The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is currently adapting its preparations to account for risks associated with wartime scenarios. During an interview with the “Rheinische Post” (Wednesday edition), BfS President Inge Paulini noted that the focus of the agency has shifted, explaining that while the national phase-out of nuclear power has reduced traditional risks, it has simultaneously introduced new ones.
Paulini pointed out that it was previously unimaginable for nuclear power plants and related facilities to become combat zones or targets during conflicts. She specified that this has happened in Ukraine, and power stations are also becoming targets in the Middle East.
The BfS employee explained that its staff continuously monitors radiation data from various monitoring stations in Ukraine and neighboring countries. The President stated that they calculate, with support from the German Weather Service, whether air masses from Ukraine would reach Germany in the event of a release and for how long. A similar process applies to the Middle East, but Paulini added that due to the distance, protective measures for Germany are not expected from that region.
Furthermore, Paulini reported that 40 years after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, Germany is better equipped for emergencies. She emphasized that there are now clear rules and central federal authorities responsible for such incidents. They also collaborate with neighboring states, utilizing the Federal Radiological Situation Center, a central crisis team located within the Federal Ministry for the Environment. The entire radiation protection emergency system has been revised following both Chernobyl and Fukushima in 2011. The country has nationwide guidelines that define when evacuations, sheltering in buildings, or taking iodine tablets are advisable, based on specific radiation levels. She concluded by stressing that taking iodine tablets should always only be done according to official recommendations, never independently.