposal management of radioactive waste.
 Jordan does not yet produce any radioactive materials/sources.
 Radioactive sources in Jordan are used in the following nuclear
applications:
 Medicine (Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centers ; Blood
Bank units;)
 Industry (Gamma Irradiator; Nondestructive testing; Nuclear
gauges)
 Agriculture
 Teaching/training and research centers ( Universities).
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Responsibilities for Managing RW
 Government: to ensure and maintain the availability of the resources
(human, financial, technical)
 Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC): the
national nuclear regulatory authority to enforce implementation of the
national regulations on RWM, inspection and issuing lisence/permits.
 Generators
and
Operators:
The
technical,
financial,
and
administrative short term management of their waste within their
facilities according to the national legislations.
 Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC): Waste management
organisation responsible for short & long term management storage
and Disposal management of RW.
Legal & regulatory framework for
radioactive sources
Policy:


National policy on the nuclear safety (the uses of nuclear energy and radiation protection).
Policy for radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management


Law No.(43) , Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety and Security for the year 2007 and its amendment in 2008
Law No.(42) , Nuclear Energy , for the year 2007 and its amendment in 2008





Radiation protection No. 108 for the year 2015;
Transport of radioactive materials No. 32 for the year 2016;
Fees for licensing radiation facilities and activities No. 9 for the year 2013;
Bases and conditions for issuing license for radiation work No.8 for the year 213;
Safe use of nuclear energy No.43 for the year 2014.
Laws
Bylaw:
Regulations:






On safe use of nuclear energy : covering authorization, responsibility for safety, radioactive waste and spent fuel
management, orphan radioactive sources and nuclear material, safeguards, physical protection, emergency planning and
preparedness (on-site and off-site), inspection, enforcement, administrative sanctions , liability and punishments.
On Transport of radioactive materials;
On nuclear security for nuclear facilities, nuclear materials and related activities.
Regulation on basis and conditions for granting licenses and permits for the radiation Work (Issued 2013).
Fees for licenses and permits for the radiation work (Issued 2013).
Radioactive waste management.
Code of practice

Personal monitoring during activities resulting of external and internal exposure
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Use of radioactive sources in the
country
 No. of radioactive sources : Around 1000 used in different nuclear
applications.
 Categories of radioactive sources : (cat.1 (7) ,cat.2 (99), cat.3(122), cat.4(6),
cat.5 (182), unspecified (315))
 The EMRC has a national updated register and inventory of all used radioactive
and radiation sources (RAIS).
 Law No. (43) , Radiation Protection, Nuclear Safety and Security and Radiation
Protection bylaw require all users or potential users to obtain a license / permit
from the national regulatory commission (EMRC) for the purchase, use and
management of all sources.
 All radiation sources are licensed by the national regulatory commission(EMRC).
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Arrangements for disused sources

There are limited no. of DSRS at the user's premises But the majority of them are at the national centralized
storage facility (CSF) at JAEC (as WMO).

Some users have a licenced a storage facility for temporary or emergency cases.

The arrangement and resources are made available in Jordan to return the DSRS to the supplier by issuing
two documents ; one by JAEC as SHIPPER'S DECLARATION FOR DANGEROUS GOODS (DDG) according
to the IATA as per the EMRC standing instructions for SRS imported in the year 2016 and above , and another
one by EMRC as a license for Re-export RM. The DSRS which imported before the year 2016 , shall be sent
to JAEC as WMO for further managements.

We have an old DSRS disposal site ( Sewaqa) and planned to be studied as a potential national DSRS disposal
site in the upcoming future.

The national policy for SNF and RW management approved by the prime ministers cabinet on July 2016 ,stated
that the Orphan sources will be dealt on the governmental cost and JAEC will be responsible to bear all the
expenses related to the management of the ownless orphan sources.

The CSF at JAEC is equipped with sophisticated integrated security system.
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Key issues and national needs

No major issues in the country related to the safety of radioactive sources, other than the following national needs




The safe management of radiation generators ( in general X-ray Tubes), once it has been decided to take them out of use.
Developing and implementing WAC and QMS for predisposal and disposal management activities of RW including DSRS.
Conditioning neutron , radium sources and disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS) .
Internal dosimetry services for occupational radiation protection monitoring are still inadequate and no adequate competencies and
capabilities to fully comply with the safety requirements.
Training staff responsible for regulatory activities and radioactive waste managers in safety standards in order to increase their
ability to carry out safety assessments, licensing and supervisory activities, and the safe management of radioactive waste.


If any issue related to the safety of radioactive sources found out by the EMRC’s inspectors during scheduled routine inspection to
any national organization possess a radioactive sources or via requesting a license/permit according to the Law No. (43) for the year
2007 , then within one month of the inspection date and they are required to notify and report to the EMRC about the corrective
action done regarding the safety of RS/DSRS.

To gain:
- The latest best practices and international technologies regarding the predisposal and disposal comprehensive management
system for the SRS including DSRS;
- International experience on the safety and security measures and requirements, regulations ,policy and implemented
strategy for the predisposal and disposal management of SRS including DSRS;
- Quality management system for predisposal and disposal management of the SRS including DSRS;
- Management and disposal options for the DSRS.
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Key issues and national needs

No major issues in the country related to the safety of radioactive sources, other than the following national needs:



The safe management of radiation generators ( in general X-ray Tubes), once it has been decided to take them out of use.
Conditioning of neutron and radium sources .
Training staff responsible for regulatory activities and radioactive waste managers in safety standards in order to increase their
ability to carry out safety assessments, licensing and supervisory activities, and the safe management of radioactive waste.
Conditioning the DSRS by Appling BOSS technology.



If any issue related to the safety of radioactive sources which might be raised during a comprehensive EMRC inspection system to
all the national (public or private) organizations that possess radioactive sources and requesting an institutional license according to
the Law No. (43) for the year 2007 and they are required to return the DSRS to the provider/supplier or to be sent to the national
centralized DSRS storage and treatment facilities (CSF) at ( JAEC ) ASAP within one month of the inspection date and they are
required to notify and report to the EMRC about the corrective action done regarding the safety of RS/DSRS..
To gain:
- The latest best practices and international technologies regarding the predisposal and disposal management of the
RW including DSRS;
- International experience on the national registry and inventory of the DSRS, and implementing strategy for the RW
including DSRS .
;
- Quality management system for predisposal and disposal management of the RW including DSRS.
- International and IAEA standards, requirements and measures for the safety and security of DS (predisposal) and
disposal management of the DSRS RS.
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Thank you!