Experimental level operation under way in MGIF:

Commercial irradiation soon - AEA Chairman

by Naalir Jamaldeen

The Sri Lanka Gamma Centre (SLGC), known as the Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Plant or facility (MGIF) is functioning at an experimental level in the Biyagama Export processing Zone (BEPZ) from last week. On the completion of experimental operations level, commercial irradiation works will commence in a couple of weeks. The companies and industries can get their products irradiated in the Biyagama plant, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) Dr. Ranjith Wijayawardana told the Sunday Observer.

He said that Sri Lanka has a powerful irradiation source and can be utilised to sterilise surgical equipment and food items in addition to other material. Sterilised food stuff too can be stored for a long time.

A large number of industries which produce rubber surgical gloves are located inside the Biyagama Export Processing Zone. An industry which produce rubber surgical gloves function inside the BEPZ has its own irradiation plant. Compared to the cost of production the cost of irradiation is high, Dr. Wijayawardana said.

Plants which produce surgical gloves send them to India to get them irradiated. By providing irradiation service in Sri Lanka the manufacturers and industrialists can get better service at low cost, Dr. Wijayawardana said.

He said that currently irradiation capacity is one in tenfold and it is hoped to increase it to tenfold in future. In the beginning, stage irradiation work has been started in a small scale and moves are underway to expand it and irradiate medical equipment in future on a mega scale.

Besides, Dr. Wijayawardana said Sri Lanka has enough rubber. Only rubber gloves are produced now. After starting the commercial operation a large number of companies which produce rubber surgical gloves and other surgical equipment including injection syringes, catheters and surgical cloths may emerge in the market and a competitive environment will also arise for these items.

“Food items can be irradiated, and then lifetime will increase. Now trial works are going on. We will run the machines for a couple of weeks before commencing the commercial operation. We have to take approval from different authorities to start commercial operation. AEA is conducting tests in the plant in various angles”, he said.

Machineries were imported from India. They will issue the final certificate soon. The regulatory work is done by the Regulatory Division of AEA. The building of the plant has been modified in the manner to prevent environment pollution. The plant will cause no damage to the environment. Now we have to do is necessary shielding. The plant will emit no smoke which are dangerous to the environment.

The Government has implemented diverse infrastructure and other technology related projects across the country. Technology is the energy booster of the economy. The Government has paid much attention to improve this sector. Nuclear technology was the only shortcoming that remained.

In addition to commercial operation, the plant will also be available for research and development activities, of National Universities and other Research Institutions.

Sri Lanka Gamma Centre (SLGC) is important for the country in view of applications of gamma radiation for variety of important uses such as medical sterilisation, microbial disinfestations of food products and spices, irradiation preservation of food and for development of new industrial materials, according to Ministry sources.

The Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Facility (MGIF) helps the country in various ways such as medical sterilisation, microbial disinfestations of food products and spices, preservation of food and development of new industrial materials, according to Ministry sources.

The sources noted that Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Facility will play a pivotal role in the industrial sector development.

The MGIF gamma sterilisation helps establish new industries, add value to products that are exported as unsterilised products, secure better markets for local products such as spices and sea food, increase the level of infertility of medical items used in the health care sector, prepare the local industry to phase out chemicals that are used for chemical sterilisation, develop new industrial raw materials like radiation vulcanised natural rubber latex, assist small and medium entrepreneurs start industries that require gamma sterilisation and provide MGIF to foreign investors, the Ministry sources noted.

Gamma Irradiation Plants are widely used in a number of countries for sterilisation of medical products and food preservation, the Ministry sources pointed out.

The Ministry sources noted that the establishment of MGIF will help expand the export market, specially the companies which produce latex glows will benefit. Unsterilised latex gloves are exported currently and its market value is comparatively low. The value of the latex glows which are exported can be increased by at least 400 percent when they are sterilised and exported.

Many local companies will receive a chance to export medical supplies such as syringes, catheters, sterile dressing and saline.

These items are imported currently even for domestic use. The Irradiation Plant, while adding a value to locally manufactured products, provides a large number of employment. A large amount of money which is spent on the imports of these items can also be saved when the plant starts commercial operation, according to sources.

Lack of facility for sterilisation was the main barrier remained in producing these items. Now this facility is available in Biyagama Export Processing Zone owned by Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka and will provide irradiation service to the said industries, the the sources said.

Some export products such as spices are irradiated in European countries the re-exporting them. Now the local spice exporters can get the spicy items irradiated in the Biyagama Multipurpose Irradiation Facility (BMIF), the sources said.

The possibility of microbial growth for agricultural products, sprouting products such as onions, potato etc, are comparatively high. It decrease the value of those products in the market and profit also diminishing. The country will also lose the opportunities for the exports of these items. Irradiation facility will help preserve these products and the value can also be increased, the sources pointed out. The Government has invested nearly Rs. 760 million to set up the Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Facility.

Ministry of Technology and Research took the step to set up a Gamma Irradiation Facility with the initial Co-60 activity of 250 kCi .The designed maximum activity of the Gamma Irradiation Facility is 3000 kCi and it will be upgraded for the maximum strength with the demand. Having initial activity of 250 kCi, it has been estimated that, at the initial stage Rs. 4,488,000 will be generated per month. Simultaneous with the construction phase of MGIF, aligning of customers to provide the irradiation service was carried out and as a result Lalan Rubbers (Pvt) Ltd., surgical glove manufacturer and exporter has become one of the main customers of MGIF and is being prepared well in order to get the maximum service from the irradiation facility, by installing new glove packing lines with more sophisticated techniques. Upgrading of the activity will provide to enhance the processing capacity allowing many more customers to obtain irradiation service in future.

The Atomic Energy Authority has already recruited the operational staff. The relevant training has been provided under the Technical Cooperation of International Atomic Energy Agency and ready for the commercial operation of the Gamma Irradiation Facility. The Atomic Energy Authority will use Gamma Irradiation technology to increase the income of large and small scale exporters of agricultural products and other industries.