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Belgium to give iodine pills to entire population in case of nuclear disaster | Belgium to give iodine pills to entire population in case of nuclear disaster |
(35 minutes later) | |
Belgium is changing its rules to hand out iodine pills to all of its citizens because of concerns over a potential nuclear disaster. | |
The government's health minister has told the Belgian government to issue everyone within a 100km radius of the country's nuclear power plants with the pills, which help to limit the effect of radiation on the body. | |
Maggie De Block has said the pills for Belgians within a 20km radius should be extended to five times that distance in a distribution that would essentially cover the whole country. | Maggie De Block has said the pills for Belgians within a 20km radius should be extended to five times that distance in a distribution that would essentially cover the whole country. |
The move is thought to be in response to the possibility of a Fukushima-like meltdown, but Isis-linked terrorists in Belgium have also been reportedly planning to build a ‘dirty’ nuclear bomb. A senior Belgian nuclear official was also reportedly monitored by suspects linked to the 13 November Paris attacks. | |
Some UK politicians have questioned the power plants' vulnerability to terrorist attack, saying nuclear was "never a safe technology". | |
Molly Scott Cato, Green Party MEP for south west England, told The Independent that handing out iodine pills was "absolutely not" a solution to the risks of nuclear power. | Molly Scott Cato, Green Party MEP for south west England, told The Independent that handing out iodine pills was "absolutely not" a solution to the risks of nuclear power. |
"There are so many other isotopes apart from iodine which come out as well. Stronium-90 sits in your bones, ticking away," she said. | "There are so many other isotopes apart from iodine which come out as well. Stronium-90 sits in your bones, ticking away," she said. |
"The solution is not to have nuclear power. Nuclear power was never a safe technology." | "The solution is not to have nuclear power. Nuclear power was never a safe technology." |
Ms Cato said there was the risk of terrorist threat to the nuclear reactors in Belgium and the UK was also too reliant on nuclear power. | Ms Cato said there was the risk of terrorist threat to the nuclear reactors in Belgium and the UK was also too reliant on nuclear power. |
"We know they don't really have a grip on the terrorist situation in Belgium and we know that terrorists have had links to the nuclear power plants there," she said. | "We know they don't really have a grip on the terrorist situation in Belgium and we know that terrorists have had links to the nuclear power plants there," she said. |
"While other countries have reduced their nuclear power, in Britain that debate after Fukushima was not had and we still have Hinkley and so on." | "While other countries have reduced their nuclear power, in Britain that debate after Fukushima was not had and we still have Hinkley and so on." |
In Belgium, Jean-Marc Nollet, from the green policy Ecolo Party, welcomed the move but said the use of nuclear power needed to be limited. | In Belgium, Jean-Marc Nollet, from the green policy Ecolo Party, welcomed the move but said the use of nuclear power needed to be limited. |
"The government is finally accepting the recommendation of the Health Ministry. Given the population density and the risk of a nuclear disaster, this was absolutely necessary,” he told La Libre. | "The government is finally accepting the recommendation of the Health Ministry. Given the population density and the risk of a nuclear disaster, this was absolutely necessary,” he told La Libre. |
“The only solution is to respect the original plan and not extend the lifespan of Doel 1 and Doel 2 [the country's nuclear power plants] and suspend the restarting of the cracked reactors at Doel 3 and Tihange 2, which has been requested by Germany, Luxembourg and many ordinary citizens." | “The only solution is to respect the original plan and not extend the lifespan of Doel 1 and Doel 2 [the country's nuclear power plants] and suspend the restarting of the cracked reactors at Doel 3 and Tihange 2, which has been requested by Germany, Luxembourg and many ordinary citizens." |
Radiation leaks cause radioactive iodine to gather in the thyroid gland and decay at a half-life of eight days, damaging internal organs. Taking iodine pills fills the thyroid with stable iodine which is harmless instead. | Radiation leaks cause radioactive iodine to gather in the thyroid gland and decay at a half-life of eight days, damaging internal organs. Taking iodine pills fills the thyroid with stable iodine which is harmless instead. |
The move in Belgium highlights the concern in government about the safety of its two active power plants. | The move in Belgium highlights the concern in government about the safety of its two active power plants. |
Germany asked "critical questions" in December last year after hairline fractures and a water leak caused the Doel 3 reactor near Antwerp to be shut down, while more cracks were found at the Tihange 2 reactor near Liège. | Germany asked "critical questions" in December last year after hairline fractures and a water leak caused the Doel 3 reactor near Antwerp to be shut down, while more cracks were found at the Tihange 2 reactor near Liège. |
The country is also still reeling from the terrorist attacks on Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. | The country is also still reeling from the terrorist attacks on Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. |
Iodine pills would not limit all the effects of a explosion or leak at the plants. | Iodine pills would not limit all the effects of a explosion or leak at the plants. |
Other dangerous radioactive elements include stronium-90, plutonium-241 and caesium-137. | Other dangerous radioactive elements include stronium-90, plutonium-241 and caesium-137. |
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