New measuring point in Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode

The BfS has set up 27 measuring points in the area surrounding Asse. With these probes the radiation protection experts can measure artificial radioactivity.

People living in the vicinity of Asse can check for themselves on the internet where radioactive materials in the environment are registered. Should the radiation exposure increase because of artificial radioactivity in case of an accident, this would be registered by the measuring probes and trigger an alarm.

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection has now installed a new probe to the south of the Asse repository in Saxony-Anhalt Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode. All probes have been set up as a confidence-building measure upon request of the population. So far, according to the BfS radiation protection experts, no probe has shown noticeable deviations from the normal radiation level.

Since 2009, when the responsibility for the Asse mine was transferred to the BfS, 26 measuring points have been set up in the vicinity of the Asse II repository for low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The new probe in Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode is part of a narrow measuring network operated by the BfS nationally. Via the measuring probes citizens can get information about the so-called gamma local dose rate in their environment.

The gamma dose rate is a measure of the current radiation an individual is exposed to at their respective whereabouts. Usually it originates from natural radioactive materials in the soil and from cosmic radiation. Everyone who is interested in the issue can get information about the radiation levels at any time. By clicking the link on the Internet a map will be opened depicting all around 1,800 BfS measuring points of radioactivity set up nation-wide..

For example, if you wish to retrieve the results of the new probe in Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode, click the key word „Messstellenliste“ in the map header. By clicking on „Liste der Bundesländer“ and the key word „Sachsen-Anhalt“ you can e.g. find the community of Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode. A diagram opens which since 22 March provides the radiation exposure levels in Osterwieck-Lüttgenrode.

The diagram shows the radiation exposure in situ (the so-called local dose rate) and a threshold value especially calculated for the probe site. In case this threshold value is exceeded, the BfS immediately checks to see if there are indications of artificial radioactivity, technical failures or a natural effect as is frequently the case after heavy rain showers. The new probe and the other measuring points in the vicinity of Asse show that there have been no noticeable deviations from the normal radiation level.

Within a radius of ten kilometres around the repository there are measuring points in Remlingen (Asse repository), Remlingen (village), Groß Denkte, Wittmar, Kissenbrück, Ohrum, Wolfenbüttel and Schöppenstedt. Within a radius of 25 kilometres there are further measuring points in Hornburg, Liebenburg, Vienenburg, Cramme, Salzgitter-Lebenstedt, Salzgitter-Beddingen, Vechelde, Groß Gleidingen, Braunschweig PTB, Braunschweig-Watenbüttel, Cremlingen (borough of Schandelah), Königslutter, Ingeleben, Hötensleben and Badersleben. Three further measuring points are worked in Helmstedt, Sehlde and in Lengede-Broistedt.