Radiation protection /steel imports

Federal Environment Ministry talks with stakeholders on solution for radioactively contaminated steel

In view of a "Spiegel" report on imports of contaminated stainless steel from India to Germany, entitled "Gefahr im Container" (Danger from containers), the Federal Environment Ministry declares: Last Tuesday (10 February 2009) the Federal Environment Ministry informed the public of findings of radioactively contaminated stainless steel products from India in several German Länder. [ more]

• Background: Co-60 contaminated stainless steel in Gemany - experiences and first steps
• Press release as of 10.02.2009: Federal Environment Ministry informs of findings of radioactively contaminated stainless steel in Germany

Health / Radiological Protection

Study on child cancer in the vicinity of nuclear power plants released

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) today presented an epidemiological study on child cancer in the vicinity of German nuclear power plants. Minister Gabriel has made the following statement: "In this study by the German Childhood Cancer Registry (Deutsches Kinderkrebsregister) in Mainz, increased cancer incidences were ascertained statistically for children living in the vicinity of the 16 sites of German nuclear power plants. ..." [ more]

• www.bfs.de: Epidemiological study on child cancer in the vicinity of German nuclear power plants (in German only)

Radiological Protection

New findings on the effects of radiation on humans should be given greater consideration

Radiation may have a greater impact on humans than previously believed. At a conference on new findings on the effects of ionising radiation in Berlin, Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel called for the new knowledge to be implemented swiftly into radiation protection law and enforced in practice. [ more]