A new technology using drones, developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency for use by the authorities of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, allows for the remote monitoring of radiation measurements in areas where contamination is too high for people to enter. The IAEA said the technology is now available for practical use in routine or emergency situations.

Two disused radioactive sources, previously used in cancer treatment, have been transported to safe and secure storage locations in the Republic of the Congo. The relocation of the sources - which are expected to be exported outside the country next year - was supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Three independent Japanese experts are to monitor the collection of marine samples near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The aim is to support the quality assurance of data collection and analysis by Japanese laboratories for radioactivity measurements.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has developed arrangements to help countries respond quickly to protect the public and the environment in the event of an accident involving radioactive materials launched into orbit or travelling in spacecraft.

An extensive EU-funded research project has been launched to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to low doses of radon and other naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) on humans and the environment. The EUR22 million (USD26 million), five-year RadoNorm project involves 56 partners from 22 European countries.

Leaders of World Nuclear Association working groups participated in a webinar yesterday to highlight some of the issues of key importance to the global nuclear industry. These include: harmonisation in reactor licensing; energy market design; safety regulation; and, new applications of nuclear energy. The Industry Gamechangers webinar was a pre-event to the Association's Strategic eForum to be held next week.

The Central Design and Technological Institute has started work on plans to build Russia's first radiopharmaceuticals manufacturing facility. Moscow-headquartered TISC is part of Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL, which is a subsidiary of state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The recent detection of slightly elevated levels of radioisotopes in northern Europe is likely related to a nuclear reactor that is either operating or undergoing maintenance, when very low radioactive releases can occur, the International Atomic Energy Agency said yesterday. The geographical origin of the release has not yet been determined.

A recent International Atomic Energy Agency survey of regulatory bodies in over 90 countries found that national regulators are using innovative methods to ensure the safety of radiation sources is not compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such sources are used mainly in medicine, industry and research.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has provided Belarus with a mobile laboratory for assessing radiological threats associated with forest fires in the Polessie State Radio-Ecological Reserve, adjacent to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Recent fires in the exclusion zone did not lead to a hazardous increase in air-borne radioactive particles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), part of which must be sterile, i.e. exempt from any microorganism such as bacteria or moulds that can compromise the wearer’s or the patient's safety. It was realised that whilst irradiation is routinely used to sterilise medical products it might also be possible to use the technology to increase the available supply of PPE, writes Paul Wynne, chairman of the International Irradiation Association.

Belgium's Institute of Radioelements has produced its first batch of the medical radioisotope molybdenum-99 using a low-enriched uranium target rather than a high-enriched uranium one. The use of HEU is seen as a potential nuclear proliferation risk.