Schwarzelühr-Sutter: Schauinsland measuring station does an excellent job

The Schauinsland monitoring station of the BfS with the new annexe for the RASA air sampler

Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Environment Ministry, has emphasised the performance of the "Schauinsland" measuring station near Freiburg for the protection from radioactive substances in the atmosphere. On the occasion of a visit to the measuring station, which is operated by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Schwarzelühr-Sutter was impressed by the staff's high-level professionalism and competence. The Parliamentary State Secretary was accompanied by Norbert Nimbach, Vice-President of the BfS. On a tour Dr. Matthias Zähringer, head of the measuring station, explained the tasks of the facility and what techniques and procedures are used. Also several local parliamentarians and mayors were part of the group that visited the Schauinsland.

The task of the Schauinsland measuring station is the monitoring of environmental radioactivity. Schauinsland is one of 60 measuring stations world-wide for the monitoring of nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere and the only one in Central Europe. The radioactivity in the air and the gamma local dose rate are measured on the Schauinsland. The trace analyses to measure the air activity are extremely sensitive. For example, in June 1998, radioactivity could be detected with their help which had reached the atmosphere 2,000 kilometres away in Algeciras, Spain, through a medical radiation source that had accidentally been melted together metal scrap.

On the Schauinsland there is also a measuring probe which is one of altogether 1,800 measuring probes distributed over Germany that are part of the automatic gamma local dose rate measuring network operated by the BfS.

Schwarzelühr-Sutter: "The timely detection of even smallest amounts of radioactive substances is important with regard to precautions. The Schauinsland measuring station does an excellent job."

BfS Vice-President Nimbach: "Despite of the phase-out of nuclear energy, radiation protection still remains an issue in Germany for generations to come, also with regard to reactors abroad. The visit of the Parliamentary State Secretary is an important signal."