President Dorman's Message to AUB Community

Dear AUB Community,

 I am sure that most of you have heard or read about precautions that were recommended by some news providers for protection against the radioactive contamination of the environment (air, rain, ...) caused by the damage of some nuclear reactors in Japan.

 In fact, and after the earthquake and the Tsunami that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, several nuclear reactors have been affected and damaged, and releases of airborne radioactive materials into the environment have been detected.

 These airborne radioactive materials were carried by the wind, and spread worldwide; trace amounts of these materials were detected in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

 In Lebanon, the only official body eligible to issue recommendations pertaining to radiation safety is the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission (LAEC), whose experts have been following up closely on this issue, and performing regular air sampling and testing.

 As per the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission, the amounts that were reported in the Middle East region remain way below the limits that are considered by International Regulations to be harmful to the health or environment, and therefore, no precautions were recommended by the corresponding regulatory authorities in these countries nor in Lebanon.

 Please rest assured that AUB will be following up closely with LAEC regarding this issue through the Environmental Health, Safety &Risk Management department, and we will keep you updated regarding any recommendation or circular the commission might issue, and most importantly, we urge you not to consider any source of information other than the LAEC in order to avoid unjustified reactions and concerns.

 Should you have any questions, or needed any further clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Mohamad Tamim, University Radiation Safety Officer, EHSRM at 2360.

 Peter Dorman

President