Phu Tho proactively drafts radiological and nuclear emergency response plan

<p style="text-align: justify;">Formulating a radiological and nuclear emergency response plan is an urgent requirement to protect public lives, health, the environment, and property, while ensuring national defense, security, and sustainable socio-economic development.</p>

On August 13, 2026, the Phu Tho Department of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Institute of Information Technology and Radiation Applications (under the Viet Nam Union of Science and Technology Associations), organized a workshop to gather feedback on the "Plan for Radiological and Nuclear Emergency Response in Phu Tho Province."

The workshop aimed to collect inputs from relevant government agencies, departments, sectors, local authorities, and organizations. These contributions will serve as the foundation to finalize the response plan, enhancing state management efficiency in radiation safety and proactively safeguarding public health and the local environment.

At the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Binh Khiem, Deputy Director of the Phu Tho Department of Science and Technology, emphasized that peaceful applications of atomic energy are expanding across healthcare, industry, agriculture, scientific research, and environmental protection.

Alongside their benefits, these activities pose potential risks of radiological and nuclear incidents if not strictly managed or when abnormal situations arise. Therefore, proactively establishing an emergency response plan is a pressing task to protect human lives, public health, the environment, and assets, while safeguarding national defense, security, and sustainable socio-economic development.

Currently, Phu Tho province hosts 19 facilities that utilize and store radioactive sources, along with numerous facilities operating X-ray equipment in medical and industrial fields.

Additionally, the province is exposed to risks associated with the transportation of radioactive sources through its territory and potential transboundary nuclear incidents. These factors necessitate a comprehensive response plan aligned with local realities.

The draft Plan for Radiological and Nuclear Emergency Response in Phu Tho Province was developed based on the provisions of the 2025 Atomic Energy Law, the 2023 Civil Defense Law, relevant Government decrees, and Circular No. 59/2025/TT-BKHCN issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology regarding radiation safety and radiological and nuclear incident response.

Based on risk assessments, the draft plan outlines 05 typical radiological safety and nuclear response scenarios: Uncontrolled radioactive source; Accident during the transportation of radioactive sources; Discovery of a radioactive source in a high-density public area; Fire in an area using unsealed radioactive sources and Security breach or sabotage involving radioactive sources.

These plausible scenarios reflect local conditions and provide a crucial framework for preparing personnel and equipment, as well as organizing future response drills.

The plan plays a vital role in proactive prevention, capacity building, and minimizing potential impacts on human health, the environment, and socio-economic activities should a radiological or nuclear incident occur in the province./.