Iraq sets up radiation gates at border crossings

Shafaq News/Iraq's Radiation Protection Center has begun installing and testing radiation screening gates at all border crossings to inspect all goods entering the country and detect any contaminated materials or radioactive sources.

"The project has been activated and is progressing, enhancing the Radiation Protection Center's monitoring capabilities for all food and consumer products and strengthening radiation screening at land, sea, and air border crossings," said Environment Minister Nizar Amidi, according to a statement from the Radiation Protection Center.

"A comprehensive investment project has been prepared to install radiation screening gates at all crossings and establish four laboratories, linking the network of gates to a monitoring system centrally controlled by the center," Amidi added.

For his part, Director General of the Radiation Protection Center Sabah al-Husseini noted that "radiation screening will be directly supervised by the center, and a monitoring station will be established at the center's headquarters to monitor screening procedures on an ongoing basis."

"The gates will be installed in Basra Governorate at the Umm Qasr Port crossing and will be completed later in other governorates."

"The specifications for these gates have been selected to comply with the adopted monitoring standards and are from the best global manufacturers known for their efficiency and high accuracy in detecting, measuring, and investigating radioactive isotopes." He pointed out that "the center has conducted intensive training courses for operators on these gates at all border crossings."

The statement concluded that "the project represents an important economic step by strengthening radiation screening capabilities at border crossings and ensuring the protection of citizens and the environment from the risks of exposure to radiation from contaminated consumer goods exceeding the radiation doses approved for the general public."