29 September 2022

Scientists at Swinburne University of Technology and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) are working together to improve the experimental design of research into 5G and future high-frequency wireless technologies.  

Until recently, mobile phone technology used radio waves in the electromagnetic spectrum below 4 GHz. But some 5G and future generations will use higher frequencies to meet the increasing demand for faster services.  

ARPANSA’s Health Impact Assessment Assistant Director, Associate Professor Ken Karipidis, is leading ARPANSA’s involvement in the study and said that it is important that research investigating higher frequencies is valid and of high quality.  

‘To make sure that people and the environment are safe from radiation, we want to improve research methods into the health effects of high-frequency radio waves,’ Associate Professor Karipidis said.  

‘Our study will look at different experimental parameters in radio wave exposure, like temperature, to define best-practice methods so scientists can use these in future research.’ 

Swinburne’s lead scientist on this study, Professor Andrew Wood, said another focus of the study is to investigate the effects of future higher frequency wireless technology.  

‘We need to continue research on the effects of high-frequency radio waves so that we can be confident people are safe when there are further developments in the future, be it 6G, 7G and so on,’ Professor Wood said. 

‘The focus of this study is exposing especially sensitive biological tissues to radio waves at or above the 5G frequencies to see if there are any effects. 

‘It is important to note that higher frequency does not mean stronger or more intense exposure.’  

Director of the Australian 6G Research and Innovation Lab, Swinburne’s Dr Ali Yavari, said ‘this project involving Swinburne University of Technology and ARPANSA facilities will create an innovative and collaborative research capability platform for cutting-edge and impactful research in this field.’  

Results are expected to be published next year. You can read the research abstract here.

ARPANSA’s Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service (ACDS) has carried out its first live stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) audit which supports dose accuracy in radiation therapy used to treat brain cancer. 

The audit provides radiotherapy clinics with assurance that they are delivering accurate radiation doses to patients.

The first live audit was completed at the Townsville Cancer Centre within the Townsville University Hospital in Queensland. The audit process was refined over recent years as part of an extensive field trial to support the assessment of dose accuracy for this important radiotherapy technique.

‘Last year in Australia, more than 1890 new cases of brain cancer were diagnosed,’ said Rhonda Brown, Director ACDS.

‘It’s of paramount importance for radiation oncology providers and patients to know that the radiation treatment plans being delivered to treat brain cancer and tumours in brain tissue are safe and accurate.’

‘We’re delighted to be able to offer live audits for SRS treatments and contribute to patient safety.’

This milestone is another first for ARPANSA and the Townsville Cancer Centre, which is home to the first MRI-Linac audited by ACDS in 2019. 

As part of the recent visit, the team also conducted a scheduled audit on the MRI-Linac. The ACDS perform regular audits and measurements across Australia and New Zealand to ensure accurate and safe dose delivery. Audit results confirmed the effective implementation of the MRI-Linac, providing additional assurance of ongoing dose accuracy for patients in the region.

To find out more about ARPANSA’s work in auditing radiotherapy machines, visit the ARPANSA website.

The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) is pleased to announce the launch of their new website.

Updates were necessary to ensure the digital platform is running on current software and users are being provided with an optimal experience.

‘To meet the obligations our Agency has to the Australian Government and people, it is essential that our digital tools are running on reliable and consistent platforms,’ Chief Executive Officer Dr Gillian Hirth said.

Features of the site include a new ‘look and feel’ with modern touches to styling and branding.

The update also provides continued access to popular content including:

• Access to real-time ultraviolet (UV) radiation index data, collected by ARPANSA’s network of UV detectors in cities around Australia.
• A comprehensive library of fact sheets on issues relating to radiation and health, including medical and occupational exposure. Popular fact sheets include the use of scalar energy products and exposure to mobile phones, magnetic fields and electrical sources.
• Free online Occupational Radiation Exposure (ORE) training for medical facility workers who use ionising radiation, such as X-rays and nuclear medicine.

The ARPANSA website provides a range of information and resources to protect the health and safety of the public, workers and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation.

Addressing human and organisational factors that impact nuclear safety is among the changes to the 2018 Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (ARPANS) Regulations that came into effect on 10 August 2022.  

‘ARPANSA regulates Commonwealth entities who use and produce radiation and we are pleased to be at the forefront of enhancing Australia’s reputation as a leader in nuclear regulation,’ Chief Executive Officer Dr Gillian Hirth said. 

‘Understanding human behaviours and capabilities is a critical part of safety and considering these human factors during planning and operations will help prevent safety incidents.’ 

‘The updated regulations recognise that incidents often occur due to organisational factors like workplaces not being run in a way that facilitates safety or appropriately considering risk.’ 

‘These amendments aim to prevent organisational failures by requiring licence holders to demonstrate how they will prevent human errors.’ 

Another change to the regulations has been to reduce red tape.  

‘We have introduced clearance levels where certain types of solid waste that do not pose a risk to people or the environment can be disposed of without a separate approval from ARPANSA,’ said Dr Samir Sarkar, Acting Chief Regulatory Officer.  

‘This change streamlines the process and brings Australian practice into line with current international safety standards.’  

Effective from 10 August 2022, the changes include: 

• Increase application fees by an indexation amount of 2 per cent 
• Introduction of the definitions of incident and notifiable incident to be used consistently throughout the regulations and aligned with the terminology used in the Planned Exposure Code  
• Introduction of the concept of clearance levels to allow licence holders to dispose of certain types of solid waste that pose an insignificant risk to people and the environment, without the approval of the CEO of ARPANSA   
• A new obligation for licence holders to prevent and minimise human errors and organisational failures  
• Introduction of human and organisational factors when updating safety analysis reports, plans and arrangements and preparing new applications for licence  
• Other minor amendments to support changes mentioned above or to make the Regulations easier for licence holders to understand and apply in practice. 

You can view the full explanatory statement for the amendments on the Federal Register for Legislation. 

Scientists from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) will be countering misinformation about radio waves as part of National Science Week at a free event at the Science Gallery, University of Melbourne.  
 
ARPANSA’s radiation research and advice director, Associate Professor Sarah Loughran, said that one of the goals of the 4-year electromagnetic energy action plan was to engage the public and dispel misinformation. 
 
‘As the 5G roll out picked up pace in 2019, we saw a lot of concern about the health effects from the higher radio frequencies that this technology would use. People were also concerned about their proximity to the new mobile phone towers and how that might impact their health,’ A/Prof Sarah Loughran said. 
 
‘National Science Week is a great way for us to discuss these concerns with the community and alleviate any hesitation about EME by showcasing the science.’   
 
The agency’s electromagnetic energy team will demonstrate to the public the different levels of radio waves that people are exposed to from wireless technologies.  They’ll also discuss people’s risk perception of EME, present some of their current research on EME and health and showcase the agency’s talk to a scientist program.
 
‘Misinformation’ by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, Science Gallery, University of Melbourne, 17 August, 1.30 pm – 2.30 pm and 3 pm - 4 pm. Entry is free.  

Full event details can be found on the National Science Week website.
 

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The Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) have coordinated with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to donate radiation measurement and personal protective equipment to Ukraine.

Dr Marcus Grzechnik, ARPANSA’s Director of Modelling, Assessment and Emergency Preparedness, said the equipment will contribute to radiation protection and nuclear safety in the region.

‘Australia is a leading nation in nuclear safety and radiation protection and we were pleased to be able to contribute to global efforts to support Ukraine to maintain a safe environment and protect workers and communities.’

‘The equipment provided will allow workers to monitor radiation in the event of a nuclear incident and assist in the replacement of stolen or damaged equipment.’

This donation forms part of the IAEA’s wider call for international support, which has been answered with contributions from many countries.

‘We’re glad to have had the opportunity to coordinate with ANSTO and other government colleagues to support the safe transport of this important equipment to Ukraine.’

The equipment formed part of Australia’s emergency response capability but is surplus to requirements at this time. The delivery was received by the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) in Kyiv on 13 July.

‘Despite the distance, Australia's delivery was amongst the first to be received by Ukraine under the IAEA program,’ said Dr Grzechnik.

‘We’re proud to contribute to Australia’s excellent record in nuclear safety and international engagement.’

Exposing humans to ultraviolet radiation to test sunscreen effectiveness should be phased out, according to scientists and cancer experts. 

The recommendation from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), Cancer Council Victoria and RMIT University is backed by research published in the journal Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 

The paper reviews sunscreen ingredients, regulations and testing globally, and proposes a roadmap for the development of reproducible human-free sunscreen testing.

Testing sunscreens on humans is the current international standard to rate UV protection performance. This testing involves volunteers wearing a sunscreen and being exposed to artificial solar UV to measure the performance by the time taken for sunburn to occur. 

But ARPANSA Chief Radiation Health Scientist Dr Rick Tinker said this has ethical challenges as it exposes people to cancer-causing UV radiation. 

'Sunscreens are an important part of sun protection and preventing serious sun damage to people – 2 in 3 Australians will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 – but we shouldn’t be risking people’s long-term health to test the effectiveness of sunscreens,' Dr Tinker said.

Human-free sunscreen testing technology is in development 

A team led by Professor Vipul Bansal, Director of RMIT’s Sir Ian Potter NanoBioSensing Facility, has already developed a prototype sensor that changes colour when exposed to UV radiation that they say could be customised for human-free sunscreen testing by mimicking the skin. 

'What excites me the most is that access to this new method will allow sunscreen manufacturers to rapidly innovate new and better sunscreens, which is currently limited due to time and cost constraints involved with human testing,' Prof Bansal said.

Prof Bansal’s team – including Dr Wenyue Zou, Associate Professor Sylvia Urban, Associate Professor Rajesh Ramanathan – are working with ARPANSA to develop the required human-free sunscreen testing methods and protocols within this decade.

He said sunscreen testing was just one of many potential applications for nanosensor technologies, which could also be used to detect a wide range of diseases and contaminants. 

SunSmart advice remains unchanged

ARPANSA and the Cancer Council Victoria work in partnership to promote sun safety and skin cancer prevention.

Head of Prevention at Cancer Council Victoria, Craig Sinclair, said data from the 2020 Victorian Cancer Registry reported 2,582 new cases of melanoma across the state. 

'Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. Using good sun protection when the UV level is three or above can lower your skin cancer risk,' Adj. A/Prof Sinclair said.  

'Research shows that when applied correctly, sunscreen is effective in preventing skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

'In Australia’s harsh UV environment, sunscreen is an essential form of sun protection. 

'Cancer Council Victoria welcomes all innovation that both works to reduce the burden of skin cancer and brings efficiencies in the manufacturing of sun protection products.'

ARPANSA and the Cancer Council recommend using the five S’s of sun safety – Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide – when the UV level is 3 or above: 

• slip on some sun-protective clothing – make sure you cover as much skin as possible
• slop on broad spectrum, water resistant SPF30 or higher sunscreen - put it on 20 minutes before you go outdoors and reapply every two hours afterwards
• slap on a hat – broad brim or legionnaire style to protect your face, head, neck, and ears
• seek shade
• slide on some sunglasses – make sure they meet Australian Standards.

‘Sunscreen Testing: a critical perspective and future roadmap’, with co-authors Professor Vipul Bansal, Associate Professor Sylvia Urban, Dr Wenyue Zou and Associate Professor Rajesh Ramanathan from RMIT, Dr Kerryn King and Dr Rick Tinker from ARPANSA and Adjunct Associate Professor Craig Sinclair from Cancer Council Victoria, is published in the journal Trends in Analytical Chemistry (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trac.2022.116724).

Calculating exposure from naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) has been standardised by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency to encourage national uniformity and ongoing alignment with international best practice. 

ARPANSA has updated their published dose conversion factors for occupational exposure to radionuclides. These factors are used to calculate how much ionising radiation exposure someone receives from intakes of natural radioactive elements like uranium.  

The update will benefit workers employed in the mining and resources sector and ensure dose is calculated in the same way in each State and Territory.  

ARPANSA Chief Radiation Health Scientist Dr Rick Tinker says that the improved guide will help industry with their radiation management plans.  

‘We are confident that the new conversion factors better reflect the actual dose from radionuclides exposure,' Dr Tinker said. 

‘This is particularly useful for workers in industries where naturally occurring radioactive material is present.'

Average radiation exposure in Australian NORM industries are well below the occupational exposure limit, which is 20 mSv per year averaged over 5 years.  

‘Despite generally low exposures, NORM is an occupational hazard that requires ongoing control,' said Dr Tinker.  

‘Updating the dose conversion factors ensures calculated doses are as accurate as possible.’ 

Average background radiation exposure in Australia is 1.7 mSv per year from natural sources and currently Australians are exposed to an average of 1.7 mSv per year from medical exposures. 

No health effects have been observed or are expected to be observed at the very low doses normally received in these occupations.  

You can view the amended conversion factors and associated guidance here.  

ARPANSA has released an advisory note on the public health considerations for disposal of radioactive waste. 

The advisory note informs how health and wellbeing will be considered as part of licence applications such as those relating to the government’s proposed National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. 

A draft of the advisory note was put to public consultation in December 2021.  

‘This advisory note establishes an inclusive approach to community engagement when assessing potential impacts on health and well-being,’ said Dr Rick Tinker, Acting Chief Radiation Health Scientist at ARPANSA.

‘We have taken into consideration all feedback received during the consultation process.’

The development of the advisory note forms part of ARPANSA’s preparations in anticipation of receiving a siting licence application in the coming years.

Read more on our website: Advisory Note: Consultation and engagement on public health: considerations for siting, construction and operation of a radioactive waste disposal facility | ARPANSA