The danger of having nuclear radioactive materials contaminated shipments entering the country as a result of a nuclear facility disaster in Fukushima, Japan has underscored the importance of high-tech detection equipment of the Bureau of Customs like the container x-ray machines, which has a built-in radioactive monitoring system, to calm down the concerns of the local consumers.
This develop as group of radiation safety experts coming from the Department of Health and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, headed by Ma. Gladys R. Cabrera of the Bureau of Health and Devices Technology and Estrella Caseria of the Radiation Protection Service, respectively, has inspected just recently last April 15, 2011 the radiation monitoring system of the customs container x-ray machines of their capabilities to detect nuclear radioactive materials inside containerized shipments.
According to POM Field Officer and concurrent BOC Radiation Safety Officer Renato Palgan, the regular inspection was made after Atty. Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, the Head of X-ray Inspection Project, wrote a letter to the Director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute to assess the standards of the radiation monitoring devices of the BOC to ensure that radioactive-contaminated shipments are apprehended at the port of entries before they are release by Customs officers.
Palgan added, “although initial findings showed that the machines can indeed detect the radioactive sample sources brought by the radiation safety experts, we still have to wait for their formal scientific report that would be submitted to us soon by them and it was observed during the test that the system alarms every time a radioactive substance passes through the detector.”
He further added that as a safety measures for its personnel, the X-ray Inspection Project has been provided by the PNRI with a radiation film badge and Thermo-luminescent Device (TLD) to gauge their respective radiation dose.
Aside from radioactive substance, the x-ray machines have also detected drugs, explosives and other dangerous chemicals in the past and instrumental in the collection for payment of additional duties and taxes of highly dutiable shipments after x-ray scanning inspection.
Radiation Safety Experts from the Department of Health and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute inspect the customs container x-ray machines at the Port of Manila on April 15,2011 to check their capabilities to detect radioactive materials inside containerized shipments especially those coming from Fukushima, Japan, which experienced lately a worst nuclear waste disaster, from entering into the country. Shown from left to right are POM Field Officer and Customs Radiation Safety Officer Renato D. Palgan, Ma. Teresa A. Salabit of PNRI, Vincent Dalin of DOH, Radiation Protection Service Head Estrella Caseria of PNRI, Bureau of Health and Devices Technology Head Ma. Gladys R. Cabrera of DOH, Eileen Hernandez of PNRI, Ronald Piquero of PNRI, Kristine Marie Romallosa of PNRI, Julie Cruz of DOH, X-ray Inspector Romel Enriquez and X-ray Inspector Sevilliano Pelayo, both from Bureau of Customs.
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