Implementing the direction in Document No. 5889/UBND-VP dated June 18, 2019 of the Provincial People's Committee, on October 16, the Department of Science and Technology presided over and coordinated with the People's Committee of Vung Tau City to organize the conference “Propaganda about radiation safety and recognition of  signs of out of control radioactive sources in Vung Tau city”. Attending the conference, there were Mr. Do Huu Hien - Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology; Mr. Dang Thanh Luong - former Deputy Director of the Agency for radiation and nuclear safety, reporter at the Conference; with representatives of the Provincial Police, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the People's Committee of Vung Tau city and scrap trading establishments in Vung Tau city.

The conference aims to inform, propagate and raise awareness of iron and steel producers from metal scrap as well as metal scrap trading establishments with basic knowledge about radiation safety, signs of recognising the sources of radioactivity and how to handle and report them when they are presented.         

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Mr. Do Huu Hien - Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology said that radiation energy is widely applied in the economic and technical fields, bringing many great benefits for the society today. Besides that, the potential risks of radiation incidents are also the concern of the authorities and the society. In particular, there are incidents where radioactive sources are mixed in metal scrap because these radioactive sources are not strictly managed. This leads to loss, theft. Then, they are sold to scrap trading establishments. Thus, they affect human health and the environment.

In fact, in the province, some cases of emitting radiation have also been detected and handled in establishments of metal scrap production, trading, and recycling such as: radioactive contamination of equipment containing radioactive substances for cancer treatment at Dung Ngoc factory was detected and handled in 2015; 02 devices containing radioactive sources mixed in scrap of Vina Kyoei Steel Factory in Phu My town were detected and handled in 2018…

Recognizing the dangers of these radiation incidents, from 2015 up to now, the Department of Science and Technology has strengthened coordination with departments and People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to regularly organize trainning and propaganda about radiation safety, how to recognize suspicious signs of radioactive sources as well as preventive measures and announcement to the nearest management agency and police to promptly handle and ensure safety.

The Deputy Director of the Department also hopes that through the conference, delegates will have the basic knowledge about radiation so that they can detect the signs, symbols identifying radioactive sources mixed in the scrap metal. At the same time, they will understand how to handle it and notify whom in case of suspicious radioactive sources or detecting signs of radioactive sources in metal scrap at iron and steel production factories. “Through this conference, the Department of Science and Technology will have plans to coordinate with the People's Committee of Vung Tau city and the units to implement radioactive measurement, the actual radioactive check and review at the iron and steel production from metal scrap and scrap trading establishments to check and evaluate radiation to ensure safety for people ”, said Mr. Do Huu Hien.

At the conference, reporters and delegates, scrap buying and selling establishments in Vung Tau city shared and discussed topics such as the impact of ionizing radiation on human health and preventive measures; radioactive sources, radiation incidents and lessons learned as well as measures to identify radioactive sources in metal scrap (out of control).