EPA Reaffirms Commitment To Radiation Safety In Liberia

By P. Vangerline Kpotoe

MONROVIA, Aug. 29 (LINA) – The Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, has reaffirmed the agency's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of safety in the use of nuclear and radiation materials in Liberia.

Speaking at a training session organized by the EPA on August 27, 2024, Dr. Yarkpawolo highlighted the agency’s efforts to establish a robust regulatory framework for radiation sources in Liberia.

Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized the importance of training, equipping, monitoring, and informing radiation workers across medical, industrial, and research sectors.

"As part of our responsibility to support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) objectives, we are dedicated to ensuring that radiation workers are adequately trained and monitored," Dr. Yarkpawolo stated.

He underscored the EPA’s national regulatory duty to oversee radiation practices and ensure compliance with safety regulations, which he noted are crucial for health, research, and industrial benefits.

Dr. Yarkpawolo also highlighted the EPA’s commitment to enforcing Liberia’s environmental laws, as guided by the EPA’s Board of Directors, Policy Council, and President Joseph N. Boakai, Sr.

The EPA official added that the agency aims to fulfill its international obligations, including those related to the safe use of nuclear and radioactive materials, which Liberia has endorsed since joining the IAEA in 1962.

The EPA head asserted that the training focused on providing radiographers from various medical facilities with technical knowledge on Liberia's regulatory framework and basic operational safety principles.

Dr. Yarkpawolo announced that participants would receive Personal Radiation Dosimeters to monitor their exposure levels, enhancing safety at their workplaces.

In related development, the Government of Liberia has signed several international treaties to bolster radiation safety, including the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials.

These agreements, according to the EPA Executive Director are expected to facilitate further support under technical cooperation programs.

Dr. Yarkpawolo noted ongoing support from the IAEA, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (US-CDC), and other international partners.

The EPA’s efforts, he said, aim to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology for the benefit of humanity.