The RSC responded to information published by the media, which claimed that dangerous levels of radioactive caesium might form when incinerating timber used for biofuel.
The RSC carried out radiological testing of more than 150 local and imported timber samples and over 260 samples of ashes. The results revealed that the recorded levels of contamination were substantially lower than the fixed unregulated level (10,000 Bq/kg – becquerels per kilogramme) – it varied from 0 to 40 Bq/kg. Therefore there is no risk for human health. Testing of ashes showed that 94 percent of samples did not exceed 0.5 Bq/g (500 Bq/kg). Thus such ash may be used without any restrictions.
Around 6 percent of samples showed results between 0.5 Bq/g and 10 Bq/g. Such ash cannot be used in agriculture to fertilise land, but may be used in forestry, civil engineering and to restore damaged territories or landfills.
The RSC intends to undertake tighter preventative control and radiological testing measures, taking into account that 10 percent of all yimber used for biofuel is important from territories that suffered from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident.
