1 June 2023

ARPANSA’s Radiation Monitoring Networks (RMN) team has resumed scheduled visits to the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) radionuclide monitoring station on the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati.

The station is part of an international network of more than 320 monitoring stations that aim to ensure no nuclear explosion goes undetected.

ARPANSA technical officers David Hardman and Jane McLeish travelled to Kiribati to provide training and support to local contractors and to conduct critical maintenance and repairs to the station. 

‘Radionuclide monitoring stations are a critical part of international efforts to deter nuclear weapons testing that could cause harm to people and the environment,’ said Mr Hardman.

‘Kiribati is a key location in the CTBT network due to its remoteness and its quite central location in the Pacific Ocean.’

ARPANSA is responsible for the operations of a total of 9 radionuclide monitoring stations in Australia, Antarctica and the Pacific region as part of Australia’s commitment to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In addition, ARPANSA’s experts work closely with colleagues in the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO) to ensure that Australia’s international obligations are met through the CTBT.

The stations filter air to collect particulate matter which is analysed for the presence of specific radionuclides that indicate a nuclear explosion has occurred. This material can then be traced using meteorological data to investigate the potential location of a radiological release.

‘Travel restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our maintenance schedule, so it is great to be able to get back to Kiribati to perform this critical maintenance,’ said Mr Hardman.

‘Fortunately, the local contractors have been able to keep the station running with at least 95% data availability, which is impressive given the circumstances and the long periods of isolation,' Mr Hardman added.

Maintenance work included critical repairs and upgrades to power systems, air sampling equipment and gamma radiation detectors.

ARPANSA’s involvement in the CTBT program is a core element of its commitment to nuclear safety on an international scale, as we work to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.

25 May 2023

ARPANSA and Swinburne University’s systematic map of 334 papers was published in May 2023. While there is currently no substantiated evidence of harm, it highlights the need for more high-quality research into the effects of radio waves from high-frequency wireless technology such as 5G on plants and animals.

This research was led by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s (ARPANSA) Health Impact Assessment Assistant Director Associate Professor Ken Karipidis.

‘At ARPANSA, our mission is to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation’ A/Prof Karipidis said.

‘This map presents all the available research on the impact of radio waves on plants and animals in the environment. It specifically highlights areas where further research is required.’

‘Future research should investigate the effect of radio waves at higher frequencies such as those used by 5G and future technologies.

‘This map is particularly timely given the public concern over the impact of the 5G network and other telecommunications sources on the environment.’

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), of which A/Prof Karipidis is a Main Commission member, is currently preparing a statement on the environmental effects of radio waves.

This systematic map will help to inform that ICNIRP project.

ARPANSA will continue to evaluate scientific evidence on potential effects of radio waves as part of its role to protect people and the environment.

The systematic map was published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Environmental Evidence.

A summary of the research has been published on our website. 

Australia’s Chief Metrologist Bruce Warrington visited the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) on Tuesday 9 May to assess and re-authorise our primary standards for ionising radiation dosimetry.  

ARPANSA’s Chief Medical Radiation Scientist Dr Ivan Williams says the dosimetry of ionising radiation is maintained by the agency so that the treatment and detection of diseases such as cancer is safe for Australian and New Zealand patients.  

Dr Williams explained that a great deal of effort, combining computer modelling and measurement, is performed to ensure our standard is accurate.  

He says the final proof of accuracy is the decadal comparison to primary standards of other countries through The International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris.  

‘Our primary standards’ consistency is excellent,’ Dr Williams said.  

‘The national primary standard is used to calibrate equipment used by hospitals to ensure that their own radiation therapy machines are delivering the correct dose.  

‘This reduces the chance of radiotherapy accidents in Australia, whereby underdosing or overdosing could cause significant harm to patients.  

‘Higher precision treatment also means the doctor’s prescription is more closely followed.’ 

Each year, around 70,000 Australians will be treated with radiotherapy for cancer. ARPANSA seeks to ensure that all use of radiation in medical procedures is justified and safe. 

The standards are maintained under an authorisation from the National Measurement Institute under the National Measurement Act 1960. 

The National Measurement Institute Standards Authorisation Committee meets each year to authorise the standards for radiation dose and radioactivity which are maintained at ARPANSA and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).  

You can learn more about the primary standard here. 

21 April 2023

The CEO of ARPANSA has given notice of her intention to make a decision regarding a facility licence application for ARPANSA’s Medical Radiation Services Branch. The licence application relates to the operation of a new linear accelerator to be used for research and calibration of radiotherapy equipment.

The public notice reads as follows:

‘Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998

Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018

Notice of Intention to make a decision on a facility licence application

As required by subsection 48(2) of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Regulations 2018, the CEO of ARPANSA gives notice that she intends to make a decision under section 32 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998 regarding the following application for a facility licence:

Application No. A0342 by ARPANSA Medical Radiation Services Branch to operate a prescribed radiation facility at 619 Lower Plenty Road, Yallambie VIC 3085.’

13 April 2023

Australian government research scientist Associate Professor Sarah Loughran has been appointed to the World Health Organization (WHO) Task Group on Radiofrequency Fields and Health Risks.

She joins experts from 14 other countries who will collect and analyse the available evidence on the effects of radio wave exposure on health.  

The task group will support WHO by independently drawing scientific conclusions, assessing health risks , compiling best practice guidelines, and identifying research gaps. 

A/Prof Loughran says her involvement in the task group will complement her role as Director of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s (ARPANSA) electromagnetic energy (EME) program. 

'The task group will consider all the scientific literature on health effects of radio waves and perform a health risk assessment, which will then be published as a monograph,’ A/Prof Loughran said.  

‘I’m looking forward to working with experts from around the world to consider the science on the health effects from radio wave exposure.’  

The task group’s work is expected to be completed by December 2023. 

To learn more, visit the WHO website. 

About Sarah Loughran

Sarah is currently Director of Radiation Research and Advice, and the Principal Researcher and Director of the Electromagnetic Energy Program at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).

She is also a Chief Investigator for the Australian Centre for Electromagnetic Bioeffects Research (ACEBR), an NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence (CRE), and an adjunct researcher at the University of Wollongong.

She received degrees in physiology and psychology from Deakin University before completing a PhD in cognitive neuroscience and psychophysiology in 2007 at Swinburne University of Technology.

She subsequently spent several years as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, specialising in bioelectromagnetics, sleep, and EEG signal analysis research. During this time she was also accepted as an experienced research fellow in the Marie Curie Training in Sleep and Sleep Medicine initiative.

Her research focuses on a wide range of bioelectromagnetic and non-ionising radiation health issues including the effects on sleep, human brain function, and the mechanisms associated with these effects, as well as sleep, cognitive neuroscience, and risk communication research more generally.

She is a member of the current World Health Organisation (WHO) RF Environmental Health Criterion evaluation committee and is an elected member of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection's (ICNIRP) Scientific Expert Group.

28 April 2023

Scientists at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) have published a paper that shows the average exposure to radio waves from wireless technology in Melbourne is more than 700 times below the safety limit.

ARPANSA’s Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure Assistant Director Dr Stuart Henderson led the research.

He says that the reason they undertook the study was to find out what the public’s typical exposure to radio waves was in public places like local parks or residential streets.

‘In March and April 2022, we collected measurements at 50 sites across Melbourne,’ Dr Henderson said.

‘While environmental exposure from wireless technology like Wi-Fi, broadcast media, and mobile phones was different in each location, in every case this exposure was still well below the Australian safety limit.’

Dr Henderson said the last time the agency conducted a large-scale survey like this was in 2013.

‘It’s interesting to see the different radio wave exposures over time. Back in 2013, 4G had only just been introduced and analogue TV had recently been replaced by digital TV transmissions,’ he said.

‘The 2022 measurements were ARPANSA’s first study measuring radio waves used in the 5G network. So, it is interesting to see how that fifth generation of mobile phone technology contributes to environmental exposure.

‘In future studies we would like to assess radio wave exposure at other Australian cities and regional towns.’

The article was published in peer-reviewed journal Radiation Protection Dosimetry in March 2023.

You can read the journal article here: survey of the radiofrequency electromagnetic energy environment in Melbourne, Australia | Radiation Protection Dosimetry | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

There is a summary of the findings on our website. 

28 March 2023

Medical physicists have developed a technique to accurately measure radiation dose using new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) linac machines.

Coupling MRI machines with a linac accelerator allows clinicians to see the tumour or target area in real-time during treatment, and therefore deliver radiation more precisely to the active tumour.

But magnetic fields from the MRI component of the linac can affect the radiation distribution within patients says the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s (ARPANSA) Chief Medical Radiation Scientist Dr Ivan Williams.

‘The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine position paper, which scientists at ARPANSA have co-authored, recommends how to measure radiation dose by accounting for interference from magnetic fields,’ Dr Williams said.

‘Being able to calculate and plan appropriate dose using this new technology is critical to the high-quality patient care.’

Each year, around 70,000 Australians will be treated with radiotherapy for cancer. ARPANSA seeks to ensure that all use of radiation in medical procedures is justified and safe.

‘This work leads on from ARPANSA’s development of a successful dose audit protocol for MRI linacs and is important to the promotion of dose accuracy’, said Dr Williams.

‘Patient safety is at the heart of this work which will help ensure accurate dose across the country and internationally.’

The paper was published 20 February in Physical and Engineering Sciences in Medicine.

You can read it here: ACPSEM position paper: dosimetry for magnetic resonance imaging linear accelerators

9 March 2023

Investigating the health impact of non-ionising radiation used in cosmetic procedures is the focus of a PhD which is being supervised by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), the Monash University Accident Research Centre and Monash Law School.

While there are reports of injuries such as burns from popular cosmetic radiation procedures, the actual injury incidence is unknown.

Zoe Thomas says her PhD will look at media, legal and healthcare data to understand the risk from cosmetic radiation procedures like laser hair removal and IPL skin rejuvenation.

‘Consumers assume that because something is available it’s safe – but that’s not always the case,’ Ms Thomas said.

‘With the evidence from my PhD, we can recommend what the right level of protection or regulation should be to avoid injury.’

ARPANSA’s Health Impact Assessment Assistant Director, Associate Professor Ken Karipidis, will be co-supervising the project.

He says there is no national approach to regulation of devices or services that use non-ionising radiation for cosmetic purposes, except for the ban on solariums.

‘Further understanding of the injury burden will assist us in knowing what the right regulatory option should be,’ A/Prof Karipidis said.

At a state level, only Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia have regulatory controls. But even then, it is only for certain optical cosmetic applications.

‘A review we published in 2022 highlighted the need to develop uniform training requirements for operators to provide these services and use these devices,’ A/Prof Karipidis said.

‘Zoe's PhD will help us form further evidence-based health advice to protect the public from radiation.’

ARPANSA has published national advice for consumers and treatment providers.

Popping up a beach cabana when the ultraviolet (UV) radiation index creeps above 3 is a popular way to protect ourselves and loved ones from the sun. But – just like the clothes we wear – not all shade fabrics are created equal when it comes to UV protection.

To make it easier for consumers, the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) has launched Ultraviolet Effectiveness (UVE) 95+% swing tags for shadecloth products such as umbrellas, tents, cabanas, shade sails and awnings.

Lydia Tjong, Assistant Director, Ultraviolet Radiation Services at ARPANSA, said, ‘The 95+% swing tag rating is the highest protection category available for these types of fabrics. As the Australian Government’s primary authority on radiation protection, we believe this is the minimum protection that all shade fabrics should offer consumers.’

The swing tags can only be used by manufacturers under licence for products that have been tested and approved by ARPANSA’s NATA-accredited laboratories, and which meet the relevant Australian Standard.     

Ms Tjong said that Australia’s high rates of skin cancer and UV-related skin and eye damage means that clear and simple UVE ratings are more important than ever.

‘With so many shade fabrics available in different materials, colours and UVE ratings, it can be confusing for consumers. Just like our Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) clothing swing tags, ARPANSA’s shadecloth tags aim to help people choose products that offer the highest protective rating against Australia’s harsh sun.

‘Two out of three Australians will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime, resulting in about 2,000 deaths every year. The good news is that this disease is almost entirely preventable with effective sun protection.’

Shade is one of the most comfortable forms of personal protection from UV radiation in sunlight. When used effectively, most forms of shade can reduce exposure by up to 50%, especially if used in conjunction with other sun protection measures.

Ms Tjong said that, as well as UV protection, the public should also consider other important factors when using shade.

‘Remember that there is as much scattered solar UV from the sky as there is from the direct sun. This means that UV can enter shade structures from the sides.’

In other words, before you settle into your beach cabana, don’t forget to:

• slip on UPF 50+ sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible
• slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF50+ sunscreen, applied 20 minutes before you go outdoors and every two hours afterwards
• slap on a hat – broad brim, bucket or legionnaire style to protect your face, head, neck and ears
• slide on some quality sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian Standards.

Find out more: Sun protection using shade

Find out more about: Shadecloth product testing

31 January 2023

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is working with the Western Australian Government to support efforts to locate a small radioactive source that was the subject of an emergency press conference last week.

The missing radioactive material was part of a portable radiation gauge used in industries such as mining. The search for the missing radioactive material is being led by the Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services with assistance from state and federal government authorities. The Western Australia Radiological Council is the regulator of the missing material.

ARPANSA has sent a deployment team with specialised car-mounted and portable detection equipment to support the search of the transport route between the Pilbara region and Perth. They will be operational from 31 January.

This equipment and expertise forms part of ARPANSA’s national radiation protection and emergency response capability. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) have also sent deployment teams of radiation services specialists, and detection and imaging equipment to assist in the search.  

As the Federal Government’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety, ARPANSA is committed to supporting efforts to locate the missing source and protect the community from the harmful effects of radiation.

Fixed and portable radiation gauges are used to measure product characteristics in mining, oil and gas, manufacturing and other industries. They generally contain a sealed radiation source and are regulated by state and territory competent authorities in accordance with national codes set by ARPANSA including the Code for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. 

ARPANSA promotes uniformity of radiation protection and nuclear safety policy and practices across jurisdictions and provides advice on radiation protection, nuclear safety and related issues.  

The Western Australian Department of Health is urging people to keep their distance and contact authorities if they think they have any information on the location of the source. 

ARPANSA will continue to provide any necessary support to WA authorities to assist their work.