1. Status of national system for control of radioactive sources: TUNISIA
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: TUNISIA
Adel Riahi
Deputy director in charge of international obligations and safeguards/CNSTN
President of the national expert team in charge of the establisment of a new legislative and regulatory framework
Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management Unit
Waste and Environmental Safety Section (WES),
Division of Radiation Transport and Waste Safety (NSRW)
Department of Nuclear Safety and Security

2. Introduction ( 1/2)
Radiation protection system is established in Tunisia since more than 30 years ago.
Radioactive sources are largely used in medical, industrial, agriculture, education and research fields.
Tunisia has not Nuclear Power Plant and all sources are imported, but Tunisia is planning for NPP
Currently the activities of regulatory body are mainly dealing about the management of import, use of radioactive sources, and return to the country of origin of these sources. 2

3. Introduction ( 2/2)
Currently there is no centralized facility in operation in Tunisia
Radioactive source management facility is currently under construction at CNSTN it may serve as a national storage facility
New legislation is drafted taking into consideration the current situation and future development and the possibility of a future nuclear power plant

4. Current Key Players in the Nuclear Field (1/3)
National Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) :
Headed by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and composed by members from different ministries and national institutions.
It was created in It has the following tasks:
To develop, promote and implement nuclear technologies, methods and instruments in the country in fields of agriculture, industry, power energy, environment and medicine;
To implement basic and applied research programs in sciences related to nuclear technology;
To oversee the technical cooperation programs specially with the IAEA

5. Current Key Players in the Nuclear Field (2/3)
National Centre for Radiation Protection (CNRP) :
Established in 1981
acts as the regulatory authority at the national level for all issues concerning the use of radioactive sources in the context of radiation protection, except nuclear installations.

6. Current Key Players in the Nuclear Field (3/3)
National Center of Nuclear Sciences and Technologies CNSTN
Public research institution under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
Acts as permanent secretary of the NAEC
In charge of the implementation of all nuclear related conventions and agreements and acts as focal point
Provide advices to government

7. Existing Practices
 Medical uses:
6 Linacs; 10 Cobalt sources used in radiotherapy; 6 brachytherapy facilities; 12 nuclear medicine facilities, 15 RIA facilities; and over 2000 X-ray units, including CT, mammography and interventional radiology.

8. 5 Linacs, Cyclotron, PET CT, Research Reactor, NPP
Existing Practices
Industrial research and education uses:
2linacs, Hundreds of sources used for industrial radiography; over 500 sources used in gauges; 2 gamma irradiators; and various low activity sources .
New Project
5 Linacs, Cyclotron, PET CT, Research Reactor, NPP

9. MAIN NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS (01)
Law n°81-51 of 18/06/1981 related to the radiation protection.
Law n°81-100,Art 95 establishing the National Center for Radiation Protection CNRP
Decree No of 28/03/1986 related to the protection against ionizing radiation
Decree No , 03/09/1990, establishing a National Atomic Energy Commission as amended by Decree No of 25/12/1995

10. MAIN NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS (02).
Law n° dated on 10 June 1996, related to the Hazardous Waste control its management and elimination.
Law n° dated of 02/06/ 1997 related to the transport by road  of hazardous materials ;(for international transport; international conventions are applied)
Decree No of 10/10/2000 establishing the list of hazardous waste.

11. MAIN NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS (03)
Decree No of 14/02/2000 establishing the list of dangerous substances which transported by road must be under the control and accompaniment of security units
Decree No of 11/07/2005, related to the study of  impact on the environment
Decree No of 04/09/2002 fixing the technical rules related to the equipment and the design of vehicles used in the transport of hazardous materials by road.

12. Position of Tunisia with regard to International Legal Instruments (1/3)
Treaty/Convention
Position of Tunisia
Treaty of non proliferation
Signed and adopted
Comprehensive safeguard agreement
Additional protocol
Signed (adoption in process)
Convention on early notification of nuclear accident
C. On assistance in the case of a nuclear accident
Convention on nuclear safety
Joint convention on the SSFM and on the SRWM
(adoption in process) 12 12

13. Position of Tunisia with regard to International Legal Instruments (2/3)
Treaty/Convention
Position of Tunisia
Convention on physical protection of nuclear material
adopted
Amendment of the CPPNM
Vienna convention on civil liability for nuclear damage
Under evaluation
Joint protocol relating to the application of the Vienna convention and Paris convention
Protocol to amend 1963 Vienna convention 13 13

14. Position of Tunisia with regard to International Legal Instruments (3/3)
Treaty/Convention
Position of Tunisia
Convention on Supplementary compensation for nuclear damage
Under evaluation
Comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty
Signed and adopted
C. on repression of acts of nuclear terrorism
In process
Bamako Convention on interdiction of import of dangerous waste to Africa
Bale Convention of transport and elimination of dangers waste 14 14

15. Organization and activities of CNRP (01)
The CNRP is placed under the aegis of the Ministry of Health; it is a public institution having administrative and financial autonomy. The CNRP is directed by a Medical Doctor, familiar with ionizing radiations.
The staff includes senior permanent employees and temporary employees (bio physicians, medical doctors, medical physicians, engineers, and administrator), technicians, inspectors and other agents.

16. Organization and activities of CNRP (02)
There are administrative and medical services, Dosimetry, Spectrometry and Calibration laboratories, Control and Inspection service, Documentation and Teaching Unit, Research Unit, and Radiological Security and Safety framework (RSSR Unit).
The CNRP is enabled to regulate all practices involving radioactive sources or devices generating ionizing radiation, to take enforcement actions if there is any non compliance with regulatory requirements, and to set administrative procedures: reporting to the Minister of Health.

17. CNRP ACTIVITIES Authorizations, Inspections,
Control of RAS at import /export ,
Enforcement
are the main regulatory functions
CNRP is in charge of
Dosimetry, Spectrometry, Calibration SSDL
National Radiological Security Network
National Inventory  of RS

18. OVERVIEW OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: KEY ELEMENTS

19. It was decide to :
Prepare a legislative and regulatory framework based on a comprehensive nuclear law covering especially safety, security and safeguards, as well as liability for nuclear damage.
This law cover all nuclear and radioactive practices from mining to the final disposal and implement all international standards and provisions of all related conventions and treaties.
Work for the adoption of all relevant international conventions.

20. Establishment of a new Regulatory authority : National Nuclear Safety Commission
It was adopted by the expert group that a regulatory body will be created with regulatory functions for nuclear installations and radioactive source.
It was also adopted that the new regulatory body will be called the National Nuclear Safety Commission «NNSC» and will carry out regulatory functions for safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, physical protection, radioactive material transport, and radioactive waste management….

21. Establishment of a new National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management
It was adopted by the expert group that a National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management shall be created
National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management will be in charge of the safe management of the radioactive waste and spent fuel and it shall have a legal personality and financial autonomy and will perform its duties under the control of the NNSC.

22. National Register of Radiation Sources
National Register of Radioactive Sources is in place regularly updated
Users send regularly the list of sources in their own
During inspections an update and verification is done
12 Category 1 sources : 10 Co 60 in radiotherapy, 2 irradiators
Total number of cat I, II, III sources : up to 5OO
Number of x-ray machines : 1970 with 146 CT and 125 Mammography machines
RAIS WEB is being implemented updated register is not yet totally completed
Azza Hammou CNRP TUNIS

23. National register of radioactive sources
Regular investigations throughout the country are undertaken to update the National Register of Radioactive Sources.
The register includes information about purpose of use, characteristics of the sources, the location, the status if used or disused and the storage local and modalities.
Informations are kept in CNRP : RAIS web is introduced .
Radioactive Waste Management System is being implemented to keep all the information in CNRP
There is not orphan sources of categories I or II.
At the end of use of sources : users are engaged to return them to the origin country.

24. Non Destructive Contrôle Petrolium Prospection
National Inventory of radioactive sources category I, II et III in the field of industry and research, year 2011
Non Destructive Contrôle
TOTAL
radionucléide
Ir 192
Cs 137
Se75
Co 60
197
Nb source
170 7 9 1
Petrolium Prospection
Am241-Be
Ba 133 H3
Fe 55
158 3 65 12 60 4 13
Measurement of density and water content
Cs 133
103 52 51
Thickness gauge / level
Kr 85
St 90
Pr 147
Am241 45 28 5 8
Research 2
507 24

25. Status of Tunisia in managing DSRS
Inventory of DSRS.
About 100 disused sources are in users facilities conditioned under CNRP control within TC projects with the IAEA including : industrial DRS used in NTD gauges ...
Radium needles from medical curie therapy services conditioned in local of MOH under CNRP supervision
About 100 DRS are in users facilities not yet conditioned + Neutron sources
Damaged sources Troxler in users facility

26. Status of Tunisia in managing DSRS
Current status
for Cat DSRS returned to the origin country
NO centralized storage , DRS are in user premises..

27. Status of Tunisia in managing DSRS
Conditioning of DSRS
Radium and other sources conditioned within the IAEA TC programs

28. DSRS Storage conditions
Azza Hammou CNRP TUNIS

29. Status of Tunisia in managing DSRS
Last developments and further expected development :
CNSTN WM Unit : the building is in phase of construction
Establishment of the national agency for radioactive waste management

30. CNSTN Storage Facility

31. Thank you!
Thank you!