All Belgians to get iodine pills in case of radiation leak
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in Belgium will provide iodine pills to its entire population of about 11 million people to protect against radioactivity in case of a nuclear accident, the health minister said yesterday.
The move comes as Belgium faces growing pressure from neighboring Germany to shutter two ageing nuclear power plants near their border due to concerns over their safety.
Iodine pills, which help reduce radiation buildup in the thyroid gland, had previously been given only to people living within 20 kilometers of the Tihange and Doel nuclear plants. Health Minister Maggie De Block, however, was quoted by La Libre Belgique newspaper as saying the range had been expanded to 100km, effectively covering the whole country.
The head of Belgium’s French-speaking Green party, Jean-Marc Nollet, backed the measures, but said that “just because everyone will get these pills doesn’t mean there is no longer any nuclear risk,” La Libre reported.
Belgium’s creaking nuclear plants have been causing safety concerns for some time.
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