Abstract

This report elaborates the position of the Veterinary Public Health Service (VHI), which is part of the Ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs, within the National Organisation for Nuclear Emergency Planning and Response (NPK). This organisation is activated in case of nuclear accidents in order to describe and model the evolution of the environmental contamination, to advise on countermeasures and to supervise their application and effects. Within this organisation VHI has to organise or execute measurements on animals and veterinary products and to coordinate countermeasures pertaining to their field of work. The suggestion is made to integrate the tasks of VHI and those of the Inspectorate for Health Protection (IGB) and to attune the activities of VHI and those of the State Institute for Quality Control of Agricultural Products (RIKILT). Advices are given on how to detail the tasks of VHI adequately in the contect of NPK, amongst others by describing methods to collect and interpret data. It is suggested to firstly put into practive in vivo monitoring techniques for J-131 and Cs-134/CS-137 Cs and to agree with other institutions on plans for sampling, sample preparation and measurements of milk. Finally a monitoring strategy for VHI is broadly outlined. It provides the framework for the definition of a detailed programme on sampling and measurement in case of a real accident. The monitoring strategy gives answers on the crucial question 'what has to be measured why and how by which person'. Since questions on where, when and how frequently measurements have to made should be tailored to the actual emergency situation, they are not dealt with in this report.