The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) was set up by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 1955. The United Nations General Assembly has designated 31 United Nations Member States as members of the Scientific Committee. The organization has no power to set radiation standards nor to make recommendations in regard to nuclear testing. It was established solely to "define precisely the present exposure of the population of the world to ionizing radiation". A small secretariat, located in Vienna and functionally linked to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), organizes the annual sessions and manages the preparation of documents for the committee's scrutiny.
Administration
Originally, in 1955, India and the Soviet Union wanted to add several neutral and communist states, such as mainland China. Eventually, a compromise with the US was made and Argentina, Belgium, Egypt and Mexico were permitted to join. The organisation was charged with collecting all available data on the effects of "ionising radiation upon man and his environment". (James J. Wadsworth - American representative to the General Assembly).
The committee was originally based in the Secretariat Building in New York City but moved to the United Nations Office at Vienna in 1974.
The Secretaries of the Committee were:
- Dr. Ray K. Appleyard (UK) (1956–1961)
- Dr. Francesco Sella (Italy) (1961–1974)
- Dr. Dan Jacobo Beninson (Argentina) (1974–1979)
- Dr. Giovanni Silini (Italy) (1980–1988)
- Dr. Burton Bennett (1988 acting; 1991–2000)
- Dr. Norman Gentner (2001–2004; 2005 acting)
- Dr. Malcolm Crick (2005–2018)
- Dr. Ferid Shannoun (2018–2019 acting)
- Ms. Borislava Batandjieva-Metcalf (Bulgaria) (2019–2024)
- Mr. Tiberio Cabianca (2024– acting) [2]
Contents of UNSCEAR 2020/2021 report
UNSCEAR has published in 2022 its last full report, the UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. IV with scientific annexes (A to D).[3]
- UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume I - The UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume I comprises the main text of the 2021 report to the General Assembly (A/76/46) and scientific annex A: Evaluation of medical exposure to ionizing radiation.
- UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume II - The UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume II comprises scientific annex B: Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: implications of information published since the UNSCEAR 2013 Report.
- UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume III - The UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume III scientific annex C: Biological mechanisms relevant for the inference of cancer risks from low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation.
- UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume IV - The UNSCEAR 2020/2021 Report Volume IV comprises scientific annex D: Evaluation of occupational exposure to ionizing radiation.
Contents of UNSCEAR 2008 report
UNSCEAR has published 20 major reports. The latest is the 2010 Summary Report (14 pages), while the last full report was the 2008 Report Vol. I and Vol. II with scientific annexes (A to E).
"UNSCEAR 2008 REPORT Vol.I"[4] main report and 2 scientific annexes
- Report to the General Assembly (without scientific annexes; 24 pages)
- Includes short overviews of the materials and conclusions contained in the scientific annexes
- Scientific Annex
"UNSCEAR 2008 REPORT Vol.II" 3 scientific annexes
Type of radiation exposure
The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) itemized type of exposures and reported exposure rate of each segment.
| Public exposure | ||
| Natural Sources | Normal occurrences | Cosmic radiation |
| Terrestrial radiation | ||
| Enhanced sources | Metal mining and smelting | |
| Phosphate industry | ||
| Coal mining and power production from coal | ||
| Oil and gas drilling | ||
| Rare earth and titanium dioxide industries | ||
| Zirconium and ceramics industries | ||
| Application of radium and thorium | ||
| Other exposure situations | ||
| Man-made sources | Peaceful purposes | Nuclear power production |
| Transport of nuclear and radioactive material | ||
| Application other than nuclear power | ||
| Military purposes | Nuclear tests | |
| Residues in the environment. Nuclear fallout | ||
| Historical situations | ||
| Exposure from accidents | ||
| Occupational radiation exposure | ||
| Natural Sources | Cosmic ray exposures of aircrew and space crew | |
| Exposures in extractive and processing industries | ||
| Gas and oil extraction industries | ||
| Radon exposure in workplaces other than mines | ||
| Man-made sources | Peaceful purposes | Nuclear power industries |
| Medical uses of radiation | ||
| Industrial uses of radiation | ||
| Miscellaneous uses | ||
| Military purposes | Other exposed workers | |
| Source UNSCEAR 2008 Annex B retrieved 2011-7-4 | ||
See also
- European Committee on Radiation Risk
- International Commission on Radiological Protection
- Radiation protection
References
- ^ "UNSCEAR bureau".
- ^ "UNSCEAR secretariat". www.unscear.org. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ Scientific Reports retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ UNSCEAR-2008 retrieved 4 July 2011.
External links
- UNSCEAR Website
- UNSCEAR Publications
- Appleyard, Ray (2010). "The birth of UNSCEAR—the midwife's tale". Journal of Radiological Protection. 30 (3): 621–626. doi:10.1088/0952-4746/30/3/M01. PMID 20826894. S2CID 206023415.
| International | |
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| National | |
| Academics | |
| Other | |
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