Press Release: ECURIE ALERT: Belgian nuclear authorities alert the Commission about measures taken after releases of radioactive iodine

On 28 August at 23:31 the European Commission received an ECURIE alert notification from Belgium concerning a radiological incident in the Institut National de Radio-éléments (IRE) in Fleurus, Belgium. There had been a release of gaseous Iodine-131 from this facility. The incident had been classified Level 3 on the international INES scale (comprising 7 steps) on 26 August. On the basis of the analysis of environmental samples the Belgian authorities (Federal Agency for Nuclear Control) have now decided to implement protective actions, in particular restrictions on the consumption of local food produce (vegetables and milk), up to a distance of 5 km (sector North-East). In accordance with the ECURIE procedures the Commission immediately forwarded the alert notification to the ECURIE contact points in all Member States, Switzerland.